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Figuring out the Yankees pitching problems I think will be a lot tougher this offseason than the bats/position issues.

Wang and Johnson are set in the rotation.

Myers, Villone, Rivera, Farnsworth and Proctor are set in the pen. 

In my previous posting I sad they should bring back Moose for a couple years.

That leave 2 starting spots and 1 relief spot open.  Bruney looked good but that may have been lightening in a bottle and I will not bet too much on him in 2007.  Dotel is a free agent and it will remain to be seen if he resigns.  I think he can be good but will need to work on his command.  Remember, he was only a 1 year removed from TJ surgey and it usually takes 18 months to fully recover.  I think between Bruney/Dotel and others the pen should be pretty solid.  Joe still needs to learn how to not overuse guys but that is a whole other story.

I think they should bring back Wright for 7 million a year unless they can unload him for prospects.  He did win 11 games last year and had a better ERA than the big unit.  I think he is worth 7 million as a #5.

Now should the Yankees sign Zito, Schmidt, Matzuaka (sp?) or give the #4/#5 spot to a youngster (Kartsens, Rasner, Hughes)?  I think all the free agents depend on money.  If we can get Schmidt for 2 years and a low price than good.  If Zito is willing to take less, good.  I am worried Matzuaka could be the next fat toad, I mean Irabu.  They all have the question marks, there is not a sure #1 starter on the market this year which means a #2-#4 will get paid like a #1.  This is why I advocate going with youth to fill out the back end of the rotation.  The Yanks need to start developing arms ala Pettite/Rivera, etc.  Let the other teams overpay for pitchers this year.  The Yanks can save money and then go after better guys in the 08 market.  I know it is risky but the Cards won the series with a rookie in their rotation (Reyes) and a rookie closer (Wainwright). 

Stevereno

Now that the 2006 World Series is done, now onto the offseason.  Dotel, Cairo, others to follow, will be free agents. 

What do you think should be the Yankees plans this offseason?  Sign Zito, Trade A-rod, keep Sheffield?  Go with youth?  Who will be Jorge’s backup next year?  Sign Moose?  Let the hot stove start cooking baby.

Here is what I think da Yanks should do in regards to fielding/bats. 

Trade for Mark Texiera.  (Andy Phillips and a couple of good pitching prospects from A ball).  Probably throw in a little cash. 

Trade Sheffield for a couple pitching prospects.

Let Bernie walk and use either Thompson or another young OF as the 5th OF.

Sign a decent backup catcher for Jorge.

Sign Moose to a 2 year 22 million deal with an option for a 3rd year if he pitched 350 innings in the 2 years of his deal.

I think this would be a good start.  Have Melky be the 4th OF plus DH a little bit and get him 400 or so AB’s.  Plus there always may be an opening because of an injury.  Giambi would be the full time DH with Tex at 1B.

I will address the pitching offseason in another post.

Stevereno

Reports are that Don Mattingly will be the new bench coach for the Yankees.  http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2640046

Does that mean Mazzilli is gone or will he move back to 1st base coach?  Or is Lee looking at other managing jobs?  Nats, Padres, Rangers?

Hopefully the series ends tonight and the Hot Stove league heats up soon.

Stevereno

Reports are that Sheffield’s 13 mill option will be picked up.  Good news?  Bad news? 

Do you think the Yanks will trade him?  Have him play 1st base?  He doesn’t seem happy that his option is being picked up. 

“This will not work, this will not work at all,” Sheffield told the newspaper. “I don’t want to play first base a year for them. I will not do that.”

“I don’t know what they’re [Yankees] going to do,” Sheffield said. “Maybe they picked it up just to trade me. If they do that, if I just [go] to a team for one year, there’s going to be a problem.”

Does this guy ever stop whining.  He puts up the numbers but I just do not like his attitude.  I say pick up the option to royally piss him off and then trade him to the Astros for a couple prospects.

Stevereno

Now we know why Kenny had such electric stuff against us in the ALCs.

Doesn’t look like Kenny wants to talk to the umps too much.

Stevereno

What does everyone think about the Yankees minor league system? 

It was barren a couple years ago but now appears to be gaining strength.

The AAA team last year was pretty barren of prospects.  No position player was really anything to get excited about.  Sardinha made a late season debut and played fairly well but he is a 4^{th OF at best.} 

This year AAA has a chance to have some real good prospects.  Hughes, Clippard, Duncan, Cox, Beam, Rasner, Karstens.  AA could also have a good team.

The one worry is that most of the Yankees young talent has not done a lot above AA and the jump from A ball to AA and then AAA are big stepping stones.  Many A ball players that have great numbers fizzle out against the more mature competition in AAA ball.  This is especially true for pitchers.

The Yankees have drafted very well in the last 2 drafts because they have the luxury of getting 1^{st round talent in the later rounds because they have the money for big time signing bonuses.}

Should the Yanks hold onto this talent or trade it away for established players?  The idea is whenever you can get guys that have proven themselves at the major league level as opposed to a guy that may one day impress at the major league level, you go after the established player.  Look at the Abreu and Knoblauch trades. 

I would give the Yankees a B+ for their farm system.  If they continue to develop guys like they have and draft like they have they could have an A type system in a couple years.  The big issue will be when guys are ready for the bigs and there are guys waiting at AA/AAA, what do the Yankees do?  The Yankees will never re-build so how do the Yankees get a guy like Eric Duncan who in a couple years will hopefully be ready at age 23 to be a major league type player.  Trade him or take the risk he may be only an average 1B in the majors? 

