Yankees Rotation is set...

[ABQCOWBOY]

CC Sabathia
Hiroki Kuroda
Masahiro Tanaka
Ivan Nova
Michael Pineda


I like that rotation a lot better then last years.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

CC Sabathia
Hiroki Kuroda
Masahiro Tanaka
Ivan Nova
Michael Pineda


I like that rotation a lot better then last years.

Oh gosh yes!

Much better.

I think the ultimate success is going to ride on how healthy the infield is.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Oh gosh yes!

Much better.

I think the ultimate success is going to ride on how healthy the infield is.

I don't know. I mean, you are right in that we need to get production there and we need to have good defense but if Pineda and Tanaka are what they appear to be and Kuroda and Nova give us seasons like they have the last few years and CC doesn't have to throw well over 200 Innings, we might have something here. Add to that the fact that the 5th spot was close with Phelps 2.63 ERA and Warren 2.08 ERA thus far, we will have some quality in the Bull Pen as well. I'm really excited for this staff for the 1st time in probably 5 years.

Good stuff I hope.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

I don't know. I mean, you are right in that we need to get production there and we need to have good defense but if Pineda and Tanaka are what they appear to be and Kuroda and Nova give us seasons like they have the last few years and CC doesn't have to throw well over 200 Innings, we might have something here. Add to that the fact that the 5th spot was close with Phelps 2.63 ERA and Warren 2.08 ERA thus far, we will have some quality in the Bull Pen as well. I'm really excited for this staff for the 1st time in probably 5 years.

Good stuff I hope.

And yet the rest of the roster reads like a Who's Who of the next group to enter the MLB nursing home.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

CC Sabathia
Hiroki Kuroda
Masahiro Tanaka
Ivan Nova
Michael Pineda


I like that rotation a lot better then last years.

Kuroda is like Mussina. He would lose games 2-1, 3-2, etc.

Tanaka is going to be another Hideki Irobyou

 

[Derinyar]

The rotation is better, but that's not exactly something hard to accomplish. Tanaka is still unproven. Kuroda is old. Sabathia is unlikely to be a top of the rotation guy. Depending on Pineda to pitch much at all is not a safe bet. Nova is just a pretty decent back end type of pitcher. The bullpen should be alright, but could be thin.

The offense is what should scare you. The outfield should be good, though there's injury risk there. The infield is garbage. Two players with significant age and injury risks. Two players who are already leaving their prime that have never found sustained major league success. It won't happen but I'd guess that the best IF that could be fielded right now by them has Jeter at either 2b or 3b and Ryan at SS. If you're going to have a player who can't hit at a position he might as well bring one of the 3 or 4 best SS gloves in the game to the mix.

Unless a lot of things go right for them and wrong for both the Red Sox and Rays they're probably a 3rd or 4th place team.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

And yet the rest of the roster reads like a Who's Who of the next group to enter the MLB nursing home.

Perhaps. I see the Yankees moving towards more youth but I agree, there is age in the starting lineup. On the other hand, pitching will take you a long way.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Kuroda is like Mussina. He would lose games 2-1, 3-2, etc.

Tanaka is going to be another Hideki Irobyou

Kuroda will give you a lot of good Innings and, while I don't see him as an Ace, by any means, he is pretty good if you can keep his innings in perspective. I think you need to try and keep his Inning down to about 180 or so. If you can do that, you have a really good chance of getting a nice season out of him.

On Tanaka, I think you are wrong. Irobyou was thought to be a great talent when the Yankees signed him but he never materialized in the Majors. Irobyou was a power pitcher who had Nolan Ryan type velocity on his fastball but could not control his weight and was already 11 years into his career when his rights were purchased by the Padres. Tanaka is different. He is actually a pitcher with 5 different pitches who can pitch with velocity and control. This is not to say that he will be a Cy Young Winner but he is absolutely not Irobyou, who's arm was pretty much, almost done when he came to the Majors.

 

[Doomsday101]

Looking forward to seeing Houston with their 44 mill team pay roll sweep the 203 mill team payroll Yankees. lol

Go Stros

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Kuroda will give you a lot of good Innings and, while I don't see him as an Ace, by any means, he is pretty good if you can keep his innings in perspective. I think you need to try and keep his Inning down to about 180 or so. If you can do that, you have a really good chance of getting a nice season out of him.

On Tanaka, I think you are wrong. Irobyou was thought to be a great talent when the Yankees signed him but he never materialized in the Majors. Irobyou was a power pitcher who had Nolan Ryan type velocity on his fastball but could not control his weight and was already 11 years into his career when his rights were purchased by the Padres. Tanaka is different. He is actually a pitcher with 5 different pitches who can pitch with velocity and control. This is not to say that he will be a Cy Young Winner but he is absolutely not Irobyou, who's arm was pretty much, almost done when he came to the Majors.

I disagree. Kuroda, with run support, could be am ace. Loses too many games where he pitched more than good enough to win.

Tanaka, getting banged around for 2-3 runs per respective innings.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I disagree. Kuroda, with run support, could be am ace. Loses too many games where he pitched more than good enough to win.

