Resting the starting pitchers
ByChad Gaudin kinda, sorta, got the job done last night. He didn’t escape the 5th inning and threw a few too many pitchers, but he held the A’s to just one hit. As Sergio Mitre has done, he gave the team a chance to win and has earned himself another look as a starting pitcher.
At this point, you might be asking, “So what?” Gaudin is, after all, just a fill-in for a few weeks. He probably won’t be on the post-season roster and won’t pitch in many of the Yanks’ important games. Yet, Gaudin — and to a lesser extent, Mitre — could have a significant impact on the Yankees’ post-season success for the simple reason that they give the team options and the ability to rest everyone else.
Flashback to the second half of 2008. With the Yanks’ pitching depth on shaky ground, Andy Pettitte needed to throw every five days despite shoulder pains. The results weren’t pretty. In 13 second-half starts, Pettitte was 4-7 with a 5.35 ERA. He allowed 17 more hits than innings pitched, and opponents had a .783 OPS against the Yanks’ lefty. His second-half slide was a big reason why I advocated against re-upping Pettitte for this season.
This year, Pettitte has spun a different tale. After a first half that saw him go 4-4 with a 4.83 ERA, Pettitte has turned it on of late. He is just 1-1, but in 39.2 second-half innings, he has a 2.04 ERA and 43 strike outs. Opponents have just a .543 OPS against him after putting up a .795 mark in the first half.
In a way, Pettitte is the key to the Yanks’ post-season success. While A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia could carry the team, having an effective Pettitte would cement the Yanks’ position as October favorites. To that end, the Yankees have to make sure that Pettitte, at 36 years of age, gets the rest he needs.
After the game last night, Pettitte said as much. “It’s huge,” Pettitte said to the beat writers of Gaudin’s start. “If you can give myself and CC and A.J. a few extra days between now and the end of the season, it’s going to pay off.”
Pettitte isn’t the only one who needs the rest. CC Sabathia has thrown nearly 500 regular season innings over the last two years and is on pace for another 238 this year. A.J. Burnett threw a career-high 221.1 innings last year and is on pace for 205 this year. We all know what the Yanks’ plans are for Joba.
If the Yankees can win a pair of games in Boston this weekend, if Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre can give them a few decent outings, the Yanks can rest Pettitte, Sabathia and Burnett. They can get the team ready for a stretch drive and playoff push that could bring us another parade. While the Yanks have a seven-game lead right now, a bigger one will give them the luxury of rest. Getting to that point may start with Boston this weekend, but Gaudin will have a role to play yet on this team.
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With that in mind, should we still consider adding one more starter?
Jon Garland, maybe, who cleared waivers and can be dealt to anyone? If it costs nothing but a minor PTBNL, like Gaudin did?
Don’t get me wrong, I hate Garland as much as anyone else (maybe more), but like Andy (and Ben) said, all four of our primary starters could use more rest. The only thing better than a 6 man rotation for September is a 7 man rotation.
(Or, if you are utterly Garland averse, would you DFA Cash or Claggett to add Nova or Z-Mac, and give one of them a September start or two? Or, WDLR?)
I would love another starter
In re: “Or, if you are utterly Garland averse, would you DFA Cash or Claggett to add Nova or Z-Mac, and give one of them a September start or two? Or, WDLR?)”
Good question…who is rule v eligible after this year?
I believe Nova was Rule V eligible this season, was taken by San Diego, but couldn’t stick. I’d suspect the Yanks will add him after the season or they will probably lose him in the next Rule V draft, so adding him for a September start of two is a definite possibility.
you gotta protect nova cause he was taken by the padres and sent back to us…
Good question…who is rule v eligible after this year?
Nova and Kroenke, I think.
But the Rule V thing probably isn’t a concern yet, we’ll have some spots come open after the season ends, like Matsui, Hinske, Hairston, Cash, etc., and we can dump/trade guys like Claggett, Edwar, etc.
We’ll make spots for whomever we need.
Right…I was really asking to get an idea for the most probable outcome is in the offseason. i.e. if they’re planning on adding Nova and Kroenke in the offseason to protect them, then they might consider adding them now to get a start out of them.
True.
WITH ALL THIS TALK ABOUT ADDING A PITCHER, THE SWB YANKS HAVE A LEFTY, ZACH KROENKE. HES 7-1 1.34 ERA AND A 1.13 WHIP. WHYA RE WE EWVEN TALKING ABOUT JON GARLAND AND CHAD GAUDIN ETC.
