Apr
30
Fan Confidence Poll: March 30th, 2012
ByRecord Last Week: 3-3 (28 RS, 28 RA)
Season Record: 12-9 (118 RS, 101 RA, 12-9 pythag. record), 1.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: vs. Orioles (three games, Mon. to Weds.), @ Royals (four games, Thurs. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- The Yankees opened the week in Texas for a three-game set with the Rangers. CC Sabathia and some the offense contributed to a win in the opener, but Yu Darvish shut them right down in Tuesday’s loss. The Yankees were unable to climb out of the hole dug by Phil Hughes in the finale.
- Following Thursday’s off day, the Yankees came home and took the opener from the Tigers thanks to a walk-off passed ball. Freddy Garcia got rocked again on Saturday, but Sabathia dominated in yesterday’s rubber game win.
- Injury News: Michael Pineda has an anterior labral tear and will be out for a full year. He will have surgery tomorrow. Brett Gardner swung a bat for the first time on Saturday since going on the DL and could take batting practice as soon as today. Nick Swisher will miss some time with a low-grade hamstring strain but is not expected to go on the DL. Joba Chamberlain will shed his walking boot this week and has continued to play catch.
- Andy Pettitte went 5+ innings in his latest minor league tune-up start and is scheduled to approach 100 pitches in today’s outing. Freddy was pulled from the rotation following Saturday’s game and will be replaced by David Phelps. D.J. Mitchell was called up while Cody Eppley was optioned down.
- The sale of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees franchise has finally been approved. Extensive renovations to PNC Field have begun and the park is expected to be ready in time for Opening Day 2013.
- The future of Yankees’ radio broadcasts could be shifting very soon.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Given the team's current roster construction, farm system, management, etc., how confident are you in the Yankees' overall future?
101 Comments»
RAB Info
The Founders
Mike Axisa, Ben Kabak, Joe Pawlikowski
Editor-In-Chief
Mike Axisa Archives | Email
Managing Editors
Ben Kabak Archives | E-mail
Joe Pawlikowski Archives | E-mail
Contributing Editors
Larry Koestler (Archives)
Moshe Mandel (Archives)
Eric Schultz (Archives)
Weekend Writers
Hannah Ehrlich (Archives)
Matthew Warden (Archives)
Special Contributor
J.R. O'Grady (Archives)
Technical Consultant
Jay Gordon
Subscribe to RAB by RSS
Follow @RiverAveBlues
Search RAB
Loading
Yankees News from YESNetwork.com
- Report: Yankees acquire Fernando Martinez from Houston
- Dodgers-Yankees rained out, doubleheader set
- Yankees put 1B Mark Teixeira back on disabled list
- Two Charleston RiverDogs pitchers added to SAL All-Star Game
- Mattingly excited for return to the Bronx
- Sabathia steps up for Yankees in West Coast finale against Angels
- No new tears in right wrist for Mark Teixeira
- Angels send Yankees to fifth straight loss, 6-2
- Mark Teixeira leaves Saturday's game in fourth inning
- Wilson pitches Angels to 5-2 win over Yankees
Banner Design By
The Tyler Austin Watch
Pin8da. Down from a 9.
Yup, I’m right with you. Not sure that’s entirely fair, but I need to see what the AAA arms can do now and also see if the Yankees decise to scrap the $189M payroll idea (unlikely, I think) and/or go after Hamels (possibly with some creative payroll ideas).
I’m with you on the 8. We’re actually built and deep enough on the farm to withstand Pineda’s injury, as well Hughes’ and Garcia’s utter ineffectiveness. Phelps fit right in, now Mitchell’s up. Pettitte on deck. Then there’s Warren. We have in-house options.
Gardner goes down, now Swisher as well. But Jones and Ibanez could get us through this for now. Maybe call up Wise for the week.
A lot of folks here were clowning Cashman for trading away Cy Young Kontos for Chris Stewart. All Stewart’s done is make people forget that Frankie Cervelli even exists.
It’s funny, for all the woes we’ve had so far, we actually did well on that “preseason-defined” brutal stretch of Boston, Texas, and Detroit.
