Where will the Bronx Bombers, and the 29 other teams be standing come October?
Do you know how each division will look at the end of the 2012 MLB season?
Well, I guess it is the perfect time to make some predictions, so might as well start with mine.
Here is how I think the 2012 divisional standings will look at the end of September; and please feel free to leave your opinion as it is encouraged.
If only I were a psychic…. Continue reading ‘Will the Bronx Bombers be standing come October?’ »
The New York Yankees have some pitching situations to solve.
I have narrowed it down to three or four possibilities based on what I believe the 2012 Opening Day rotation should be, which in order is Sabathia, Kuroda, Pineda, Nova and Hughes.
My crazy pitching diagram.
First being the plethora of starting pitching.
That leaves Freddy Garcia hanging out to dry, and initially I thought Garcia should go the bullpen but now since he is willing to hear any trade ideas that GM Brian Cashman should send Garcia hiking.
Second up is Andy Pettitte’s return, and what to do when the southpaw decides to grace us with his presence again.
Someone has to go either the bullpen, or more likely Triple-A Scranton as it allows the cast-off to keep his arm fresh by pitching every five days.
This should not be decided until Pettitte and the Yankees set a date. And the odd-man should not be told he is out until the day before Pettitte arrives. Determining ‘who’ should be performance based, so the biggest loser goes.
Thirdly, with the devastating news about Joba Chamberlain’s trampoline injury, which will sideline him indefinitely, the Yankees cannot just keep him on the payroll because they like him. It is not going to be easy but they need to cut Joba. I know it is harsh considering all the crap Joba has been put through but reality is the Yankees owe him $1.6 million for 2012 and reality is players are paid to play. Joba can be resigned next season, which I feel is the Yankees are almost obligated to do if he can pitch. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 3 pitching scenarios maybe 4’ »
Joe Girardi, manager of the New York Yankees. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The New York Yankees have CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, Freddy Garcia and now Andy Pettitte, which leaves them with the same problem that trading AJ Burnett was supposed to solve, seven starters for five rotation spots.
It is tough to complain about being overloaded with starting pitching especially after the Yankees had the opposite issue last spring, but it will be a tough decision for skipper Joe Girardi and pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
THE LOCKS:
1) Obviously Sabathia, who Girardi confirmed would be opening the season at the dumpy Trop vs. the Rays.
2) Kuroda was named the team’s #2 from the get-go.
3) Pettitte has a rotation spot waiting for him, and that makes complete sense. It was nice to hear that Pettitte hit 94 mph in a bullpen session, but not that surprising. Before he hung up his mitt, the first time, the Southpaw was having a career year in 2010, finishing 11-3 in 21 starts, posting a 3.28 ERA and holding opposing bats to a .256 average.
And fans might even get to see Pettitte in a spring game, as ESPN reported that Girardi has not ruled it out as a possibility yet. Rothschild has already had Pettitte throw live BP so things are moving right along in his comeback. And after speaking to many Yankee fans, Pettitte will be welcomed in the Bronx with open arms.
FOUR FOR TWO:
So, this leaves Hughes, Nova, Pineda and Garcia.
Pettitte’s un-retirement does give the Yankees about a month to give the remaining four a real test run, as the veteran Southpaw said he is aiming for May 1st but knowing Girardi’s usual paranoia that means more like mid-May.
Regardless, in my opinion Spring Training stats don’t mean that much for two reasons. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: What would you do if you were Girardi and Rothschild’ »
As I was sitting down to watch the Yankees host the Washington Nationals today, the YES networkboys dropped a bomb.
Image via Wikipedia
That pitcher Andy Pettitte has un-retired and had signed a minor league, 1-year, 2.5 million deal with a plan to return to the Bronx again.
It was said that Pettitte is allowed to take all the time he needs to get ready and that a rotation spot will be ready for the 39-year old southpaw.
The last time Pettitte was on the mound was back in 2010, making 21 starts and finishing 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA. Pettitte was having a career year but he missed 4-5 weeks with a groin injury and Yankee fans were forced to stomach Sergio Mitre during that time.
Pettitte’s return was a total shock, as I knew he was invited to camp to be a guest instructor but the NY Post writer George E. King declared that, ….the legendary lefty won’t be attempting a comeback if he accepts.
Shows how much King knows, as GM Brian Cashman said this has brewed since late December.
Around Christmas time, Pettitte had heard the GM on the Michael Kay Show talking about how much the Yankees would still want him if he ever wanted to return, and that got his juices flowing.
That sparked a whirlwind of back and forth between the two, which at first didn’t pan out because of the Yankees overflow and money but Pettitte did not stop throwing the entire time. And after more back and forth, followed by throwing a good secret bullpen for Cashman, Girardi and Rothschild a few days ago all led to Pettitte now being officially back in the pinstripes. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Andy Pettitte you missed us too much’ »
Ace CC Sabathia Image via Wikipedia
Since winning the 2009 World Series, the New York Yankees have been desperately trying to add a legitimate starting pitcher to the rotation, unsuccessfully.
THROWING A HAIL MARY:
As defending champs heading into 2010 season, GM Brian Cashman’s solution was Javier Vazquez, again, which irritated Yankee fans to no avail, again. No need to chat about Vazquez ever, so if you don’t know trust me that it is a good thing. Just for when, click HERE but you were warned, it was sad.
