Time for Yankees to Shop Until They Drop

The time has come for the Yankees to start seriously shopping, if they haven't already, for a starting pitcher. Brian Cashman confirmed to reporters this week that Joba Chamberlain will have his innings monitored for the remainder of the season. Though Cashman would not specify, it's thought that Chamberlain will not exceed 160 innings pitched this season. That leaves him with about 65 for the rest of the year, or approximately as little as 10 starts if he averages 6 innings per start.

With Chien-Ming Wang's shoulder getting no better and Phil Hughes ensconced as the key set up man in the pen, the Yankees are now in desperate need for a starter. Yes, I said desperate, but that doesn't mean make a stupid move to get said starter. Face facts, Sergio Mitre is not the answer. He might have been had Wang been healthy and productive, but neither is the case.

Andy Pettitte is coming off a good start, but as we've seen this season, he's been more often bad than good. Mostly mediocre probably sums it up best. The Yankees cannot just rely on CCSabathia and A.J. Burnett to carry them the rest of the way. The Yankees need to add a starter who can give them some innings and keep them in ball games. Better yet if he can win some games.

The Yankees are reportedly taking a look at Cleveland's Cliff Lee, but Indians want Joba or Hughes, and Cashman isn't going for that. The Reds have Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang, but neither is consistently stellar. I've "pitched" for Harang here, but there's no question his contract is a hang up (or is that a harang up?). The Yankees shouldn't pay out his full $12.5 million for next year.

Roy Halladay? That's just a pipe dream. The Yankees can't mortgage as much of the future as the Blue Jays would like them to. Plus teams like the Phillies have prospects who can make a more immediate impact.

But the name I really am pushing for is a name Ihave not heard mentioned in trade rumors, and I don't even know if he's available. I am talking about Kansas City's Gil Meche. The right-hander, who is currently on the DL with back spasms, has two years remaining on a 5-yrs, $55 million deal. Meche has struggled this season, but threw more than 200 innings in his first two years in KC and had a sub-4.00 ERA, while posting a 23-24 mark.

The Royals have lost 9 straight and are in last place in the AL Central. Things won't be turning around any time soon. Obviously, the Royals want to remain competitive in the coming years, andMeche's contract is not that bad by today's standards. But if the Yankees are willing to pick up the rest of this season and the next two years,Meche may come at a reasonable asking price from KC. Perhaps a package that includes one of the Yankees minor league catchers ( Austin Romine?), Ramiro Pena or Eduardo Nunez, and a minor league pitcher (or two).

Update: Just to clarify, Meche is on the DL and won't be activated until after the trade deadline. Which means the Yankees have to make a trade for a player to be named (Meche) or have the Comish approve it.

Update of the Update: Okay, turns out Meche is actually eligible to come off the DL on Monday, the 27th.

Here's my recap of the latest Yankees' fiasco for Baseball Digest

We Want a Pitcher not a Belly Itcher

April 26th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: a.j. burnett • damaso marte • dustin pedroia • Jason Bay • Jason Varitek • Josh Beckett • Mike Lowell • Robinson Cano • Yankees recap 4/25 • Yankees vs. Red Sox

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	2	0	2	2	0	2	2	1	0		11	15	1
Boston	0	0	0	5	3	1	3	4	X		16	13	1

The Yankees would be lucky if that’s all their fans yell when they return to the Bronx on Thursday. The Yankees’ pitching was supposed to be the strength of the team this year, but so far it has been a miserable failure. The latest case in point was a blown 6-0 lead on Saturday and then an eventual 16-11 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The victory extended the Red Sox’ winning streak to nine games.

A.J. Burnett has been outstanding this season, but was extremely fallible on Saturday. The bullpen, on the other hand, has been horrible all season and continued their dismal performance yesterday afternoon into the evening.

The Yankees jumped on Red Sox starter Josh Beckett for a pair of runs in the first inning, added two more on a Robinson Cano home run in the third, and another two on a Cano double in the fourth. But after he breezed through the first three innings, things unraveled for Burnett in the home half of the fifth. The Red Sox scored five times, highlighted by a grand slam from their captain Jason Varitek, to cut the lead to 6-5. An inning later, the Red Sox took their first lead of the day, and sent Burnett to the showers, when Jacoby Ellsbury hit a game-tying home run and Jason Bay followed with a 2-run double.