An 8 here too, for many of the same reasons. An 8 is where I usually sit, as I regard that as very very good.
Pineda and other injuries burst my Spring Training “9″ bubble.
Mine too. I was at a 9 after the trade and Kuroda deal. I think an 8 is more than fair, considering how they are able to juggle things.
Sucks, but we’re in a much better situation as an organization to withstand such a blow (Pineda) to the plans.
And to think, the thought of NOT having to watch Sheila Damon throws from LF to the infield….priceless!!!
I gave them a 6.
Pineda’s injury is obviously devastating since there is a definite possibility we’re looking at a Mark Prior or Rich Harden situation going forward.
Hughes inability to show anything as a starter also compounds matters and at this point, the only sure thing in the starting rotation is Sabathia.
Sure we have a lot of young arms on the farm but does anyone really have confidence that the Yankees could really develop them into successful starters?
If it wasn’t for that $189 budget in 2014, I’d have a lot more confidence since Cole Hamels could make the pitching situation look a whole lot better.
There are still ways for Hamels to fit into the $189 mil budget. It may take a little creativity, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
If you let 2 from the Granderson, Swisher, Cano trio walk and the Yankees don’t have replacements for any of them anywhere close to being ready down on the farm.
…but free agency can offer cheaper players that won’t replace the production of any of those guys, but are good enoguh to start. Trades are also a possibility. Not saying that they should or will go this route, but if there’s a legit need for a SP, it’s an option.
Uncertainty happens, even on the New York Yankees. We might have to bite our nails a bit these next few off-seasons. We’ll get there.
*group hug*
Not sure how many ways to say this nicely, but let’s get off of this “Cole Hamels as a Yankee” thing. It’s just not gonna happen. The LA Dodgers will sign him, if Philly doesn’t. They have the money, will, and home-court advantage on Hamels. Bringing Hamels into the conversation as silly as still talking about Jesus Montero in pinstripes in 2012. That ship has sailed.
Let’s just worry about what we HAVE in Cano, Granderson, Swisher and Martin. Two of these may need to go, if you they’re serious about the $189 million, and it makes sense to believe they are.
If you sign Hamels, possibly all 4 are gone. In which case, what good does that do, if now you left with CC, Hamels, Pineda, Nova, Banuelos/Phelps/etc. But you’re offense is deplete of youthful talent and must rely solely on aging A-Rod, aging Jeter, off-and-on Tex, etc. we’d be setting ourselves up for a lot of hartburn. 2012 Phillies, anyone?
I’m with you. That could be a brutal scenario.
I stayed at a 7. If Pineda never comes back as the same guy, I would drop them to a 6, but until I know otherwise, I will assume he is able to come back effectively next year.
I still drop them a point each for the aging long term contracts, the CBA hurting their ability to bring in new talent, and the plan to slash payroll.
Short term 8, long term like 6.
I know we all have different scales for our voting, but for me to vote a 6, I’d have to feel that they’d be out of the running for the playoffs for 2 or 3 consecutive seasons. Is your scale in line with that or is it just that you don’t think they can compete for the WS?
I think they’ll make the playoffs but a rotation of CC, Nova, blank, blank, blank is pretty scary. Especially when they have a lower budget. Year in and year out it seems that they have to spend tens of millions in pitching and it’s just not gonna be feasible anymore.
cc, nova, kuroda, andy. that’s a good 4 this year.
Yes this is why reading is key.
yes it is.
8. I know there aren’t many options, but garcia in the bullpen is such a waste. i much rather see an outfielder up, so we don’t have to see ibanez out there in left/right field. i hope gardner (and swisher) come back soon because it sucks to think ibanez is going to be patrolling the outfield every game until then
They should see if Garcia would go down to AAA or AA for a month to see if he can get his shit together because he’s pretty much unpitchable at this point and is just wasting a roster spot as you mentioned.
It’s amazing how much I went up and down during the week before settling in at the same 8 I tend to be at mostly. It came down my feeling an “8″ for 2012, but somewhere around a “7″ for beyond, then rounding up.
Why?
