New York Yankees Preview

[Mr Baseball]

Let's start these previews off with the NL East, and who better to kick off preview season with the team that made the most noise - the NY Yankees.

Who's In: 1B Mark Teixeira, LHP CC Sabathia, RHP A.J. Burnett, OF-1B Nick Swisher, INF Angel Berroa, C Kevin Cash, RHP Jason Johnson, INF Justin Leone, OF Todd Linden, RHP Sergio Mitre.

Who's Out: RHP Mike Mussina, RF Bobby Abreu, 1B Jason Giambi, C Ivan Rodriguez, RHP Sidney Ponson, RHP Darrell Rasner, INF Wilson Betemit, RHP Carl Pavano, C Chad Moeller, RHP Chris Britton, OF Justin Christian.

Offseason Summary:

There is a lot to say about the crazy Yankees offseason, and the circus continues to turn with the newest A-Roid allegations. The Yanks spent nearly half a BILLION dollars on Teixeira, Sabathia, and Burnett among others. The new hires and coach Girardi will have immense pressure to meet the economically defying expectations set forth by Cashman, Steinbrenner and company. The Yankees did lose a few key players including 20-win man Mike Mussina and big bats in Abreu and Giambi (did I forget to menion Pavano?). They are also bringing back several players who lost time due to injury including key kogs Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Chien-Ming Wang, and Hideki Matsui. It will be interesting to see how this team comes together over spring training.

Bettor's Edge: I think that once again this will be a great year to fade the public love of the Yankees. Remember Yankee fans, winning gamblers bet with their heads, and not with their hearts. The Yankee ML's are typically inflated, and this year will be no different. With all the press they received over their big signings, along with a big fan base, it should be a great year to fade the Yanks. This team has a lot of drama surrounding it, from Torre's book, to Arod, to Joba, to chemistry issues. The Yankess will post a good record when all is said and done, but they will be a profitable team to fade in the long run.

Fade Situation:

Sabathia's starts, especially early - This guy has expectations surrounding him that can't even fit in his XXXXL pinstripes. CC has lead on that he prefers smaller markets, and thrived as the beloved star in Milwukee. He could get off to a shaky start in NY

Play Situation:

Down the stretch - Once the Yanks find a rythem and come together as a team during the dog days of summer, the Yankees could be dangerous if they stay healthy. They have a veteran group with the drive and expecations to fight their way into the playoffs. August and September could be a good time to get on the Yanks train, especially if the inflated money line's come down when they struggle early in the year.

Projected Lineup:

Damon (LF)
Jeter (SS)
Teixeira (1B)
Rodriguez (3B)
Posada (C)
Matsui (DH)
Nady (RF)
Cabrera (CF)
Cano (2B)

Projected Rotation:

CC Sabathia (Left)
Chien-Ming Wang (Right)
AJ Burnett (Right)
Andy Pettitte (Left)
Joba Chamberlain (Right)

Projected Finish:

97-65 2nd AL East, -$1500 Money, O/U 70-92. The Yankees have a few new pieces of the puzzle. But injury concerns, lineup questions, and off the field issues will haunt the Yankees who look to pad the wallets of those who fade. The under also looks to be a good play this year with the all or nothing lineup of the Yanks and the solid pitching staff.

 

[G-Man]

Sabathia wont win 20 and he wont even be the best pitcher on the team.

 

[Fondybadger]

Sabathia wont win 20 and he wont even be the best pitcher on the team.

I would be pretty surprised if CC did not win 20 games, that said I agree early he may have some issues. Interested to see what Joba, Hughes, and Kennedy do this season when they get chances (well especially Hughes and Kennedy of when they make the big league roster).

 

[Mr Baseball]

I think the Yanks have a fairly deep staff with players like you mentioned. The young group of Igawa, Kennedy, Hughes, Joba COULD be really solid

 

[Fondybadger]

I think the Yanks have a fairly deep staff with players like you mentioned. The young group of Igawa, Kennedy, Hughes, Joba COULD be really solid

I'm curious how this next wave of guys turn out... if montero can stay at catcher or if Romine is Posadas' replacement, if austin jackson is the real deal and can Gardner replace Damon, can andrew brackman bounce back from his injury and be one of the better players from that draft class, can melancon replace Mo, will Coke or Betances make a major league impact -- and how many will be traded away for another high price veteran...