COMMENTS???
Dude, are you Zach Kroenke’s mom or something?
Also – You’re breaking 2 rules with your comments (no all-caps and no duplicate comments).
I just hope CRAIG doesn’t get banned before he answers my question.
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-541887
HIS LEFTINESS AND 7-1 RECORD MEAN ROSTER GUIDELINES ARE INAPPLICABLE TO HIM.
Had you also capitalized your name, it would have been the icing on the cake.
Haha seriously, I looked at his comments again after I posted this one and was like “goat-fucker, I should have capitalized my name.” That’s the best part, and I missed it. I’m cracking up at you calling me out on that detail, nice work.
A few typos wouldn’t have hurt either, but I shouldn’t get greedy.
“goat-fucker, I should have capitalized my name.”
Coop: Hey, pigfucker, can I call you pigfucker?
Reemer: No, only my friends can call me pigfucker.
Gotta love the cojones on a guy who makes fun of quoting A Night at the Roxbury while busting out Baseketball references left and right.
Basketball at least had one or two funny moments in it.
A Night at the Roxbury was horrid. As was everything Chris Kattan has ever been a part of.
“A Night at the Roxbury was horrid. As was everything* Chris Kattan has ever been a part of.”
*ATHF Colon Movie Film for Theaters excepted.
(Kattan certainly sucks. But, to be fair, Roxbury did have Will Ferrell and Dan Hedaya. It was terrible, but I think it’s firmly in the Baseketball level of shitty movies with some kitschy redeeming value.)
Okay, okay. Uncle.
FWIW, I think the pigfucker line is the only one from Baseketball I drop. No, wait, there’s also
“You think you’re excited… FEEL THESE NIPPLES!”
-Bob Costas
Other than those two, the movie can be thrown in the trash.
Justice for Roxbury. My day is complete.
That Costas line… Funny and vomit-inducing…
(Shudders)
You already said that and people commented on it. Why post it again?
Zach MAc was drafted out of HS in 2006, so 2007-2010 he should be ineligible, right?
Why wouldn’t we have tried to get Padilla? Isn’t he better than Garland? And he’s used to pitching inside a band-box lol
I think it’s because he’s hated more than Ray Caruth, Michael Vick and Hitler combined.
Vicente Padilla stabbed a guy.
He assumed it would make him as popular as Ray Lewis.
You mean the Ray Lewis who did NOT stab a guy?
Thanks, copy that.
Ray Lewis did NOT stab a guy. I just wanted to say that again to make sure every one heard it.
But Ugueth Urbina did.
Technically, no, he did not.
I believe Urbina attempted to slice them up with a machete and then pour gasoline on them. I’m not sure what’s worse for his son: His father committing such an act and being in a Venezuelan prison, or being drafted by the Mets.
Close enough, though.
Exactly. All the news reports regarding the Urbina incident say that he and his posse “attempted to injure” or “attacked” the victims with machetes.
The word noticeably absent from all the Urbina coverage is “stabbed”. I am left to conclude that nobody was actually stabbed with a machete.
He did pour gasoline on them though, FWIW.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/f.....038;st=cse
“The Machete” would be a great nickname for a relief pitcher.
I’d suggest that Mets fans start calling Juan Urbina “The Machete”, but he probably wouldn’t like that very much.
You don’t “stab” someone with a machete, you “hack” them.
Fair enough.
Ugueth Urbina hacked a guy?
Would it be close enough to say that Clay Buchholt hacked a guy’s laptop?
Wait, didnt ray lewis stab two guys?
No.
Ray Lewis knew some guys that stabbed some guys. Allegedly.
Lewis was originally indicted for murder but cut a deal during the trial in exchange for testimony against his co defendants. So not exactly innocent, but also not guilty in the court of law.
So not exactly innocent, but also not guilty in the court of law.
In the court of law, there’s no such thing as “innocent”.
Only guilty or not guilty.
touch a nerve,huh? Sorry to inform you but there is a good chance your buddy was involved with a double murder incident. Stop defending him, tsjc
With a syringe filled with swine flu.
I actually have a huge problem with Padilla. It seems that in 2007, he took my mother out for a lovely seafood dinner and then never called her again.
If I ever see him…
You don’t DFA anyone. Just move Wang and Nady to the 60 day DL (which should happen anyway on August 31). That gives you two spots you can use on Z-Mac or Nova.