I’ve accepted the Pineda situation. I haven’t sugar-coated this from the beginning, but I’ve also maintained that, for the New York Yankees, this isn’t crippling. It just royally sucks. At the end of the day, it worries me more long-term than short-term. The team will have to make sure three spots in the rotation are filled next year, and one of their supposed best bets is now a massive question mark.
The Yankees will figure out the current rotation situation sooner rather than later. CC and Nova should not be concerns, and track record tells us that Kuroda will right the ship. I belive the future is now with Phelps/Mitchell, and that sing what they had as potential rotation options would have to happen at some point. I am very bullish on one of these guys sticking around in the long-term. I believe the team will do their due diligence on the trade and FA (Oswalt? At this point, sure) market as insurance for both Pettitte and the rookies.
The offense has been fine, and the players we are waiting to come around will come around. Of course, shitty rotten luck tells us the rotation will come around right when the bats start slumping again, but such is life. It’s the moments where everything clicks where teams win their divisions. Happens to everyone.
Banuelos and Betances worry me, sure, and, at some point, you have too many failed starters in the bullpen, but it just makes what’s happening now with Phelps, Mitchell and, eventually, Warren, all the more important. One or two of these guys will have to show that the time spent developing, away from the brightest of spotlights, was worth it.
Always a +1 when commenters have come around to spelling Coal Hammels correctly, but I don’t base anything on players currently on other teams who have been preordained by the commenters here to wear pinstripes.
I worry for the pitching staff and RF in 2013. I’m fine with where things stand in 2012.
“I believe the future is now with Phelps/Mitchell, and that sEEing what they had as potential rotation options would have to happen at some point.”
Can’t even blame that on an IPhone. Whoops.
Banuelos will return to game action this week. Right? That’ll be a positive development.
As long as he doesn’t walk 5 guys, it should be.
I’m slightly worried as to the possibility of recurring injury, but I’m not waving any white flags by any stretch of the imagination.
6 down from 7.
Pitching, Hughes remains an enigma, Freddie never should have been signed, Pineda hurt, Noesi foolishly traded away. And too much hope on Andy being Andy of 3 years ago.
Hitting, the only real bright spots being Jeter, the now injured Swish and Ibanez. A-roid, Tex and Cano off to slow starts.
This could also be a year for injuries as we already have Gardner, Pineda, Joba and Swish.
How would Noesi and his 8.83 ERA in the AL West help us right now?
This. I don’t miss Noesi. Montero is obvously the part that hurts. And I’ll take the AP of 2 years ago. Despite the injury, that guy was pretty good too.
Trading Noesi was foolish? We was probably the most replaceable part of that trade. Phelps/Warren/Mitchell could probably provide the same value.
Injuries: Gardner seems to be on the right track to come off the DL next week. The Yankees couldn’t really count on Joba for 2012 anyway. His set back sucks, but it’s not a huge deal to the 2012 team. Besides, signing Aardsma can even serve as Joba’s 2012 replacement. Swisher’s injury seems relatively minor and it doesn’t seem like he’ll miss too much time. Its a hammy issue, hardly a season ending injury. Relax.
Joba is like the honey badger. Blown elbow, blown ankle? Joba doesn’t give a shit.
I can’t wait to watch him pitch again, and I believe it will be this season.
You’ll see him pitch again this year-in the minors.
Pushing off his rehabbed ankle and letting go a 95 mph fb from his TJS arm…..
enough to drive a man to drinking-hope Joba rises above all his issues but it will be very tough for him.
i heard they are going to make him a starter…
Yep, and then trade Mason Williams, Gardner, and Nunez for IPK, so Cash can finally brag about his vaunted trio of prospects in the same rotation. IPK will then suddenly regress (suprisingly) and Cash will have to recoup value by trading him and Hughes for Phil Humber.
You missed how this ends, and that’s trading Humber for Johan Santana and, voila, a certain segment of Yankeeland is finally redeemed.
Given the surplus of bullpen talent, they really have nothing to lose by trying him as a starter again.
in all seriousness, they need to figure something out. Because there is a good chance that both kuroda and pettite will quit after this year, pineda will be recovering and rehabbing for much of the season and hughes will continue to suck. That leaves us with cc, nova, and phelps in the rotation and that is assuming phelps holds his own this year. what are they going to do for starters?