 

[Mr Baseball]

I'm curious how this next wave of guys turn out... if montero can stay at catcher or if Romine is Posadas' replacement, if austin jackson is the real deal and can Gardner replace Damon, can andrew brackman bounce back from his injury and be one of the better players from that draft class, can melancon replace Mo, will Coke or Betances make a major league impact -- and how many will be traded away for another high price veteran...

A lot of talk about Gardner starting over Melky is already being thrown around.

Then again, will the Yankees actually hold on to those guys this time around?

 

[MrMulligan]

A lot of talk about Gardner starting over Melky is already being thrown around.

Then again, will the Yankees actually hold on to those guys this time around?

Melky had a decent Winter League: 312/.393/.409 (but again showed ZERO pop)...the hope is he'll have a good Spring Training and The Yanks can trade him for some minor league prospects (he's out of options).
The last 1.5 years have been HIDEOUS for this kid...and Gardner at least brings decent defense (Melky has a good arm but poor range w/strange routes to balls) and some SB / 1st-3rd potential.

Meet The Yanks 2010 starting CF:

Austin Jackson goes the distance

And now for something other than steroids …

Had a nice chat with Austin Jackson. After playing in the Arizona Fall League, he took a month off and then moved to Pensacola, Fla., to train at the Athletes’ Performance Institute in Gulf Breeze.
The facility is affiliated with Dr. James Andrews. It’s where Manny Ramirez has been working out.
“I got stronger, faster and cut down on my body fat,” Jackson said. “I was there for about a month and a half. It was a great experience.”
Jackson just turned 22 and seems determined to make this a big season. The Yankees want him to play at AAA and that is smart. It would be senseless to jump him from AA to the majors.
You have to give Jackson credit for playing in Arizona and then spending six weeks in Florida getting himself ready for the season. Jackson is one of my favorite prospects and it would not surprise if the coming season is when he really breaks out.

Nady & Swisher Update:

Back later with some audio, but for now: · Joe Girardi said that Hideki Matsui will not play any outfield in spring training because of his knees. He also conceded that once the season starts, Matsui would only play the outfield in an emergency. They want him working on getting knees healthy enough to run the bases. I guess now we know why Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher are still on the team.

 

[E.T.G.]

Its going to be real nice when this stud is roaming CF

 

[MrMulligan]

Pettitte paying dividends "off the field" for Yanks:

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2009/02/19/cc-having-pettitte-around-is-cool/

CC: Having Pettitte around is cool

I wrote several times over the winter that it would be wise of the Yankees to sign Andy Pettitte because of his ability to give them a large amount of innings at league average or better.
What I didn’t bring into the equation was his leadership.
As we spoke to CC Sabathia today, a question was asked about how he was fitting in with his teammates. He almost immediately mentioned Pettitte.
“Having Andy in camp has been cool; a veteran lefty who has been here for a while,” Sabathia said. “He can help me and teach me different things just by watching him. He’s definitely a guy I’ll be leaning on all year.”
I’ve heard much the same thing from Joba Chamberlain and A.J. Burnett, whose locker is next to Pettitte at Steinbrenner Field.
Leadership can’t be quantified and we certainly do not yet know how well Pettitte will pitch. But his one-year deal certainly looks like a much better move than bringing in Jon Garland, Oliver Perez or somebody like that.

 

[E.T.G.]

at some point Melancon will be a major factor in the bullpen for the Yanks this year.

