Non-Breaking News: Yanks looking to add a starter
ByVia MLBTR, the Yanks are looking to add a starting pitcher this offseason, although this time Mike Puma of the Post has attached the completely arbitrary deadline of New Year’s to it. What’s going to happen if they don’t bring in another arm in 11 days, are they just going to stop trying? No, of course not. Since when is Brian Cashman someone that won’t wait and wait and wait to get something at the price he wants?
Anyway, Puma’s report also mentions that Cashman “is believed to have inquired about Carlos Zambrano,” which is as vague as a rumor could possible be. Thankfully the Cubs already shot it down, and Jason at IIATMS explained why Zambrano would be a bad idea, saving me the trouble. As we’ve been saying, Ben Sheets and/or Justin Duchscherer is the way to go.
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I find it funny that Sheets and Duchsherer are 1a and 1b. In my mind, Sheets is 1, and Duchsherer is only 2 in the fact that 2 has to follow 1.
Good point. Sheets has a longer history of being productive as a starter.
if you go by just talent then yes. but if you factor in contract demands then they are closer
Yeah, and the potential that Duchscherer, Joba and Phil can compete for the final two spots, with the least deserving pitcher going to the pen. Sheets is a starter, and he would be guaranteed a spot in the rotation (if healthy).
The J-Duch approach may be better for the development of the young pitchers, but not necessarily better for the team’s w/l record since Sheets is the better pitcher.
J-Douche is like #8, with #1-7 being Ben Sheets.
Sheets would be 1-7 in a perfect world where he didnt miss the whole last season with arm issues.
If you take away the pure speculation, that MLBTR post is virtually content-free.
It could have just said, we heard the Yankees are looking for a starter. But we have no f*n idea who it could be.
I looked for a quote to see how much people misread what he said but there was no quote so yeah it’s hugely speculation.
Just like how people said Cashman said that he was embarassed by the payroll, except he never said that.
Plus, are GMs even allowed to comment about wanting a player who under contract with another team?
People just think Yankees need to react to the Lackey signing for some reason, so they go out and look at every pitcher with a big contract and find a way to link the Yankees to that player
So is most of the internet. At least Tim is better than just about anyone else out there.
This is not a knock against Cashman but don’t agree with statement that he’s a guy who waits and waits until the price comes down (with CC and AJ being the prime examples of Cashman acting fast and perhaps even bidding against himself to make those signings).
AJ had a similar five year offer from Atlanta, but chose the Yankees. CC was interested in staying in California, but Cashman moved fast to prevent them from getting involved. His fast work with both pitchers allowed the Yankees to be ready when the Teixiera opportunity came upon them.
I meant to imply the Angels interest in CC.
So its a combo, basically it seems there are clear priorities, last year it was starting pitching, this year getting Pettitte signed, in which Cash just looks to get it done and doesn’t want to wait. For the luxuries he appears to be the wait till the price comes down/ settles. Which is more the case with some of the trades & Tex.
Something that Ruben Amaro hasn’t done in Philly, jumping all over Ibanez & Polanco, and overpaying. While I’m fairly confident the Yanks got Tex & Burnett for as cheap as they could, perhaps CC a bit more then they could have, but they didn’t want to risk it.
You really going to bash Amaro for jumping on Ibanez???
He should be commended.
Why? Burrell/Abreu got much less and were comparable FAs
Without looking at what Jason wrote at IIATMS, I’d take a guess:
a) he costs a lot of money over the next several years,
b) there are some injury concerns,
c) his stats have gotten worse and
d) it would cost some good prospects to get him.
Damn, I shoulda just posted that. Woulda saved me an hour.
But I’ve got data! And a few goofy pictures. So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.
The deadline isn’t arbitrary. Obviosuly they’ve already written the year 2009 on all contract proposals and there is no way in hell they’re gonna go through the trouble of making changes.
However, Ken Davidoff of Newsday talked to “a person in the Yankees’ loop” who said Sheets is “not even on the board” currently.
Interesting.
so I wonder who is “on their board?”
Probably looking into pitchers wanting less than 10 mil a year, who are actually likely to throw 140+ innings if needed.
According to a person willing to speculate on the Yankees’ thinking, it is “unclear at this point” who is on their board.
I think “a person in the Yankees’ loop” was looking at the Yankees 2010 Amateur Draft board. Easy mistake.
What would it take to pry Ted Lilly from the Cubs?
Why bother with a trade when there are FA options out there?
He’s not likely to be better than Joba or Hughes in the rotation anyway, and he’s not building future upside. What would be the point?
And that.
He had shoulder surgery, pretty sure they said he’s going to miss about a month of the season.
Montero, Melky, Romine, Heathcott, Wordekemper and Wilfi Bravo. Minimum.
Yankees get minor leaguer Barney Marshall along with Ted Lilly.
That’s fine, as long as they don’t trade Melvin!
The Yankees don’t trade Melvin, Melvin trades the Yankees.
I believe Melvin was offered position of principal owner of the Yankees, but he turned it down saying he was too busy owning the Dominican League.
Everytime a batter strike out against Melvin, he sends them a blessing. So they have that going for them, which is nice.
Melvin also holds an option to purchase the American League in the future.
Lilly is prone to home runs, he’s going to get killed if he’s back in the AL East. He only had one good year with the Yanks.
Conveniently forgetting his good yrs in toronto.
I still can’t believe that we signed the magnificent Kei Igawa over Lilly…
via MLBTR Twitter, Bruce Levine says the Cashman Zambrano inquiry is false.
Is it possible the Cubs and Yankees are discussing other deals? The Cubs reportedly have interest in Melky/Gardner. Isn’t a reliever or back-end starter a possiblity?
I think Zambrano would be an awful fit for the Yankees anyway.