It’s not that complicated. If you take away Kuroda and Pettite you just cleared $14M in salary. So I’m guessing some of that would go to a pitcher. Last year if you’d been trying to figure out this years rotation you would have been just as flummoxed.
I agree he should be an option for the rotation. I know someone will say you can’t count on him because he gets injured. He has been injured over the past few season but the Yankees need all the warm bodies they can get.
Glad to see Phelps and Mitchell getting a shot but if they don’t perform there really is nothing left down on the farm regarding immediate help. Andy is a crapshoot at his age and after taking a year off and with the Clemens testimony still to occur. Outfield depth is abysmal. Still the talent is enough at ML level to stay in 88-93 win range if injuries stay minimal. Not sure that is enough to make playoffs so I am at a 7 but leaning south at the moment.
but if they don’t perform there really is nothing left down on the farm regarding immediate help
Adam Warren.
He certainly is down on the farm but presuming Yanks rank him third behind Phelps and Mitchell if Phelps and Mitchell are busts how confident will we all be that Warren will be the real deal? I’m usually for trying anyone with a live arm but at some point the guys lining up as 3rd or 4th choices end up like the Chase Wrights of the world.
I’m glad Chase Wright makes for a nice meme, but this simply isn’t true. Chase Wright was a guy who hadn’t pitched about AA who got a gift spot start as the result of a strong start at the end of Spring Training. It should have never happened, frankly.
Phelps/Warren/Mitchell are pitchers who’ve paid their dues through the system, with the only place they have anything left to prove being the big leagues. They’ll have to seize the opportunity in this organization. They may not be the brightest names, but your second-best starter isn’t exactly a guy whose name was in lights either when he was in the minors.
This. I believe the Phelps/Mitchell/Warren trio are all better than Chase Wright. Besides being better, they all have a good deal of experience at the highest level of the minors.
I’m not privy to how the Yanks view him, but one of the reasons he’s behind Phelps and Mitchell is because he’s not on the 40 man roster.
From the few games I saw, he was certainly pitching as well as Phelps and Mitchell in spring training, so from a personal viewpoint, my confidence in his ability would be unaffected by Phelps and Mitchell’s results.
I think you’re right. I could be wrong, but I always thought Warren was better than Mitchell. Maybe not Phelps, but Warren is just suffering from not being on the 40 man.
Warren hasn’t been all that good in Triple-A. Even if he was on the 40-man, Mitchell probably would have gotten the call ahead of him.
Right, I’m not saying they should have called up Warren. I was just under the impression he was a slightly better prospect. Am I wrong?
On the Chase Wright/Warren comparison Wright was a 3rd round pick (Warren was a 4th round). Wright performed better than Warren when at Tampa (both were good but Wright was better), they pretty much performed the same at Trenton and when demoted back to AAA after his memorable performance at Fenway was better in Scranton than Warren is performing at Scranton this year so they were alot closer in performance than people might remember. Even the very best farm system will be stretched once they are bringing up the 3rd or 4th guy from their AAA team. That essentially was my point.
And this is all completely circumstancial, with no way possible to link the performance of one to another. Sorry.
I’m not here to sing the praises of Adam Warren. I’m just not going to damn the MLB potential of these three pitchers, before we even see it, by what happened to Chase Wright four years ago.
The only reason he hasn’t been called up is because he isn’t on the 40-man roster. He is ranked ahead of Mitchell and fairly close to Phelps (if not ahead)on most prospect lists.
Don’t forget Banuelos
7.
Contemplated whether Pineda’s season long injury should drop me down to a 6, but I thought the 7 remained a decent outlook considering the Cashman’s ability to find fill-in starters.
Phelps hopefully provides a short term answer. SHORT. TERM. We’ve seen Phelps get hit hard on a couple occasions; though to be fair Phil Hughes was serving up BP earlier so the opposing hitters were locked in on the ball.
I’m half-expecting Hughes to lose his job to DJ Mitchell by mid-May. If not … i’d be surprised.
Down in the minors, i’m sure GMs are wondering how TYLER AUSTIN didnt appear on their respective radars. Its still early for promotions, but i dont see how AUSTIN lasts the month of May in Charleston. AUSTIN has figured something out. Is there like insane lift to his swing?