Melancon savors experiences at camp

Yanks prospect has bright future if spring audition any indication

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- The pitch zipped out of Mark Melancon's hand and sailed inside, producing the sickening thwack of big league lumber instantly becoming a useless piece of junk.
From behind the batting cage, Derek Jeter cackled and taunted the bat's former owner, Robinson Cano, yelling, "Get him, Mark, get him!"
If the plan progresses as expected, Yankees fans might soon have the same opportunity to cheer on the hard-throwing 23-year-old right-hander.
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While sports radio jockeys continue debating if Joba Chamberlain really is best served by life as a starting pitcher, Melancon has become the readiest available answer to this eternal question: Who will replace Mariano Rivera as the Yankees' closer?
"I think it's able to be done, so I'm excited for that," Melancon said. "I'm excited that people are throwing that out there, but I know it's not true until I make it true."
With only a season and a half of professional experience, Melancon knows that the Yankees aren't about to hand him the task of replacing a legend. But Melancon believes he is in Spring Training competing for a Major League bullpen job, and the soft-spoken Coloradoan is not shy about stating his designs of making it to New York in 2009.
"I knew this year would be a good opportunity for me to possibly get in and have a shot at making the team," Melancon said. "I think I'm ready. I still think I have a lot of learning to do. I'm definitely not at the level that I want to be at."
Melancon said that he was helped by attending camp last year, even though he had no chance of making the big league club -- not coming off of Tommy John elbow surgery, which cost him all of the 2007 campaign. That familiarity is boosting him, as he can find his way around the clubhouse and spot faces he recognizes.
"I feel comfortable here," Melancon said. "I don't have to get to know everybody. I kind of know what it's about a little bit. That aspect of it is easier."
When the Yankees headed north for their maiden campaign under manager Joe Girardi, Melancon hung around in Tampa, appearing in 13 Florida State League games before earning promotion to Double-A Trenton, where he spent most of the season.
Wrapping up by helping Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to a championship title, Melancon combined to throw a total of 95 innings in 44 games, compiling a 2.27 ERA between the three levels and increasing his walk-to-strikeout ratio at each checkpoint.
It took him a while to find his location and harness his stuff coming off surgery, but by June, Melancon said he was on a roll.
"Every day, I'm happy my arm feels good," Melancon said. "You take that for granted if you're not hurt. Once you get hurt, you realize how important it is. Every day I am thankful for that."
For the purposes of 2009, the late-inning mix is expected to be filled more by the likes of Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte than Melancon, but Girardi is not ruling anything out.
"We have a lot of very good arms in camp, but [Melancon] did very well last year and he's got good stuff," Girardi said.
But good enough to replace Rivera? That will be a tall order, no matter who it is assigned to. Rivera isn't about to hang up his trademark cutter, but he acknowledged this spring that the end is coming. When it inevitably does, Melancon seems as good a bet as any to fill the vacancy.
"I think we'd like to see him get his feet wet before we start talking about that," Girardi said. "Those are extremely big shoes to fill. But he's got a chance to learn. He's got a chance to be around a lot of big leaguers here and a lot of guys that have a lot of experience. That's good for him."
Melancon seems to be taking advantage, tapping those veteran sources for their wisdom. He said he spent some of the 2008 Grapefruit League discussing pitching with Rivera, lauding him for his willingness to share tidbits of his craft. The conversation has continued this spring.
"Mo is awesome," Melancon said. "Obviously on the field, he's great. But off the field, he's a standup person and you can see that by the way he carries himself. That was fun for me to try and get to know him. What I realize about the older guys -- [Andy] Pettitte and Mo -- they just know the game like the back of their hands."
<!-- ######## BEGIN PULL QUOTE ######### --><TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width=205 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><HR color=#000000></TD></TR><TR><TD class=textXl><!-- ######## ENTER PULL QUOTE ######### -->"He's got a chance to learn. He's got a chance to be around a lot of big leaguers here and a lot of guys that have a lot of experience. That's good for him." </TD></TR><TR><TD class=textLg align=right><!-- ######## ENTER NAME ######### -->-- Joe Girardi, on Mark Melancon </TD></TR><TR><TD><HR color=#000000></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- ######## END PULL QUOTE ######### -->Jorge Posada caught Melancon during his batting practice session Sunday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, offering rave reviews. Jeter may have crowed when Cano splintered his lumber, but Jeter also cut and missed at two pitches from Melancon, grinning widely after the second one made him look silly.
"His ball cuts, it sinks, it's got late life to it," Girardi said. "That usually translates into swings and misses, and not solid contact."
Posada said that Melancon's two-seamer was even more impressive than his 12-to-6 curveball, widely regarded as his strikeout pitch. Posada said that Melancon's two-seamer cut to lefties -- the reason Cano's bat was taken out of service -- and that the four-seamer was the one that prompted Jeter to flash his pearly whites.
Viewing the Yankees' bullpen mix, Posada does not seem to expect Melancon will be on the first-base line April 6 at Baltimore. But it seems safe to wager that he'll have his share of Opening Days if everything continues on this track, projecting as a late-inning reliever or closer type.
"We'll see how he progresses," Posada said. "I think they don't really want to rush him right now. They want him to get a full year in and see what happens. But he's got a bright future. There's no doubt about that."

