Going into the 2015 season the Yankees could possibly have 8 starting pitchers to fill 5 spots. But they STILL need to go outside...... Breakdown = CC Sabathia 34 years old LHP that can't seem to stay healthy & has been in a downfall the last few years. Ivan Nova 27 year old RHP Michael Pineda 25 year old RHP Shane Greene 25 year old RHP Masahiro Tanaka 25 year old RHP Brandon McCarthy 31 year old RHP David Phelps 27 year old RHP Chris Capuano 36 year old LHP Realistically we're not resigning Capuano but that leaves us with only one LHP Sabathia & like I said he's always a question mark. So IMO we need to make a push for someone like LHP John Lester. Question though is how high do you go? He's 30 years old with a career mark of 113-64 & earning $13M this season. And Phelps will probably be left in the pen to have as an occasional emergency starter. Could Greene be a regular full time starter? I'd have to say yes. The job going into next season should be his. So We've got Sabathia, (LHP), Pineda (RHP), Tanaka (RHP), Greene (RHP) & if we're lucky Lester (LHP) On the outside looking in we have Nova (RHP) and if we resign him, McCarthy (RHP) It's definitely going to be interesting. These are the Yankee free agents..............http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/mlb/new-york-yankees/
You have 3 major question marks in CC, Nova and Tanaka. Excellent thread topic for November, but now is a bit premature. Can you devise a strategy from this point, sure but it'll be rather complex and I'm not sure the Yanks have anyone that could design/develop a plan let alone implement it. Keep in mind that to do planning like this requires somebody that is basically batshit crazy with details...kinda like Rob.
Mang, my Old Man still says: "pay attention to detail"....not to me anymore, yet- in fact that is how I was raised, which suited my career field well. In hindsight, I felt brow-beat as a kid, but had no clue I was being prepared for the decades to come...! "Batshit Crazy" I kind of like that moniker.....
Back to BB..... It blows my mind that we don't have a barrage of Yanx Southpaws to eliminate/neutralize a threat from LH Power (hell even contact), Hitters. With the short porch.....ya' gotta' have some Lefties with the Hook.... BTW-I did see the game: Price obviously lost his Hook in the 3rd inning yesterday....had it going in the 1st, then fell flat on his face. My point even the best of Southpaws can get their asses handed to them...at anytime..... It has looked like CC will never be the same, and neither will my Hard Drive, its officially burned out also, kinda like CC....!!! ('til I get a replacement soon, gotta' share My Son's Laptop)...
maybe I will pass on this one, going round. I got more than my fair share of ideas, yet what I think, and what Cashbox and The Kids think are two totally different issues. I seriously doubt those Admins of the Yanx would listen to a voice of reason...!!!
I think its safe to say that most people are hoping that the only future decisions Cashman makes is whether to have red or white wine with his chicken McNuggets.
Yanks probably won't be getting much as a group from CC,Nova and (gulp) Tananka. If they choose to sign McCarthy, ...then I would be very surprised if the following three aren't the core of the starting staff (as of now) Michael Pineda Shane Greene Brandon McCarthy If ...if...Pineda can stay healthy, and somehow Tanaka doesn't require surgery, the Yanks could have a heckuva young pitching staff. It would be ideal if they can plug in a good lefty - Capuano isn't a "good lefty". If you want him to be a #5 or 6, I guess we can live with it.
Right now going into next season the only solid LHP the Yankees have (if you want to call him solid) is Sabathia. So I think the Yankees really need to make a pitch (no pun intended) for John Lester. The question as I mentioned is what kind of money will he be looking for? He's making $13M this year & I'm guessing will probably be looking at something around 5 years & $100M
______________________________ 20 mil per for 5 years?......ummmmm......done! Yanks should expect 3 good years from him and possibly struggling through the final two seasons at a total of 40 mil is tolerable. I think he may get more elsewhere, and/or choose not to sign with the Yanks for whatever. We shall see - but I would go for the 100 mil-5 year deal if I were the Yanks.
If I'm Lester, I want a solid offense vs. LHP behind me. Not a compelling product right now....and Granderson is gone, lol!