A young pitcher getting hit hard? Well, I never.
you really don’t need to capitalize his name. it’s not a point of emphasis each time.
It’s kind of like, in Japanese wrestling, when a guy turns heel, they suddenly always capitalize his name. I’m guessing Bichette gets hit with a Michinoku Driver #2 tonight.
I said 7. I’d imagine everyone is down a bit after the Pineda injury, but my confidence is still high. Let me remind you that we have a great veteran pitcher soon to be back, a surefire ace, a number 2 who has been performing well, and a young pitcher who more times than not has been great. If Phil can turn it around (and he has the material to do it), than that’s great. If not, we have either Phelps or an acquisition in the future, say Oswalt. If the concern is the rotation, than consider that the worst case scenario has happened in the starting pitching in April, and we still are 3 games over .500. Nothing to be worried about.
9 for the post season
5 after that. Not enough pitching and not enough clutch hitting. The Yanks are a team that will contend for a few more years as currently constructed but WS wins don’t seem likely and stud position players under 25 are a long way off- if present at all currently.
but WS wins don’t seem likely
Did a WS win seem likely for the Cardinals last year?
That’s what Billy Beane meant when he said the play-offs are a crapshoot.
He misses Greg Golson.
Be nice to have him now.
Thanks for reminding me.
Yeah, I’m sure Cards fans thought they had enough starting pitching this time last year, without their ace. And I doubt that they expected some insanely “clutch” hits to come from David Freese.
Insanely clutch Nick Swisher after a career (contract) year?
We can only hope.
Down to a 8.
One player (except maybe CC) shouldn’t lower the score but Pineda big injury, along with Garcia/Hughes suckness, along with two-thirds of the OF injured, along with Raul & Andruw getting more PT, along with the lack of position prospects in AA/AAA, along with meh results from ManBan/DealinDellin…
you have to adjust downwards somewhat.
If Andy, the other SP, Cano/Teix & the OF correct…I’ll be a strong 9 again.
Unfortunately Garcia’s trade value now is a bag of peanut shells and a used jockstrap
Really used…by Sidney Ponson…
6. The fact that they refuse to put the best team on the field (Leaving Garcia on the roster, leaving Hughes in the rotation, and letting Ibanez play more outfield than Andrew Jones) Not to mention the Pineda disaster… Eeek
Who do you want to take Hughes’ spot?
My friends call me DJ, but you can call me “Mr. Mitchell.”
Why not see what you’ve got before, hopefully, Andy comes calling? I know I’m a broken record with this, but the Little Three (TM) need to seize every opportunity given to them.
Mitchell.. He wont be worse
And he may very well get that chance if Hughes continues to struggle. Hughes still probably has more upside though and AP’s on the way. The team isn’t desperate or anything so let Hughes get a couple more starts and see where it goes. No need to change 40% of the rotation right now.
I’m at a -4 because Campos got knocked around in his last start. I will go back to an 11 when he proves he can hack it in Charleston.
11? Go for 12.
You don’t think that’s presumptuous?
Gotta live on the edge sometimes.
Too bad the state of NY is blocking whatever that is on the server. My guess is Steven Tyler.
I’m at an 8. I have been, and will remain at an 8. The only thing that has happened that could change my vote is if Pineda never is the same again. But we’re a long ways off from knowing how he recovers, so my vote won’t be changing.
Like I was saying the the game wrap up thread, the fact that we’re 12-9 despite various slow starts is pretty good. The injuries (sans Pineda) seem pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. The hitters will come around, Kuroda will settle in. And I still love our pitching depth. It’s taken quite a big hit with Hughes, Garcia, and Pineda, but not many teams have several quality prospects they could have called up from AAA along with the return of a veteran. The Yanks do, and they will be able to weather the pitching storm better than most other teams out there.