 

[MrMulligan]

ETG: "at some point Melancon will be a major factor in the bullpen for the Yanks this year."

Agreed, Melancon '09 = Joba '07.

Two more years of The Greatest Reliever in MLB History...then it's Melancon Time in the Bronx, baby. :tiphat:

Jorge Posada caught Melancon during his batting practice session Sunday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, offering rave reviews. Jeter may have crowed when Cano splintered his lumber, but Jeter also cut and missed at two pitches from Melancon, grinning widely after the second one made him look silly.
"His ball cuts, it sinks, it's got late life to it," Girardi said. "That usually translates into swings and misses, and not solid contact."
Posada said that Melancon's two-seamer was even more impressive than his 12-to-6 curveball, widely regarded as his strikeout pitch. Posada said that Melancon's two-seamer cut to lefties -- the reason Cano's bat was taken out of service -- and that the four-seamer was the one that prompted Jeter to flash his pearly whites.
Viewing the Yankees' bullpen mix, Posada does not seem to expect Melancon will be on the first-base line April 6 at Baltimore. But it seems safe to wager that he'll have his share of Opening Days if everything continues on this track, projecting as a late-inning reliever or closer type.
"We'll see how he progresses," Posada said. "I think they don't really want to rush him right now. They want him to get a full year in and see what happens. But he's got a bright future. There's no doubt about that."

 

[RetroVK]

agree with you that this looks like a good under team.. depends how many are on base when the homerun comes.

don't look now , but the yankees have a pitching staff all of the sudden. This might allow for more situational hitting from the lineup and takes away a lot of pressure.

Best team in baseball on paper.

team might win 95 and still lose the bettors money though.

 

[SportsNut]

I think one should keep an eye on the weather in NY in April . This team never starts well when its cold which is typical NY April weather . Alot of that was due to the heavy Latin makeup on this squad and beach boy Giambi .

Biggest beneficiary of the ARod "scandal" is CC Sabathia though . All eyes are now on ARod (again) and IMO that takes the pressure off CC. I dont buy into this fade CC theory because he will be overpriced . Its not like he is new to the AL and he didnt pitch poorly until MILW decided that after logging what I recall was his most innings and pitches , it was a wonderful idea to continually pitch on 3 days rest , then when he suddenly slumped he was suddenly overvalued . Nope . They played with FIRE and got fucked . I had said earlier in 2008 somewhere in this forum that CLE appeared in TRADE CC mode very early on 2008 when it was allowing him to seemingly have NO pitch count . So of course it caught up to him . Pressure is overrated its expectations that are the devil IMO . I dont see unrealistic expectations for him or the new signees . No one claims Tex will HIT 50 Hrs , or CC is a shoe in to win 20 something games or the CY Young . For once it seems like they are taken at face value which might have to do with the fact finally an underacheiving NYY team didnt find its way into the postsseason. I think this is very much like the situation last year for the Boston Celtics where they finally had money to spend after riding themselves of bad contracts and used it wisely .

I think NY has a nice mix of the Old guard and the new faces . I hope Mariano is recovered and back to being Mo . Same with Posada as well and hopefully someone lit a candle under Cano's nonchalant ass . Hopefully Wang is the same as before as well which gladly he didnt suffer an arm injury . Pettitte IMO should be much better this year then last . Simple reason is a guy BUILT on hard work and dedication through his offseason routine didnt have that last year . Hopefully even while debating about where to sign he had the team to get in proper shape and do his thing . You know with the offseason scandal last season it was taking away time from his offseason workout and that it would show.

Essentially IMO NY has a better chance to exceed expectations this season then previous .

Fading NYY when they are cold is BEST and playing on them when they are HOT has also been wisest . Sounds simple but to often we all look at the talent aspect when deciding on them and they have been a creature of streaks in the past ...

NYY has a ton of pitching but would rather see Joba in the pen which IMO 2008 was kinda a lost season for him . What would the pen look like with a full season of Joba as the setup guy ?? Scary if MO is still himself and the tons of new pieces we have for the pen . Alot of youngsters were impressive IMO and more are on the way ..

Interesting team and more interesting then ever IMO . You have ARod playing well every other season it seems and in theory this is a "good" year for him , Cano looking to bounce back , Cabrera looking to regain his Mark Kotsay status (although not as good defensively) , Posada and Matsui looking to return to form although Godzilla has kinda worn on me past few seasons ...