I really don’t see them trading Melky or Gardner until they see what they’ve got in Hoffmann.
I disagree. I think the whole point of obtaining Hoffmann is because they are planning on trading either Melky or Gardner. If that wasn’t the case, then I’m sure they would have targeted a pitcher from the Rule 5 Draft.
They know what they got in Hoffman. Its not like hes a 19 yr old with a high ceiling here.
So if he struggles in ST/April/May you’re not going to yell that Cashman cant build a bench and traded away guys who have played in the majors for a minor leaguer with no experience?
This.
Well, if they trade one of Melky/Gardner then Hoffmann doesn’t stick and has to be returned then they’ve gotta go out and sign a new outfielder. Granted it’s not hard to find a bench OF on the market, but it’s something that could be unnecessary/avoided.
Gardner still has options so they can send him down to AAA. I believe that Melky has one left too (I haven’t seen confirmation on whether 2008 used his last option or not). That gives some flexibility without trading one of them.
I believe Melky is out of options.
Melky’s definitely out of options.
Gardner will be starting in Scranton
I think a lot of this depends on how serious the “budget” really is.
If there is a budget, I think Sheets’ risk/reward is unfavorable because we wouldn’t be willing to add payroll with a decent replacement if he or another starter goes down for an extended period.
If there isn’t a budget, though, he’s clearly the best option out there.
But here’s the thing; we do have a decent replacement: Phil Hughes.
Plus, we won it all with CC/AJ/Andy fronting the rotation and Chad Gaudin ending up being in the #5 spot. The rotation is able to handle the risk/reward that Sheets provides, especially with what should be an improved campaign from Chamberlain.
you cant expect the top 3 to do in the playoffs what they did last yr.
they need to be backed up by some depth in case of injuries and performance.
you dont survive on 3 starters. and u dont survive relying on young starters learning like joba and hughes. esp when one may be in the pen anyway
The Nationals reportedly will sign Marquis (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....rquis.html), so there is one crappy FA starter the Yankees thankfully won’t sign.
Now we need Joel Pineiro to sign with a non-Yankees team.
I’m sure Cash isn’t dumb enough to sign Pineiro with his contract demands.
Mediocre-to-bad pitcher has career year under tutelage of guru pitching coach right before becoming a free agent
Kyle Lohse and Jaret Wright say “hi”
4 years for Pineiro? I just don’t see it
If Sheets is having his ‘audition’ in January, if Cashman wants a resolution by the end of the year, and if Garland is looking for 3 years (see http://www.metsblog.com/), then Duchsherer is the only choice
If Sheets is Cashman’s #1 choice, then (like Damon) his agent has been given a deadline before the Yankees move on to Duchsherer.
I agree Cashman is unlikely to sign Pineiro. However, Pineiro has been “linked” (make of that what you will) and the faster he signs with another team, the sooner I will be very happy.
Fair enough.
And it will eliminate some people wanting to sign him.
What agent doesnt want his client linked with the NYY???
Im sure Cashman talks to and fields calls from every rep out there. Doesnt mean the Yankees are into them.
Duchscherer first then Sheets.
What did Harden get from the Rangers? $7 Million with incentives? I find it hard to believe Sheets would ask for more guaranteed scratch than Harden. Harden pitched in 2009, Sheets didn’t.
Cashman might not have him on the board because his price is too high. Again, waiting in the weeds.
And last, why would Puma from the Post throw the Zambrano thing out there? Seems reckless to report that unless he got confused with another move that might be coming?
Sheets feels hes better than him. And has the career numbers to back that contention up.
Why wouldnt they discuss Zambrano? Im sure Cashman discusses every player. Esp when hes probably had convos with the Cub GM about other players ie gardner/melky. I’ll go out on a limb and say the Cubs would be glad to pass off Zambranos contract on someone.
Exactly Bo…
Cash is always talking about other team’s players. No harm no foul in that. That’s why I think Puma from the Post wrote about Zambrano.
Well…….this sorta counts towards adding a starter:
“The Yankees are working on another ‘big acquisition,’ from what I have been told by people close to their front office. I have no idea who it is, or if it’s close, but, for the Mets sake, I’m hoping it’s a trade. I can’t even imagine what will happen to the Mets if the Yankees sign either Bay or Holliday. Yikes. That could force St. Louis and Citi Field in to an absolute scramble for whomever the Yankees didn’t sign… and so, I wonder if that is what Bay and Holliday are holding out hope for.”
http://www.metsblog.com/2009/1.....ng-bluffs/
I’d still like to see both Joba and Hughes stay in the rotation to start the year. I know we need pitching depth but what if a guy like Sheets would start the year in the pen as a long innings guy. This way if something happens he could easily be switched into the rotation.
For the time being, I think its more important to let Hughes and Joba continue to develop in the rotation. If that bombs, or there is an injury then we’d have the depth to put in another starter like Sheets or Duchscherer.
I just think that for the letting the young starters develop should be more important than throwing a 1 year rental right into the rotation.
I guess it all depends on what the organizations long term plan for Hughes and Joba is. I thought it was still to develop them both into starters. So if that’s the case, then shouldnt they be starting in place of Sheets or whoever else we sign?
Not saying they should go out and sign Sheets, but, there is a way to still have Hughes develop while signing Sheets.
I dont consider being in the pen of down in AAA the type of development he needs. He needs innings as a starter, not a reliever or dominating AAA.
I don’t consider that development either, he’s clearly too good for either option, but by starting in SWB, he could build up innings he lost in ’09 by relieving.
I think so.
well the organization also can’t get away from their “Win Now” philosophy.
The Yankees don’t have a “win now” philosophy; the Yankees have a win now and later philosophy.
They have a win always philosophy.
If they sign a starter forget joba or Hughes starting
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