7, Too many questions with the staff to go higher, the only saving grace is we made it past detroit and texas for now. Boston was on a streak and actually only 2 games behind the yanks in the loss column and 3 out of first. They are also done with the detroits/texas for awhule. baltimore and toronto do now for some standings corrections. If all goes right for the yanks, this time next week they could be in first or 2nd behind tampa, who has taken care of their business as well and i suspect toronto and baltimore will be where they belong after this week, last or 2nd to last. Boston has their own fate in their hands with the a’s and baltimore.
This time next week…
#1 Tampa
#2 NY
#3 Boston
#4 Toronto
#5 Baltimore
This is a huge week for baltimore. From first to last is possible.
If boston faulters i could see them 4th or 5th again. Toronto has a tough week… Rangers + Anaheim
Yankees need to to go 5-2 or 6-1 this week for a good week.Anything else would be bad
There is no such thing as a “huge week in Baltimore”. Sorry.
A big week in Balmer usually involves a lot of beer and farting in Fells Point.
I’m talking about at this point of the season, say what you will but they have a better record than NY and that includes 3 losses from NY. We all know Bmore won’t be there in the end, but for those guys this IS a big week. Again 5-2 or 6-1 is needed this week for the yankees
Hughes has the same problem the tigers pitcher yesterday had. He can get 2 strikes, but he doesn’t have a put away pitch, it’s been his bane for the last 2 years, he just can’t put guys away, i mean… Who gets pujols 0-2 and then tries to throw a high fastball and gets it banged off the center field wall?
The guy who doesn’t have a put away pitch
True about Hughes, but Scherzer has 27 K’s in 24.1 innings this year. I think a better comp for Scherzer is AJ Burnett. Strikes guys out but is wild.
I assume he meant the reliever who came in. Putkonen? That guy had 2 strikes on almost every single Yankee but had absolutely nothing to get them out with and it seemed like every hitter battled back in the count before putting the ball in play or taking a walk. It was a lot like watching Hughes.
yes Putkonen
Off topic (sorry) but the Rays just signed Matsui, minor league deal. Thought some of you would be interested.
Thank you, JJYank.
Love,
Mrs. Tilapia
The wifey is a Matsui fan, I take it?
….and a much bigger Melky fan.
Since Andy, Yankees busted every starting pitching prospects. They need to study what TB and SL do. These two teams’ pitching prospects rarely flame out.
Tampa Bay is awesome, but if it were that easy, everyone would do it. Plus, there’s a lot of luck involved.
And “busted every starting pitching prospect”…Nova, Wang, and IPK say hi. IPK isn’t on the team, but the Yankees developed him. And the Yanks didn’t bust Wang, he got injured after a few successful seasons. It happens. Joba and Hughes are not “every prospect”. Also, it’s not fair to limit that to starting pitching. They Yanks have been pretty damn good at building a bullpen.
There’s one we’ve never heard before.
Dropped from a 9 to an 8. Pineda’s injury is HUGE. Given the 2014 austerity budget, a young cost controlled ace (which is what I believed Pineda would be) was a LARGE piece of the Yankees’ future success.
Now, we don’t KNOW if Pineda will ever throw another pitcher in the major’s again. Yes, I am heartened that as shoulder tears go, this is a relatively benign one. And yes, it is possible that he could come back strong next year and have a dominant career. Both Schilling and Clemens did it. But it’s still a shoulder tear. That’s pretty devastating. The most likely result is that he will come back and pitch, maybe even pretty well, but the Pineda that just about everyone thought he would be is probably gone forever. And that’s sad for him and the Yankees.
That said, I was an at an 8 before the Pineda trade, and for me, an 8 still means they are doing gangbusters.
* Still have CC, Kuroda, Nova, Andy on the horizon and pitching depth at the high level of the minors (plus Phelps).
* This bullpen has been lights out, but no one is really pitching over their heads, in my opinion. Mo is Mo, D-Rob has been striking people out at these ridiculous rates throughout his entire careeer (college, minors, and majors) so there’s no reason to expect a meaningful regression there. I think we were wrong about Logan. He’s been very very good for quite some time now. Soriano has a TURR-IBLE contract, but his pitching has been decidedly NOT turr-ible. And I don’t know how Wade does it, but he does. Bullpen was projected to be great, has been great, and might get a reinforcement or two (Aardsma, Joba)
* Their old guys (Jeter, A-Rod) are likely to age better than old guys have in the past due to their ridiculous work ethics and the advances in sports medicine and nutrition. Jeter is on fire. A-Rod has had a sluggish uneven start, but he is still hitting bombs to right center off Verlander and taking his walks.