Personally not a huge Brett Gardner fan because he just looks like the type of guy I played against in college or semi-pro/ amatuer leagues . Melky has struggled but dont forget teh 1st 6 week sof last season maybe 2 months he carried the team ...280 with 15 Hrs would basically be a great season for him IMO and certainly he is more then capable of that if it ever clicks for 162 games ...thankfully Mike Cameron is nowhere near me ...

Yanks are a case of extremes but one cant complain about lack of talent . Still nearly every member has a wide range of what type player they could be ...as in do we see say the 2005 or 2007 version vs the 2008 version for some of them ...

The best part of this team is ONLY 1 player had a season that will be tough to duplicate and that was Mariano Rivera . The GOOD is he doesnt need to duplicate it or be even remotely close to it to be very successful or good. Only Damon IMO played to his level of ball in 2008 but he didnt exceed it IMO he simply played to his expectation level. Some guys in the pen is short amount of innings did do a wonderful job that again wouldnt have to be duplicated to be successful....

Last thing was last season NYY pitching at home tended to be all or nothing but mostly all ...if I recall NYY was EXTREMELY tough to beat allowing 3 runs or less at home ....LOOK it UP !:cheers:

 

[SportsNut]

Last thing is lets not forget they are playing in a new park so interested to see how that changes things . I know the dimensions were to be similiar but there is still alot of change that is possible ..

 

[hile75]

Ok, simple question.


Obviously loaded with talent. Does anyone think this is an 'old' team, and come august and september, if they are close with the rays/sox, see them falling off?

Lot of age on that field

 

[JetFavre]

while they clearly are not as young as the rays and sox, this is the youngest yankee team in awhile. mussina, abreu, giambi, etc. all were replaced by younger players. also, guys like coke, robertson and maybe melancon will be key pieces in the bullpen. have to figure hughes makes 10+ starts at some point this year as well.

but i agree, the core guys like posada, jeter, damon, pettitte, and rivera aren't getting any younger.

 

[MrMulligan]

Ok, simple question.


Obviously loaded with talent. Does anyone think this is an 'old' team, and come august and september, if they are close with the rays/sox, see them falling off?

Lot of age on that field

Of the everyday players only Posada (37) can be considered old and they will limit Posada's games @ C...solid defensive backup in Molina.
Matsui and Damon (who'll both be gone next year) are part-time players...Matsui (strictly @ DH w/Posada) & Damon (OF rotation w/Nady, Swisher, Gardner or Melky).
ARod is juiced and in great shape...Jeter (34) definitely has some wear-n-tear and his production has slipped but he seldom goes on the DL.

Pitching staff is stocked with young power arms...the only age being Mo (who is coming off an amazing season) and Pettitte (#4 starter) who for the last five years has thrown 190-220 innings.

IMO, Boston with Lowell (35) & Big Popi (33) coming off injury plagued seasons and JD (DL) Drew (33) & Varitek (37) still being counted on to start...have more of a possibility for crashing-n-burning due to age or injury concerns as the season wears on.

Mully :cheers:

 

[MrMulligan]

I think one should keep an eye on the weather in NY in April . This team never starts well when its cold which is typical NY April weather . Alot of that was due to the heavy Latin makeup on this squad and beach boy Giambi .

Biggest beneficiary of the ARod "scandal" is CC Sabathia though . All eyes are now on ARod (again) and IMO that takes the pressure off CC. I dont buy into this fade CC theory because he will be overpriced . Its not like he is new to the AL and he didnt pitch poorly until MILW decided that after logging what I recall was his most innings and pitches , it was a wonderful idea to continually pitch on 3 days rest , then when he suddenly slumped he was suddenly overvalued . Nope . They played with FIRE and got fucked . I had said earlier in 2008 somewhere in this forum that CLE appeared in TRADE CC mode very early on 2008 when it was allowing him to seemingly have NO pitch count . So of course it caught up to him . Pressure is overrated its expectations that are the devil IMO . I dont see unrealistic expectations for him or the new signees . No one claims Tex will HIT 50 Hrs , or CC is a shoe in to win 20 something games or the CY Young . For once it seems like they are taken at face value which might have to do with the fact finally an underacheiving NYY team didnt find its way into the postsseason. I think this is very much like the situation last year for the Boston Celtics where they finally had money to spend after riding themselves of bad contracts and used it wisely .