Then last off-season; after Vazquez happily packed his bags and Andy Pettitte retired the situation went from a priority to desperately needed.
Cashman did all he could offering ace Cliff Lee the sun and the moon to come play in the Bronx. And thanks to some Yankee fans for spitting and taunting Mrs. Lee during the 2010 ALCS, Mr. Lee opted for Philadelphia for less money and years.
This left the Yankees stumped, but to his credit Cashman pieced together veteran tryouts in Spring Training, which gave the Yankees Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. The two literally saved the 2011 season, surpassing all expectations by winning 20 games and throwing 300+ innings combined.
IS THE 2012 STARTING ROTATION INSANE?
Freddy Garcia, Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild & Catcher Russell Martin - Pre-Game
So where does this leave the Yankees rotation now?
Well, sorry to break the news but extending ace CC Sabathia’s contract and getting Garcia for one more season were necessities’, not improvements.
And since no World Series ring is equated to a busted season in New York, throwing another Hail Mary and almost catching it again will be tough.
So my question is….
Wouldn’t one think the general consensus might be that repeating a 2011 campaign that ultimately failed to be a tad insane?
WHY MY ANSWER WAS YES:
A very clever man once said:
Personally, I always thought the dumbest, smart guy must have come up with that one. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: How To Be Insanely Sane By Doing Nothing’ »
Posada on the mound vs. Red Sox - Yankees Stadium - 08/08/2010
Even in the wake of New York’s football Giants trouncing of the Atlanta Falcons 24-2 to advance to the next round in the NFL playoffs, I couldn’t shake this sense of loss from the back of my mind.
I knew what it was, and it didn’t even come as a shock when earlier in the week ESPN’s Buster Onley reported that New York Yankee Jorge Posada was planning to retire. Even knowing the possibility of this happening, as it has loomed for some time, still didn’t make the reality of it any easier to swallow.
This is saying goodbye to one of the great ones, something that not just Yankee but all baseball fans will if not miss, certainly respect.
I feel very blessed to have grown up in New York City watching Jorge Posada’s entire 17-year career in pinstripes.
I was always in awe of his confidence as a player. Whether it was behind the plate or hitting from either side of it, Posada was a fierce competitor who aspired to win.
And win Posada did, as he was the Yankees catcher in 125 postseason games, which led to four World Series Championships 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. He won all four with fellow teammates Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariana Rivera, which formed the infamous Yankees “Core Four,” which is now down to just two.
I saw him catch the last pitch in the old Yankee Stadium in 2008, and hit the first home-run in the new one in 2009. I saw him lead David Wells to perfection in 1998, catch the last pitch of the 2000 World Series in Shea Stadium and was beyond proud to see him represent the AL in five All-Star Games. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Who Said It Was Easy To Wave Adios’ »
It is no secret that the New York Yankees have been on a pitching crusade after losing both Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte this past off-season. GM Brian Cashman made a lot of heavily criticized moves that seemed desperate at the time, but have actually been the savior and reason behind the Yankees hot start.
Regardless, the Yankees are not going to pass on trading for a possible ace if one is available and again we have Cashman to thank for that.
Cashman has built the Yankees farm system from the ground-up. It also happens to be loaded in all the right places with multiple young catchers who coveted right behind lefty-arms in ranking order of value.
So the watch is on for teams, who by beginning of July, can afford to trade a top arm to fulfill either immediate needs to contend or looking to build towards the future.
The 28 (Red Sox not included) other teams are well aware of the talent the Yankees possess in the minors but it will take an ace to get Cashman to budge.
The recent speculation is that Brett Gardner could be a possibility but I wouldn’t bet on it. Gardner has had a rough first month, but his struggles seem to be going away now anyway and once he starts stealing bases again this idea will get squashed.
WHY THE BRAVES CAN GET RID OF LOWE:
This brings me to the Atlanta Braves, who currently sit at 15-15 and this team cannot afford to watch the Phillies and Marlins surge while they sit dead and stale playing .500 baseball.
Pitching is not the issue, as the Braves retain one of the prime rotations in baseball, with Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens and Brandon Beachy.
Problem is the lack of bats has been costing the team wins.
Luckily Atlanta has viable back-up arms down in the minors that are major league ready and serviceable at the back end of their rotation. This gives Atlanta some wiggle room to get a much-needed big bat to get their line-up, which consists of Dan Uggla and Chipper Jones hitting.
Newsday’s Ken Davidoff ‘s recent article reminded me of the fact that Lowe had been on Yankees GM Brian Cashman’s radar for sometime; as Cashman almost inked Lowe before the 2009 season but instead went with AJ Burnett.
Lowe was recently busted on April 29th for a DUI; as Georgia State Patrol spokesman Gordy Wright stated that, last Thursday night Lowe was racing his Porsche down a residential street in the tony Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead and refused to take a breathalyzer at the scene.
So, the 37-year-old Lowe now has legal woes to deal with, but he still made his scheduled start 48 hours after his arrest on May 1st.
Davidoff seems convinced a Yankees and Braves Lowe-trade could be likely down the road. While I entirely agree with Davidoff about Atlanta getting rid of Lowe for a sustainable bat; I don’t believe the Yankees will be the team on the other end of the deal. Continue reading ‘MLB Trade Rumors: Braves To Yankees Trade Reaches All New Lowe’ »
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