As a Yankees fan I sometimes think the Yanks should maybe rebuild for a year here and there.  I have said it before.  If the Yanks can rebuild in 2007 and position themselves to be great for 5 years I rather do that than be very good for 10 years but not win anything.  The Yanks need to get younger and hungrier and young talent can do that.  It will be interesting to see what the Yanks do next year.  Give Hughes a shot out of spring training?  Clippard, Karstens, Beam, Rasner, where do they fit?  I guess it is a good problem to have.

A mixture of all star talent with young hungry talent is the way to go.  The Tigers, Marlins, Twins, etc. have all proved that the last few years.  

   Mr. Tabata.  Will he be the next Sammy Sosa (minus the corked bat and steroids) or the next Gregg Jeffries?

Stevereno

Well the other New York team is out of the playoffs too.  I am not a Mets hater and it would have been nice to have one NY team in the series.

Giambi had wrist surgery and should purely be a DH next year.  The guy is breaking down and cannot play first anymore.  I would love to somehow land Texeira from the Rangers to play gold glove 1B.

The big Unit is also due for back surgery.  Hopefully we can get 1 good year out of him but I am cynical.  He needs to learn to pitch and not simply overpower.  I still think he would be a better lefty specialist reliever than starter because he really only has 2 pitcher.  Problem is he is getting paid too much. 

Hopefully the series will be quick and the hot stove league will start soon.

Stevreno

So Joe is back for one more year.  I think if he falters a change will occur during the season.  Mattingly as the interm manager?

So what next?  Trade A-rod?  I think all this A-rod is our guy talk is simply happening to try and get the best deal.  I just cannot see him wearing pinstripes next year.  He was qupted as saying he is going to work even harder.  Can he work any harder???  The guy just needs to relax in Anaheim or Florida.

I believe Pettite and Clemens are free agents?  Any chance of bringing back them?  I woudl be leery of Clemens because is is like 45 and has leg issues.  Pettite may not be a bad pickup for the right deal.

The Unit is having back surgery.  Here we go.  Late start in spring training…..  7-5 with a 4.88 era in about 20 starts next year.

I think they should at least pick up Wrights option.  7 million is not bad for 11 wins.  They could always trade him for a cople of decent prospects if they round out the rest of their rotation in another way.

I would not sign Zito.  He is overrated.  Not worth the money is going to want.

I would also stay away from Matzuka (sp?).  Irabu all over again.

I think the Yanks need to give Hughes a shot next year.  And possibly Karstens, Rasner or Clippard.  Get guys hungry in the rotation that want to prove themselves.

Steve

Where do the Yankees go from here?

Fire Torre and get a new manager? 

Trade A-Rod?

Let Moose go?

Who should go who should stay?

Here are my thoughts. 

Keep Torre and the coaching staff for one more year. 

Trade A-rod for a decent 3^{rd baseman and pitching help.  I have heard to the Angels for Santana, Figgins a B grade prospect.  Problem is look at Figgins fielding numbers at 3rd last year.  He is better suited for the OF.}

Trade Matsui for pitching help and put Cabrera in LF full time.

Pick up Sheffs contract and trade him for pitching help.

Sign Moose to a 2 year deal.

Give some young pitchers a chance next year.  Bruney, Beam, Rasner, Kartsens….

Maybe sign Zito or Schmidt.  Don’t make any rash moves.

Biggest thing is do not panic.

Don’t go out and overpay Schmidt and Zito and Carlos Lee and Soriano, etc.

Yanks lineup is ok even without A-rod and Matsui.  The Yanks need arms.

Stevereno

So I’ve defended A-Rod a points this season saying his numbers aren’t that bad and overall the guy never gets a break and likely never will in this town. Unless of course he produces in the the post-season. I really think this guy out thinks himself. Baseball is a simple game and A-Rod makes it seem like rocket science. Stervo and I knew what pitchers were going to be thorwn to the bleachers from the center field bleachers and we knew exaclty what ARod was going to do. ARod is not a hard out for a pitcher that knows how to make his pitchers. He’s easy to setup for the big K. ARod’s first stikeout maybe we can give him a break on. The kid was just throwing heat and the breaking ball was just sick. But after that you have to adjust and his late inning K was just unaccectable. Two fastballs on the outside corner and ARod goes down with his big swing. Yes, in this line-up ARod is not the only player on the team and other guys can step-up, but I don’t care what you say. Everyone expects more from ARod. He is supposed to be the best player in best baseball and maybe the best player ever. Yet, I would rather have Miguel Cairo up in these situations then ARod. I think Torre needs to give ARod one more game and if he doesn’t produce bench him and use him off the bench. What happened to the the Joe Torre that had enough guts to put Wade Boggs and Tino on the bench? ARod tonight is you last chance to produce…start playing like I know you can or next season the Yankees will find a way to trade you. You might get lucky and the other players may carry you to the title and you can hide for a little while longer, but the bottom line is everyone will say the Yankees won the W.S. inspite of ARod hitting .125 this postseaon. Or inspite of his 10-plus stike-outs. ARod, maybe while you are in the middle of the country you should hop a train to St. Louis and watch a real super star play…maybe you can learn a few things. Then again I doubt you’d learn anything since you haven’t learn anything from watching Derek up-close the last 3 seasons.

Anyway, it’s time ARod. Step-up become the best player that we all think you are. Become a Yankee. Become a legend. Become what we all dreamed about as kids as we threw the ball to ourselves in our backyards for hours on end. This is you last chance. It’s your time. Which legend do you want to become? Michael Jordan or Karl Malone?