I think NY has a nice mix of the Old guard and the new faces . I hope Mariano is recovered and back to being Mo . Same with Posada as well and hopefully someone lit a candle under Cano's nonchalant ass . Hopefully Wang is the same as before as well which gladly he didnt suffer an arm injury . Pettitte IMO should be much better this year then last . Simple reason is a guy BUILT on hard work and dedication through his offseason routine didnt have that last year . Hopefully even while debating about where to sign he had the team to get in proper shape and do his thing . You know with the offseason scandal last season it was taking away time from his offseason workout and that it would show.

Essentially IMO NY has a better chance to exceed expectations this season then previous .

Fading NYY when they are cold is BEST and playing on them when they are HOT has also been wisest . Sounds simple but to often we all look at the talent aspect when deciding on them and they have been a creature of streaks in the past ...

NYY has a ton of pitching but would rather see Joba in the pen which IMO 2008 was kinda a lost season for him . What would the pen look like with a full season of Joba as the setup guy ?? Scary if MO is still himself and the tons of new pieces we have for the pen . Alot of youngsters were impressive IMO and more are on the way ..

Interesting team and more interesting then ever IMO . You have ARod playing well every other season it seems and in theory this is a "good" year for him , Cano looking to bounce back , Cabrera looking to regain his Mark Kotsay status (although not as good defensively) , Posada and Matsui looking to return to form although Godzilla has kinda worn on me past few seasons ...

Personally not a huge Brett Gardner fan because he just looks like the type of guy I played against in college or semi-pro/ amatuer leagues . Melky has struggled but dont forget teh 1st 6 week sof last season maybe 2 months he carried the team ...280 with 15 Hrs would basically be a great season for him IMO and certainly he is more then capable of that if it ever clicks for 162 games ...thankfully Mike Cameron is nowhere near me ...

Yanks are a case of extremes but one cant complain about lack of talent . Still nearly every member has a wide range of what type player they could be ...as in do we see say the 2005 or 2007 version vs the 2008 version for some of them ...

The best part of this team is ONLY 1 player had a season that will be tough to duplicate and that was Mariano Rivera . The GOOD is he doesnt need to duplicate it or be even remotely close to it to be very successful or good. Only Damon IMO played to his level of ball in 2008 but he didnt exceed it IMO he simply played to his expectation level. Some guys in the pen is short amount of innings did do a wonderful job that again wouldnt have to be duplicated to be successful....

Last thing was last season NYY pitching at home tended to be all or nothing but mostly all ...if I recall NYY was EXTREMELY tough to beat allowing 3 runs or less at home ....LOOK it UP !:cheers:

There is no doubt you are one of the most knowledgeable posters @ CTG...that is why I'll never understand your Joba take.

Joba has always been groomed as a SP (in minors & college)...he has 4 +ML level pitches. Why take one of your most talented pitchers and limit him to 75-80 innings when you can get 200+ out of him?

Remember Yanks also have numerous great young arms just waiting to go into the BP......:shake:

Joba (SP) '08: 65 1/3, 2-1, 2.76, 74/25 (RP stats are a little better but DAMN...74k in 65ip and a 2.76 era, while battling a sore shoulder?)

Mully :cheers:

 

[JetFavre]

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200807253195354

joba as a starter :shake:

 

[E.T.G.]

I worry about Joba's ability to remain healthy the whole year and approach 150-175innings this year and I would hate to see him hurt but I think he has to be given a chance to start before making it a career bullpen pitcher.

 

[SportsNut]

There is no doubt you are one of the most knowledgeable posters @ CTG...that is why I'll never understand your Joba take.

Joba has always been groomed as a SP (in minors & college)...he has 4 +ML level pitches. Why take one of your most talented pitchers and limit him to 75-80 innings when you can get 200+ out of him?

Remember Yanks also have numerous great young arms just waiting to go into the BP......:shake:

Joba (SP) '08: 65 1/3, 2-1, 2.76, 74/25 (RP stats are a little better but DAMN...74k in 65ip and a 2.76 era, while battling a sore shoulder?)