Tanaka, getting banged around for 2-3 runs per respective innings.

I agree that with more run support, Kuroda could be a much better pitcher but that can be said for any pitcher. He pitched very well last year, right up to the end of the season and then he kinda fell off a bit. To many innings pitched IMO.

Tanaka, he's not going to give up 2-3 runs per inning. No chance, no how IMO but I grant you, time is the ultimate judge on that one.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Lester
Lackey
Buchholz
Peavey
Doubront

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Perhaps. I see the Yankees moving towards more youth but I agree, there is age in the starting lineup. On the other hand, pitching will take you a long way.

IF, the pitching performs well they can keep the team in the hunt as long as the old timers can stay healthy.

Pitching is everything.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

IF, the pitching performs well they can keep the team in the hunt as long as the old timers can stay healthy.

Pitching is everything.

I agree, but the pitching has a chance to be really good this year. We'll see if that materializes.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I agree that with more run support, Kuroda could be a much better pitcher but that can be said for any pitcher. He pitched very well last year, right up to the end of the season and then he kinda fell off a bit. To many innings pitched IMO.

Tanaka, he's not going to give up 2-3 runs per inning. No chance, no how IMO but I grant you, time is the ultimate judge on that one.

To my point. It can't be said about "any" pitcher. He keeps you in just about every game. Very rare.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

To my point. It can't be said about "any" pitcher. He keeps you in just about every game. Very rare.

Hey, I agree, going all the way back to his days with the Dodgers. I'm just saying that he fades at the end if he pitches too many innings. With a better staff around him and better depth, the Yankees can do a better job of saving him. in 2013, at the start of August, he was 13 - 9 with an ERA of about 2.32. He finished the season with a record of 3 - 7 over his last 10 starts sporting an ERA of 5.41

This is really what I'm getting at. He can be a very effective pitcher if the Yankees cans save him a little bit.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Hey, I agree, going all the way back to his days with the Dodgers. I'm just saying that he fades at the end if he pitches too many innings. With a better staff around him and better depth, the Yankees can do a better job of saving him. in 2013, at the start of August, he was 13 - 9 with an ERA of about 2.32. He finished the season with a record of 3 - 7 over his last 10 starts sporting an ERA of 5.41

This is really what I'm getting at. He can be a very effective pitcher if the Yankees cans save him a little bit.

Thanks for laying it out. I see what you mean. Agreed!



Now, on to CC. I don't know that we should have kept him after his deal was up. We picked up his option a few years back?

 

[Doomsday101]

All I know is this game between the Astros and Yankee screwed my parking up this morning. I work a block away from the stadium and with all the streets around it blocked off parking is a nightmare. Be glad when the season is over.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Thanks for laying it out. I see what you mean. Agreed!



Now, on to CC. I don't know that we should have kept him after his deal was up. We picked up his option a few years back?

Well, I think the entire Yankees staff has been overworked these past few seasons and it's, in large part because of the fact that the Yankees have really not had starting pitching, to speak of. As a result, they have been forced to use guys who probably should have been in the Bull Pen as set up or long and short relievers. This has basically forced what good pitchers we have had to throw a lot of innings. CC has thrown an average of just over 223 innings per season, since he's been with the Yankees. That's way too many innings. He's always been a guy who has thrown a lot of innings but it's time for the Yankees to start trying to save his arm, just a bit, as well. He needs to be throwing 180 - 200 Innings this season. Last year, CC lost a lot of weight and I think that kinda hurt him. Normally, you see guys slim down and it adds stamina to their game but I think maybe CC is a little different body type. He may be one of those guys who just needs to be a little heavier to be able to stay strong. Also, we don't know how he lost the weight so maybe a better dietary regiment with fewer innings and a few less starts might also help him.

As to the contract, it was only a 5 year extension adding 30 Million to the existing. That deal was done in 2011, extending him through 2017 but really, the deal was designed to terminate in 2016 if CC is not healthy. The Yankees have a 5 Million dollar buy out clause in the contract in year 2017 if CC can not go any longer.

Can he still be the same CC? I don't think it's reasonable to believe he can be the same guy he was when he was 25-27. He has lost some velocity on his Fast Ball and that may or may not come back as he gets into condition but he's had excellent command of his pitches, his location has been better then ever and he's learned to throw a cutter, which has saved a lot of Yankee pitchers these past few years. CC is 3-1 this spring and really, he's only given up 3 runs this spring (all in the same game). He's thrown 19 scorless innings and has an ERA of 1.44 this spring. Of course, it's only spring so time will tell the story. However, I think it's reasonable to expect CC to be able to go till 2016. He may not be the Ace of the staff any longer, that will remain to be seen but, if you figure Pineda or Tanaka as the 1/2, CC would be a heck of a number 3 guy in your rotation.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

All I know is this game between the Astros and Yankee screwed my parking up this morning. I work a block away from the stadium and with all the streets around it blocked off parking is a nightmare. Be glad when the season is over.

This is why you just need to go to the Stadium the night before and just sleep in the bleachers. Have the wife call off for you. ;-)