Nady and Wang are already on the 60-day DL. But we do have one open spot on our 40 man, so we wouldn’t need a DFA to add one of Nova or Z-Mac, but we’d need a DFA to add both.
The 14 members of our 15-man inactive roster are:
1 Jonathan Albaladejo
2 Andrew Brackman
3 Anthony Claggett
4 Wilkins De La Rosa
5 Michael Dunn
6 Christian Garcia
7 Ian Kennedy
8 Mark Melancon
9 Edwar Ramírez
10 Kevin Cash
11 Francisco Cervelli
12 Juan Miranda
13 Shelley Duncan
14 Brett Gardner
According to the Yankees 40 man roster on the website they aren’t included:
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....p?c_id=nyy
True, but the Yankees website lists 17 guys as being on the inactive roster, and only one of those 17 is listed as being on the 60 day (Marte), so one of those other two (Nady or Wang) has to be on the 60-day or we’ve got one extra man on the 40 man roster.
Add up all those names. There’s 42 guys there. 23 pitchers, 4 catchers, 7 infielders, 7 outfielders, and a DH. 23+4+7+7+1 = 42 – 1 for Marte on the 60-day = 41.
Something’s gotta give. Either Wang or Nady has to already be on the 60-day. Or both, which is what Wikipedia has.
You’re right, but I thought I had counted at one point and the numbers were right with neither Wang nor Nady on the 60 day DL. It doesn’t really matter either way – with both of them on the 60day DL, it will leave one open spot that could be used. Kevin Cash is useless, so he can be DFA’d if we need another spot.
Yes, but that one spot that we still have available by shifting Wang/Nady to the 60 day will be eaten up when Marte comes off the 60 day.
Meaning I was right initially: if we want to add Nova and Z-Mac, we need to DFA two people.
Because we have 42 guys on our 40 man, and we’ll get two exemptions for Nady and Wang. That still leaves us at 40 when you include Damaso Marte as a healthy member of the 2009 New York Yankees.
Thats what happens when you take the website at its word.
Yup. Yankees.com, ESPN.com, and Wikipedia.org all say different things.
Gotta add them all up and do it myself.
We have 17 guys on our major league roster for 15 inactive spots.
1 Jonathan Albaladejo
2 Andrew Brackman
3 Anthony Claggett
4 Wilkins De La Rosa
5 Michael Dunn
6 Christian Garcia
7 Ian Kennedy
8 Mark Melancon
9 Edwar Ramírez
10 Kevin Cash
11 Francisco Cervelli
12 Juan Miranda
13 Shelley Duncan
14 Brett Gardner
15 Damaso Marte (currently on the 60-day DL)
16 Chien Ming Wang (on either the 15-day or 60-day)
17 Xavier Nady (on either the 15-day or 60-day)
Marte will be activated likely sometime in the next week or so, meaning that I can state with 95% certainty that Nady and Wang will officially be on the 60-day DL and we’ll have no open 40-man spots left by this time next week.
that’s why bud selig hates his life.
…WAIT…wtf…i thought we cut Cash?
(no, we cut checks.)
(ok, so you send a check to who?)
Good thing someone gave Brackman a major league deal
Wang and Nady are not on the 60day DL according to yankees.com:
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....p?c_id=nyy
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-541830
(Or, if you are utterly Garland averse, would you DFA Cash or Claggett to add Nova or Z-Mac, and give one of them a September start or two? Or, WDLR?)
This. Garland’s tRA+ (Stat Corner) is at 90. The dude throws soft and gets hit hard. No thank you.
Maybe a stupid question but why wouldn’t The Great Gaudini make the post-season roster?
Numbers crunch?
12 man postseason staff:
1- CC
2- AJ
3- Andy
4- Joba
5- Hughes
6- Mo
7- Aceves
8- Bruney
9- Coke
10- Robertson
11- __________
12- __________
Guys in the mix for those last two spots who could would be postseason-eligible that could conceivably beat out Gaudin and Mitre:
Damaso Marte, Mark Melancon, Jon Albaladejo, Edwar Ramirez, Anthony Claggett
I’d say as long as Marte makes an appearance in September and looks healthy, he has the inside track for #11. So, it’s Melancon v. Gaudin v. Albaladejo for that last spot in a September grudge match. Hottest man come October 5th gets the spot.
Doesn’t Marte have to be on the roster by the 31st?