Mully :cheers:

Thanks Mully . Probably more because of what NYY has pitching wise at this point is why I feel this way . It's not that I dont think he can start or will be an ALL STAR type as a SP . As you said four filthy pitches . They have 4 solid veterans and really a good 5th starter is a luxury let alone someone the class of Joba or Pettitte whoever would be considered the 5th. You can skip the 5th SP alot of the time and personally I would much rather see Hughes get the chance to fill that spot . I know the kid can pitch but what better way to just let him go out there and do his thing every 5th day with very little pressure . More importantly hopefully he will continually match up with opposing teams 4th and 5th starters.

You have a good amount of arms who can play roles in the pen and keeping Joba as the setup guy(my preference more of just an 8th inning guy ) and groom him for Mo's replacement . A lights out closer is a rare commodity and Joba fits the role so perfect IMO . Plus IMO you have a power tandem with Joba and Mo at the backend something that strikes fear into opponents . So have Hughes , Kennedy and Aceves battkle for the 5th spot and in Aceves case a pen spot as well . With Bruney , Coke , Marte , Edwar Ramirez , Roberston , Sanchez and Veras as possibilities ...They are just loaded with quality arms ...

I dont have a problem putting Joba in the rotation I think him setting up Mo just maximizes the staff.

My ideal staff at the moment is :
1- CC
2- Wang
3- AJ
4- Pettitte
5- Hughes( or Coke , Aceves , Kennedy in that order of preference)

CL- Mo
Setup- Joba
7th inn- Edwar Ramirez
LH- Marte
Bruney , Robertson , Coke , Aceves , Sanchez and Veras with the 1st three being my preferences to fill out the 12 man staff...

On another note the Yanks are FAR from old ....
Posada is nearly 38 but missed almost last year so his body did not suffer much wear and tear . Also he was not drafted as a catcher (2nd baseman I believe) and was turned into a catcher in the low minors . he also platooned early on so he really doesnt have significant innings on him to worry about like other catchers his age . His body has a better chance at holding IMO then a 32-33 year old catcher . While that may sound crazy think of it like this at his age he has caught just 1390 games in the majors which is essentially his last 12 seasons . A typical Posada season is .280 20-90 IMO as a Yankee and that is still acheivable IMO for him .

Jeter will turn 35 near midseason but again that is far from old these days . Sure its not 24 but since I will be turning 35 this year as well its not as old it sounds ...long and athletic body should help him avoid wear and tear issues as well..

ARod only turns 34 after the AS break...

Damon just turned 35 this winter and doesnt hit 36 to Nov . Again not very old really the prime of your career in todays world . It used to be 28-34 range and that has certainly lengthened in the past decade or two..Johnny's motivation ??? Contract year ! One more big contract ...

Matsui once IRON MAN has played in 50 and 90 games in two of the past 3 years and still only turns 35 sametime Jeter does . Plus in the role of DH hard to be scared of fatigue ....

Rivera does tend to have some Sept issues it seems each year so he does concern me . He is 39 and will be 40 in Nov ....

Pettite will turn 37 in June again not that old these days when we look at the guys who have been successfull recently in their late 30's and older...

Other then that only AJ just turned , Marte 34 and Nady who just turned 30 in NOV are guys born before 1980 on this team...

 

[SportsNut]

Also when I said lost season for Joba I didnt mean because he was inefective . I should have furthered it by saying lost in the sense he still didnt have a clear role or path . He didnt fully transition into a SP and close the door on relieving or develop a path of succeeding Mo Rivera possibly in the closers role or even just having a plan of converting him into a starter for good at a certain point ...

 

[MrMulligan]

Spring Game 1: Yankees at Blue Jays
February25

YANKEES
Gardner CF
Jeter SS
Cano 2B
Rodriguez 3B
Swisher RF
Duncan DH
Miranda 1B
Linden LF
Cash C
Pitching: Brett Tomko followed by Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, Mike Dunn, Dave Robertson, Dan Giese and Jose Veras.
Notes: The Blue Jays will start LHP Brett Cecil. B.J. Ryan, Rick Bauer, Brian Burres and Ricky Romero will follow.

UPDATE, 9:10 a.m.: Joe Girardi just said the rotation would be Sabathia, Wang, Burnett, Pettitte and Chamberlain. The plan is for Joba to make roughly 30 starts.

