Reasons to be Nervous About Yankees Pitching?
Nervous Nellie Approach
Once again, reading some of the sportswriters in the New York press this week feels like hysteria on steroids. The world is coming to an end at Yankee Stadium because the Yankees did not sign Patrick Corbin, Nathan Eovaldi or Carlos Carrasco. As if any of these pitchers would guarantee a playoff or World Series appearance.
This nervous nellie approach to the Yankees pitching seems foolhardy, since the Yankees have an abundance of pitching choices on their 40-man roster. Their five established starting pitchers are: Sonny Gray (still with the team, for the time being), James Paxton, CC Sabathia, Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka.
Other choices for a starter, under contract, are Jordan Montgomery (who should be ready by midseason). Spot starters last season were: Luis Cessa, Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga. Any of whom could contribute this season. German, if his control improves, could be a dynamic contributor out of the bullpen as well as a spot “opener.”
That’s nine pitchers if my count is right. And one more addition, admittedly a more reliable pitcher, would make 10. More than likely, cost has delayed the Yankees foray into the free-agent market. Excessive cost for doubtful production.
These days, teams need more than five starters, but with openers so prevalent, the Yankees could use German and Loaisiga in that role. Or some of their other solid relief pitchers. Or they could land a hard thrower (everywhere you look there’s a 95-plus guy) as a combo reliever/starter who could throw 150 blended innings. Mixing and matching, the way Tampa Bay handled Ryan Yarbrough last season. Or the way the Mets used Seth Lugo. Could Zach Britton play this role? It should also be remembered that AJ Cole, who started for the Washington Nationals before they released him, could play this role.
Domingo Acevedo or Albert Aceves are highly regarded minor league pitchers, one or both of whom could be added to the Yankees’ 25-man major league roster come next session. So, to write that the Yankees are desperate for more pitching options for 2019 is misleading. Were they desperate, Corbin might be a Yankee now. The Nationals were the desperate team, or needier team, seeking to bolster their staff in an improving division.
But the Yankees being the Yankees will more than likely add one more established pitcher before the season starts. For insurance. And given their needs, they’ll also need more pitching in the bullpen if they don’t bring back Zach Britton or David Robertson. Meaning they are bound to be casting their rods and reels in murky waters. Hoping to land a big fish or two.
Just Who Are the Yankees?
Part of the uncertainty of the Yankees is their changing identity. Once they were the big-spending George Steinbrenner Yankees of the ’70s/’80s/’90s. Now, it seems they are the frugal Hal Steinbrenner Yankees of the last decade. The Steinbrenner family resides in Tampa Bay Rays country. The land of smart, bargain-basement baseball. Has some of this rubbed off on Hal Steinbrenner?
The evidence is the Yankees have become a smarter organization these last few years. Spending less and still playing exciting, winning baseball. Especially in 2017. No doubt the impetus to save money has been a driving force behind their “smarts,” but some of their personnel choices have been solid as well. Smart trades to clear minor leaguers who would be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft by exchanging them for assets with service time remaining before Rule 5. Will the Yankees take a chance on a Rule 5 minor league pitcher?
Even the recently released Ronald Torreyes, who had been an excellent player in his two seasons with the Yankees, was signed as a free agent after the Dodgers released him in 2016. Minnesota has found a solid utility player spark plug who should make his mark on their team.
The Brandon Drury trade last year was another smart move, but then Drury was injured, Miguel Andujar took his place, and Drury was traded midseason to Toronto to acquire J.A. Happ. Talking about youngsters looking to make their name, this could be Clint Fraser’s year to establish himself as a bona fide major leaguer. Either that, or he becomes a trade chip for more pitching.
Perhaps the Yankees haven’t chosen to add additional pitching because the price has been exorbitant. And since there’s not much difference between the numbers of many of free agent pitchers, why overspend for league average? True, a league average pitcher who throws 150 to 200 decent innings has value, but at what price? Despite the fact that every team needs innings-eaters, teams runs the numbers on all players before they decide on price and which direction they want to head.
The Yankees and the Red Sox promise to be in a dogfight again this coming season. So, why do the Yankees want to bring back J.A. Happ? He pitched poorly in the playoffs against Boston. His regular season production was acceptable, but do they want to commit to him for three years? Do they dare pitch him against the Red Sox in a meaningful game again?
The other question is the big stage. The Yankee Stadium effect. Sonny Gray clearly couldn’t pitch well in Yankee Stadium, as have many others, which is why he will be traded.
Marv Throneberry Trophy
I haven’t mentioned the New York Mets because none of the sports literati seems to have an inside track on what they’re trying to do. Most writers encourage new GM Brodie Van Wagenen to press forward. Insinuating just because he made one dumb move (some say bold, the euphemism), maybe he’ll get luckier the second time. Though if he finds a way to acquire J. T. Realmuto after the Robinson Cano move, he should be awarded the Marv Throneberry Trophy for Valor (this is a joke for those of you who never suffered through a game played by the Marvelous one in 1962, when he was a major contributor to the Mets’ 120-loss season).
So, the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas should do more than excite the imagination for Yankees fans. Hopefully if you’re a Mets fan, they won’t dull the senses.