* Swish’s contract year push is off to a Beltre-ian beginning. Yeah, I know he’s a streaky hitter and maybe he’s just going through his hot streak early. But he did come in to camp “in the best shape of his life.” I know that almost never makes a difference, but it just might this time. It shows that a very good player is playing with a higher level of focus and urgency than he ever has before. If he comes back healthy, I think he might continue to mash.
* Grandy’s 2011 does not look like a fluke.
* Today’s the last day of April, so hopefully Mark will decide it’s time to join the team soon…as he has in the past.
* Finally, the Charleston squad has been as advertised plus a little extra. What’s more, the respective ETA’s and positions of Bichette, Sanchez, Williams, and Austin correspond quite nicely with Yankee needs. They’re all more likely to flame out/get traded than they are to end up in Yankee pinstripes, but that doesn’t change the fact that so far…so very good.
“Now, we don’t KNOW if Pineda will ever throw another pitcher in the major’s again.”
I know that he’s a big guy and all, but I’m fairly certain that he won’t be tossing other “pitchers” around. That kind of horse-play would be foolish.
lol you act as if he’s going to lose MPH over this… If he does than it didn’t work. If he doesn’t than he’ll be fine. Schilling came back as strong or stronger, i hate curt, but i think what he said it legitimate, it’s about how hard you rehab coming back. I hope pineda has that determination to do that.
Schilling knows far more abou this than I do, so I’m willing to concede I might be wrong. But I think Schilling also might suffer from confirmation bias here: I worked hard and came back gang-busters, so EVERYONE that works hard in rehab will regain their abilities fully. That might not necessarily be the case for everyone just because it was the case for Schilling.
I don’t think its just about how hard you work, though that plays a role. A lot of major league pitchers don’t make it all the way back from shoulder surgeries, and I find it hard to believe that none of those pitchers worked hard.
In addition to hard work, you need to have the surgery go well and have your body cooperate. Hopefully it will with Pineda, but we don’t know yet.
I’ve been at 8 for a while. I’m not too concerned about the injuries to Gardner and Swisher, it happens, they’ll be back. Obviously the rotation is questionable, but as long as CC is a rock, and Kuroda and Nova can keep putting together good starts, there shouldn’t be a big issue. The bullpen has saved us, and I don’t see any reason for them to deteriorate. This fairly easy May schedule should allow enough time to (hopefully) fix the rotation and make these injuries heal.
I’m a glass half full type of guy, especially in April and especially with the Yankees. I look it at like this…CC, Kuroda, Nova all started off slow but are now settling in. Garcia fell off the cliff we were afraid of and we get to watch a young pitcher take his place, who has looked good in ST and out of the pen. Hughes stinks and even his most adament supporters cant have any faith left that he turns it around. Fortunately, we have Petite close to ready for his replacement. There is no one to replace Pineda, which could be a huge issue in the future but the Yankees were built to withstand that loss this year.
With all this going wrong, the yankees are still 3 games over .500 and just 1.5 games out of first. They still have 2 pitchers in Mitchell and Warren to replace starters. They have one of the best offenses in baseball and arguably the very best bullpen in baseball. I still see the Yankees wining the division.
My confidence has dropped from a 9 to 8 just becasue of the rapidly declining rotation depth. They still have plenty to win but another injury or 2 or ineffectiveness could cause some real issues for the rotation and force the Yankees outside of the organization for help.
Wow. 6. All the 8′s will be voting 10 after a week vs Baltimore and KC and Andy’s return.
Pineda is out for year plus. Freddy will have to be released. Phil belongs in bullpen. Banuelos and romine are hurt. Betances stinks. Raul roams the outfield.
And what would you vote if you were in Toronto, Baltimore or Boston today? It is not just the NYY but what they do compared to the rest of the league. Is a Tampa fan doing cartwheels over signing Matsui today?
Fans should try having some perspective.
That being said, I’m my usual 9.