(L)Power-(R)Guile-(R)Power-(L)Guile-(R)Power = 103 - 59 :tiphat:

 

[MrMulligan]

Hip, hip, Jorge: :tiphat:
<nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%;" id="itxt_nobr_1_0"></nobr>
Yankees look for a boost from healthy Posada


TAMPA, Fla. - Jorge <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%;" id="itxt_nobr_1_0">Posada </nobr>was almost useless to the Yankees by the middle of July last season. The injury to his right shoulder first left him unable to catch. Then it slowly robbed him of his power at the plate.
As the All-Star Game approached, Posada could barely extend his right arm. He would stand at the plate knowing he had little chance to produce.

<script language="JavaScript">OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1');</script><script language="javascript1.1" src="http://gannett.gcion.com/addyn/3.0/5111.1/133600/0/0/ADTECH;alias=ny-westchester.thejournalnews.com/sports/article.htm_ArticleFlex_1;cookie=info;loc=100;target=_blank;grp=733225;misc=1235749136787"></script> "I couldn't load up," Posada said, demonstrating how he was unable to use his arms to generate the bat speed needed to drive a baseball. "It was pretty much a still swing because I couldn't get my arm to move the right way. I was OK in April and May. But my shoulder got weaker and weaker as the season went on."
The Yankees, who were struggling to stay in contention in the American League East, kept Posada in the lineup in hopes he would find a way. But he went nearly 100 at-bats without a home run and struck out more often than he made good contact.
"You could tell when he would take batting practice, the ball just wasn't the same off his bat," manager Joe Girardi said. "It was extremely frustrating to him because he wanted to help whatever way he could. He came to the realization that it wasn't there and he couldn't do it."
Posada gave up in late July and underwent surgery. The extensive procedure carried with it six months of rehabilitation and no guarantee that he would be the same. But the decision also brought relief.
"I wasn't helping the team and it needed to get done," Posada said. "Once I decided to get the surgery, I finally was able to relax. It was so frustrating not being able to do anything."

Posada played in the first game since the surgery yesterday and the results were more than encouraging, they were startling.
Posada hit a long solo home run in his first at-bat, then doubled to deep center field the second time. His two RBI lifted the Yankees to a 5-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays before a sellout crowd of 10,693 at Steinbrenner Field.
"Two pretty good swings," Girardi said. "We joked with him that he had his legs under him and was well rested from last year."
Posada was the designated hitter yesterday and will be for at least another two weeks. The Yankees will wait until March 15 to use Posada as a catcher to make sure his shoulder is ready. He goes through a lengthy throwing program every other day to build the strength of his arm.
"It's better than I thought it would be, to be honest with you," Posada said. "Every day it's a little better. I'm going to be ready."
Posada, now 37, believes he can catch as many as 120 games this season. That could provide as much of a boost to the offense as the addition of first baseman Mark <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%;" id="itxt_nobr_13_0">Teixeira</nobr>
A switch-hitter, Posada could hit fifth, sixth or seventh.
"It's like having a Bernie Williams in there," Alex <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%;" id="itxt_nobr_14_0">Rodriguez </nobr>said. "We missed his toughness and his presence."

Posada hit .338 with 20 homers and 90 RBI in 2007. Though it's unlikely he will approach those levels again, he should be able to give the Yankees more production than most catchers in baseball.
"Obviously he is an offensive threat whenever he gets up," Girardi said. "He works the count, he has long at-bats, he can drive the ball out of the ballpark, he can hit for average; he can do a lot of things. It was a big bat that we missed last year. We'd like to have him around."

The Yankees also were heartened by what they saw from Phil Hughes, who threw two scoreless innings. Hughes did not allow a hit, walked one and struck out two. His biggest mistakes came in the first inning when he hit Adam Kennedy and Willy Aybar with 0-1 fastballs.
But that was somewhat by design. Girardi explained later that the Yankees are working with Hughes on working inside to batters.
Like Posada, Hughes looks at the coming season as a chance to prove himself physically. He has appeared in only 21 major-league games the last two seasons. A hamstring tear and broken rib led to long stints on the disabled list in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
Hughes is likely to start the season with Triple-A Scranton.
"If that is what happens, that's fine. I just need to pitch and stay healthy the whole season," he said. "When the time comes, I'll be ready."
Hughes, who turns 23 in June, is tired of hearing he still has time to realize his potential.
"I look at it like I should be doing it now," he said. "Age is really no excuse."
Reach Peter Abraham at pabraham@lohud.com and read his Yankees blog at yankees.lhblogs.com.