The Good, the Bad and the 15-4 Ugly

August 8, 2007 by Benjamin Kabak 11 Comments

The Good: At AAA, Ian Kennedy reminded us that, yes, he still exists. Against the Pawtucket Sox, Kennedy went 6 strong. He allowed no runs on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 9. His GB-FB ratio was a very impressive 8-0, and he threw 60 of 93 pitches for strike. If Clemens is suspended, he’s already the next best choice, and Chad Jennings wrote glowingly about this impressive performance.

The Bad: In Toronto, things were less than stellar. Chien-Ming Wang, 10-1 over his last 13 starts, was due, and he delivered. He allowed 8 runs on 9 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3 in 2.2 IP. Wang’s sinker and artificial turf just do not mix. Meanwhile, the Yankees 2-3-4 hitters went 1 for 11 with a walk. Unless your name is Robinson Cano, it was not a good night to be a Yankee.

The Ugly: Jeff Karstens has appeared in two games since returning from the DL, one worst than the next. Last week, he threw 3.1 innings in relief of an ineffective Roger Clemens. The 3 runs (on 5 hits) allowed the White Sox to win a wacky game. Today, he was worse. He allowed 5 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings. His ERA since returning from his injury is 11.37. Edwar Ramirez and Chris Britton continue to, you know, actually pitch well.

But, hey, at least the Yanks’ $5.6 million mop-up threw a 1-2-3 8th. On a night when only 53.8 percent of all pitches thrown by the Yanks went for strikes, Farnsworth was the best. Funny how that works out sometimes.

dan

no, its not funny. its completely expected that farnsworth be dominant when down by 11 and get shellacked when in a close game. although….. maybe we’re being a little hard on his because of the money he makes (admit it, we are): he has been slightly above average in WPA with a rating of .36—– take it as you please, but dave studeman said this when talking about pitchers, “I don’t consider WPA the ‘ultimate stat,’ but I think it’s pretty close”
http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.

Well, “funny” is all a little relative.
Stuart

I think that is Kyle’s 5th clean inning of the yr…

5 all friggin yr… I agree Karstens is a AAA starter.. he is young so he should be sent down and we will go from there.

britton and Edwar are real releif pitchers.. Really what the hell did Britton do wrong to be exiled to Scranton basically all yr.. I forgot so many good players on the big club pen are limiting his opportunities, what a joke..
Barry

why do you think kennedy over joba on a clemen’s fill in?
http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.

Now that the Yanks plan to use Joba as a reliever for the rest of this season, there is no way at all they would shift him back to the rotation a few weeks later. They’ve already said as much, and nothing would mess up his development more.

They’ll probably do something stupid like have Karstens make that start if need be, but in an ideal world, it would be Kennedy now that Joba’s in the pen for the rest of the year.
Barry

yea makes sense, im just real excited for a starting joba, maybe they’ll haul in kei igawa. lol
Stuart

Joba is not starting this yr. no way….

Igaw has no chance of starting for the Yanks this yr. he is avg. at best for AAA…
Bob R.

Chad Jennings imagined a near-future Yankee staff of young pitchers, all of whom are real prospects and within 2 years of major league readiness. He goes on to say he cannot think of another system that can project the same way. I can. Here is a projected TB Rays’ staff within 2 years.
Starters: Kazmir, Shields, Niemann, Price, Davis/McGee
Closer: Salas
Relievers: Talbot, Sonnanstine, Howell, Balfour, Thayer, Mason/Medlock/Orvella

And there are others in the line as well, plus at least two lower down in Helllickson and Rollins.

Based solely on projections, this staff could be as good or better than the one Jennings imagines for the Yankees.
brxbmrs

I love how all the “experts” like Michael Kay or Sherman talk about IPK in the context that he “only” projects to be a #3 starter (and that maybe Gagne should have been acquired fro him)- last time I checked, short of Wang (last night not included) we pay guys who are #3 starters (at best) anywhere from 11 to 18 mil a year.

It’s maddening – I don’t know if these guys with these big jobs are that dumb, lazy or if they are just trying to get a reaction from the fans.
tony from the bronx

brian cashman for all the mistakes he has made should be given an extension he correctly read the market and where baseball was heading in regards to money FA and pitching.Baseball has never been better financialy then it is right now.Even teams like K C Pitts. Mil the small market teams can now afford to keep there best players and even sign a free agent.You will not see manny big players hit the market like years ago.when pitchers like Lilly Meche and even Weaver can get 10 to 12 mil per you better have your own pitching.hence all the moves cashman has made the past 2 3 years He has positoned the yanks to the point where we dont need anybody else to not afford a player and then we can sign that player.Also if you have young good inexpensive pitching which the yans have you can get any position player you may need.just the pitchers we have that are injured (sanchez,cox,garcia,mellencon,)all highly regarded top prospects most orginazitions would love to have.I have read where people dont think the yanks would go with a rotation of all homegrown talent i n the next 2 years.Of course they will because there is no other choice.Wang,Hughes, Chamberlin,Mussina,Pettite(if he picks up his player option for 2008)will start the year with kennedy,the first call up>the only way cashamn moves ant of the top tier pitching is for a player like miguel cabrera from florida Like i said give cashman an extension
Bob R.

Incidentally, further response to Chad Jennings. Not only does the Rays’ pitching staff look at least as good as the projected Yankee staff (and I forgot to add Jackson, by the way), but the lineup also can be projected to match the Yankees’. Like Chad, I am fully aware this is something of a futile exercise since projectng this way is not realistic, but as he made the projections, I thought I could have fun with it too.

Currently, there are only 2 players in the Yankee system that can definitely be projected as regulars in 2 years and still be under 30 years old. They are Cano and Cabrera. There are a few questionable prospects such as Gardner and Miranda, but not much else. Probably only Jeter and A-Rod can be projected to still be playing at the same level as now.

The Rays, on the other hand, can anticipate the following sub-30 regulars in 2 years, with most of them still getting better: Navarro/Jaso, Harris, Longoria, Brignac, Crawford, Upton, Baldelli, Young, Gomes, Hughes and Fernando Perez. And again, there are others in the line who have shown promise as well as players like Desomond Jennings deeper in the minors. And only 30-31 are Iwamura and Pena who should still be performing at their peak.