The Red Sox did their best to help the Yankees out. Terry Francona left Beckett in too long and the Yankees sent him packing in the sixth on a game-tying 2-run home run by Johnny Damon, and an inning later Dustin Pedroia committed a 2-run error to put the Yankees back on top 10-8, but New York proved way too hospitable to their hosts.

Mike Lowell, who had been hitless up to that point, took Jonathan Albaladejo deep with two men aboard in the Boston half of the seventh to put the Red Sox back on top 12-10. Cano homered again to cut the lead in half in the top of the eighth. But the Red Sox put the game away, with the help of a blown call by second base ump Brian O’Nora, in their half of the inning.

Ellsbury reached on catcher’s interference to start the inning, and with Pedroia batting, took off for second. Jorge Posada’s throw tailed to the first base side of the bag, but Cano grabbed it and in one motion tagged Ellsbury on the ankles before the Red Sox center fielder could reach second base. Ellsbury was clearly out, but O’Nora called him safe.

Pedroia capitalized on the situation with an RBI single to center that ended Edwar Ramirez’s night. Damaso Marte, who looked pretty good (other than allowing the game-winning home run to Kevin Youkilis) on Friday night, showed more improvement on Saturday. He got David Ortiz to fly out, and after he wisely issued an intentional walk to Youkilis, struck out J.D. Drew. But Girardi decided, unwisely, to mix and match again.

With two right-handers coming up, Girardi sent for David Robertson, recalled earlier in the day from Scranton. Robertson walked Bay to load the bases and then gave up a bases-clearing, back breaking double to Lowell for the 16-11 finale.

Game Notes

Andy Pettitte, a long time stopper for the Yankees, will try to salvage the series finale tonight in another nationally televised game (8:05 ET ESPN). Justin Masterson starts for Boston.

The Elias Sports Bureau has come up with lots of “good” negative stuff on the 2009 Yankees. Only four other teams have ever allowed 15 or more runs on three or more occasions in the their first 20 games. It was also the fourth time in franchise history the Yankees led by as much as six and lost by as much as five. While he didn’t figure in Saturday’s decision, A.J. Burnett nearly ruined his 32-0 mark when handed a lead of at least five runs.

Bullpen ERA’s other than Mariano Rivera and Brian Bruney:

Robertson 3.86
Coke 4.70
Albaladejo 5.23
Veras 6.30
Ramirez 7.36
Marte 15.19
Claggett 43.20

Related posts:

We Want a Pitcher, not a Belly Itcher

The Yankees have played a number of games since our last recap on Thursday - aka Billy Crystal day. Let's take a quick review of the pitching on those days.

Friday vs. Reds

Not a good day for Dr. Phil Good; the prized right-hander got tagged for 4 runs on 9 hits in just 2.2 innings. You wonder if signing 2,000 baseballs 2 days before affected Phil in any way. Heath Phillips, 2 runs in 1-3 of an inning and Chris Britton, 1 run in 1 inning, didn't help their causes.

On the plus side, A-Rod hit a 3-run bomb and Jason Lane drove in 2 as the teams played to a 2-2 tie.


Saturday vs. Rays, Tigers

Split squad day; IPK went out against the Rays, while Joba took the bus to Lakeland for the Tigers game. Kennedy had trouble controlling his fastball and it affected his overall performance, as did the wind, against the Rays. He gave up 2 runs in 3 innings, but did strike out 5. Kei Igawa further embarrassed himself with a 3 inning, 3 run performance. Hector Giminez's home run off Igawa nearly knocked over the black back drop in center field.

Mariano Rivera gave up his 1st run of the spring as his cutter wasn't quite as sharp, but it was still a decent performance. LaTroy Hawkins extended his spring scoreless streak to 6 innings. It was also nice to see Eric Wordekemper get his 1st inning of work in a big league game this season.

Rays took it 7-2 without incident, though some numb nuts (the pros, not us bloggers) actually thought that when Alex Rodriguez pulled up at home plate and was tagged out, he was trying to show the Rays up. Just plain dumb. He was out by 40 feet and he was NOT going to get hurt in an exhibition game.

The Yankees had their hitting shoes on in Lakeland, taking an 11-7 win, but it was not a good day for Joba Chamberlain. Though he hit 99-mph on the gun, Joba's control was not there. In a 3 inning effort, he walked 3, allowed 4 hits, and gave up 3 runs. Kyle Farnsworth had a big day though with 2 scoreless innings (word has it he could still move the next day too).