No, he was on the roster back in April. That’s good enough.
He might show up this upcoming series.
I believe since he went on the DL the second time, the circumstance has changed and he no longer has to be on the roster by the 31st.
The playoff roster is set on 9/1. Players on the major league DL at that time are eligible (as long as they’re on the 40man roster). Also, players on the 60day DL can be replaced on the post season roster by any other player that’s already on the 40man roster.
If a player goes on the DL in September and misses the playoffs, they can be replaced by anyone on the 40man roster.
No – since he’s on the 40-man roster and on the DL, he’s ok to be activated per MLB rule 40(a).
And everybody who played for the team from April-August is eligible anyway. Damaso’s appearances in April before he went on the DL is enough to qualify him for postseason eligibility.
I see what you’re saying and it makes sense. I could be grasping for straws here but the versatility of Gaudin allows them to use him as an emergency starter in case of injury (Hughes isn’t stretched out, Aceves might not be able to), or at least as a long reliever.
My guess is he’ll be left off in favor of Melancon but if it came down to him and Albie, I’d definitely pick Gaudin for the reasons already listed.
There’s a chance that Joba won’t be on the ALDS roster.
A chance, but I doubt it.
Edwar? Ugh. Marte? Double ug
If Marte is healthy, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with him being on the postseason roster. He’s a quality lefty.
Yes. And I loved how you left Edwar Ramirez alone on this one…lol
RAB : Melky Cabrera :: Makavelli : Edwar Ramirez
Well, I can understand people having a bad taste in their mouths from Edwar Ramirez. He doesn’t have a sustained record of dominance like Damaso Marte does.
Hating on Damaso Marte makes much less sense. He’s been good for quite some time.
*sigh*
Why is Marte perceived to be God awful?
He hasn’t done anything that useful since we got him…
The best thing he’s done might have been landing on the DL…
lol I kid, I kid
IETCVM.
…because past performance is not indicative of future returns? especially since he hasnt thrown a ML inning since last year and has a hurt shoulder from spring and hasn’t returned from it yet nor shown consistent velocity and used up his entire 30 day rehab period without being reinstated, even though the yankees desperately need a setup man?
lemme rephrase: hasn’t thrown a GOOD ining since last year
do we really need 12 pitchers for the postseason? With all the off days, you could easily only have 10 or 11 giving us more bench options.
Molina
Gardner
Pena
Hairston
Hinske
and the starting lineup.
Edwar Ramirez? Ughhh…
I’d rather have Richard Ramirez on our post season roster lol
Good point. I think, contrary to what Ben wrote, Gaudin has a very good chance at being on the post season roster.
Figure they could spot start WDLR come Sept, shame the other potentials on the 40 man are all out for the year…or Andrew Brackman
Unless we DFA someone to let Nova or McAllister have a shot.
*cough*anthonyclaggett*cough*
*cough*juanmiranda*cough*
*COUGH*
KEVIN.
CASH.
*COUGH*
*COUGH*
HE.
WAS.
ALREADY.
PROPOSED.
IN.
A.
COMMENT.
ABOVE.
BUT.
MIRANDA.
WAS.
NOT.
*COUGH*
You guys cough loud. You should get that checked out.
*sniffles*
…sorry…
/sheds tear
No need to DFA anyone. Wang and Nady go to the 60 day DL.
Nady is already on the 60 day isn’t he?
I’ve cross checked it. 100% positive now. Including injuries and DL machinations, our 40-man is currently full, any minor leaguer we add to the 40-man would require a corresponding DFA move.
Adding Nova and ZMac means two guys get DFA’d. Period.
The 40 man is full. Thats why you bring up Kroenke fromtriple A. Again, hes a lefty hes 7-1 w a 1.34 era.
Wait, what?
How does the 40-man being full mean that we should bring up Kroenke? I don’t follow you.
Hopefully they can give the starters some rest here soon. A healthy playoff rotation is going to help.
I rather try one of the youngsters or even Livian Hernandez before Garland.
Let’s face it…nobody wants Dorothy on our team…
But Mitre is brutal to watch as well
Livan Hernandez would be great…is he available?
Apparently, yes.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....andez.html
Now that I look at those stats…I don’t really care for him as much lol
Let’s not put the word “great” and “livan hernandez” in the same sentence, mmmk?
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-541861
Yeah, as crazy as it seems at first, Garland may actually be the better option than Livan. By far.
However, the fact that Livan can be had for free makes him a bit more appealing…
Yeah. Slow on the refresh. My bad. On the plus side, you got to remember this fellow:
http://x19.xanga.com/fd4f107a7.....460791.jpg
Am I the only one that realized that Andy Pettite was 8-5 in the first half and not 4-4?
You’re right! Get the plank ready! Ben’s gonna be walkin’ it soon!!
And what letter comes after “Q”??
ARRRRRRRRR!!!!!
What about adding Mark Hendrickson? He’s cleared waivers…
He’s cheap and somewhat effective…more-so than Livan or Judy I would think…
Perhaps.
I bet Angelos charges us an arm and a leg for him, though. He’ll probably go to the NL for a cheap prospect.
You think we could acquire the rights to this guy and trade him for Hendrickson?
http://www.aznews.us/ed_pas21.jpg (SFW)
Where did you get that picture? I think I know him…
Google search “One arm, one leg”. It was between him and the guy in the wheelchair with the crossbow, but the one I ultimately chose had sports apparel on.
The fact that there’s a picture of a guy with one arm and one leg in a wheelchair… WITH A CROSSBOW is awesome.
The only thing more humiliating than getting shot by a crossbow is getting shot by a crossbow by a guy in a wheelchair with one arm and one leg.
http://www.texasarchery.org/el.....ffabry.jpg
Whomever that guy is, he’s my new favorite person.
Whomever that guy is, he’s not alright.
WITH ALL THIS TALK ABOUT ADDING A PITCHER, THE SWB YANKS HAVE A LEFTY, ZACH KROENKE. HES 7-1 1.34 ERA AND A 1.13 WHIP. WHY ARE WE EWVEN TALKING ABOUT JON GARLAND AND CHAD GAUDIN ETC.
COMMENTS???
You can never have too much pitching. And turn off that caps lock, it’s against teh guidelines.
ZACH KROENKE IS A RELIEF PITCHA!!!
/francesa’d
True. He’s made 30 appearances at Scranton this year. 28 of those 30 were in relief. His average IP/G is 2 innings.
Good reason to add Kroenke, though: Like Joba Chamberlain and myself, he’s from Lincoln Nebraska.
No need to yell.
http://thesiliconjungle.files......pslock.jpg (safe)
questions…
1) Whatever happened to the cuban defector Yadel Marti? There were claims that he was mlb ready and was going to demo for teams like three fridays ago. If that demo went bad then the word should have gotten out by NOW. Maybe there is a lot of negotioating going on and that is why it is so hush hush? I mean how does RAB (and MLBTR) do features on TWO free agent pitchers and a centerfielder who are are “MLB ready” and available for contending teams for the “stretch run” and then not follow up on it? Even no news is news considering that any contending team acquiring a virtually unknown arm this late in the season has implication.
2) Who checks the 40 man? Like what happens if there are 41 people on that list? What would mlb do? Is there someone at MLB who’s sole job is to check everyone’s 40 manand d/l lists (Including all minor league teams) every day to make sure noone is violating the rules? how often do they check? daily?
Since every move has to technically be registered with the commish office someone will check.
Yup.
The webmasters of those sites just haven’t updated them properly (or did so too soon.) Ironically, it looks like it’s the Yankees official site that’s the incorrect one, since NBC Sports says that both Nady and Wang were moved to the 60-day on July 31st.
http://www.scoreboard.msnbc.co.....38;team=10
I have been thinking this all year. It will also be important to rest Jeter, A-Rod and Posada for the playoff push. The bigger the lead, the more rest!
The Yankees also have a LOT of off days in September which will help
I’m hoping for a 2/3 or sweep in Boston to get that lead even bigger making it easier to rest those guys.
and now with such a solid bench having hairston/hinske in the lineup, even both on the same night, to trest regulars, is not such a bigdeal or offensive dropoff as previous years.
I’d like to see Hughes get atleast one more start this season
I doubt that.
Yeah, probably not going to happen. Not enough time left to make it worthwhile to stretch him out again if we’re just gonna put him back in the pen.
RE: JON GARLAND
Is he throwing a knuckle ball these days, or is change up just really bad?
http://www.instantrimshot.com
so Marti is starting to become a mystery…. do you people think that no news means that they are not viable mlb’s players or that negotiations are at fever pitch?
4-4 in the first half plus 1-1 so far in the 2nd half = 9-6 overall?