Justin Verlander didn't hold up his end of the 100-mph battle either. He was pounded for 7 runs in just 3.2 innings. Morgan Ensberg had 3 RBI and Kyle Anson hit his first home run of the spring. Curtis Granderson showed off his skills for the home crowd with a pair of home runs and a triple.

Sunday vs. Indians

It wasn't an A-Rod walk off blast, but the Yankees rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Indians on Sunday, 7-6. Nick Green delivered the game winner, a 2-run single that gave Darrell Rasner his 1st victory of the spring.

Chien-Ming Wang got the start and was inconsistent. He was not as bad as some pundits, who clearly didn't watch the game, have made it sound. Grady Sizemore's bash into the seats was definitely the exception. Most of the hits in the Indians' 3-run 2nd were not hard hit. Robinson Cano could/should have had 1 or 2 of them.

Scott Patterson continued to impress. He came in to get a quick inning ending double play in the 5th and retired the side in order in the 6th. He's allowed just 1 base runner in 6 innings this spring.

Rasner had a very mediocre 3 innings; 2 runs allowed on 5 hits, and has an 8.64 ERA this spring. He's a definite ticket to Scranton.

We Want a Pitcher, not a Belly Itcher

The Yankees have played a number of games since our last recap on Thursday - aka Billy Crystal day. Let's take a quick review of the pitching on those days.

Friday vs. Reds

Not a good day for Dr. Phil Good; the prized right-hander got tagged for 4 runs on 9 hits in just 2.2 innings. You wonder if signing 2,000 baseballs 2 days before affected Phil in any way. Heath Phillips, 2 runs in 1-3 of an inning and Chris Britton, 1 run in 1 inning, didn't help their causes.

On the plus side, A-Rod hit a 3-run bomb and Jason Lane drove in 2 as the teams played to a 2-2 tie.


Saturday vs. Rays, Tigers

Split squad day; IPK went out against the Rays, while Joba took the bus to Lakeland for the Tigers game. Kennedy had trouble controlling his fastball and it affected his overall performance, as did the wind, against the Rays. He gave up 2 runs in 3 innings, but did strike out 5. Kei Igawa further embarrassed himself with a 3 inning, 3 run performance. Hector Giminez's home run off Igawa nearly knocked over the black back drop in center field.

Mariano Rivera gave up his 1st run of the spring as his cutter wasn't quite as sharp, but it was still a decent performance. LaTroy Hawkins extended his spring scoreless streak to 6 innings. It was also nice to see Eric Wordekemper get his 1st inning of work in a big league game this season.

Rays took it 7-2 without incident, though some numb nuts (the pros, not us bloggers) actually thought that when Alex Rodriguez pulled up at home plate and was tagged out, he was trying to show the Rays up. Just plain dumb. He was out by 40 feet and he was NOT going to get hurt in an exhibition game.

The Yankees had their hitting shoes on in Lakeland, taking an 11-7 win, but it was not a good day for Joba Chamberlain. Though he hit 99-mph on the gun, Joba's control was not there. In a 3 inning effort, he walked 3, allowed 4 hits, and gave up 3 runs. Kyle Farnsworth had a big day though with 2 scoreless innings (word has it he could still move the next day too).

Justin Verlander didn't hold up his end of the 100-mph battle either. He was pounded for 7 runs in just 3.2 innings. Morgan Ensberg had 3 RBI and Kyle Anson hit his first home run of the spring. Curtis Granderson showed off his skills for the home crowd with a pair of home runs and a triple.

Sunday vs. Indians

It wasn't an A-Rod walk off blast, but the Yankees rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Indians on Sunday, 7-6. Nick Green delivered the game winner, a 2-run single that gave Darrell Rasner his 1st victory of the spring.

Chien-Ming Wang got the start and was inconsistent. He was not as bad as some pundits, who clearly didn't watch the game, have made it sound. Grady Sizemore's bash into the seats was definitely the exception. Most of the hits in the Indians' 3-run 2nd were not hard hit. Robinson Cano could/should have had 1 or 2 of them.

Scott Patterson continued to impress. He came in to get a quick inning ending double play in the 5th and retired the side in order in the 6th. He's allowed just 1 base runner in 6 innings this spring.

Rasner had a very mediocre 3 innings; 2 runs allowed on 5 hits, and has an 8.64 ERA this spring. He's a definite ticket to Scranton.