Yesterday's inaction by Brian Cashman has put a serious scare into me regarding the 2009 Yankees and their chances to do anything serious come October. At this point I'm not sure they have the rotation depth it's going to take to allow them to hold off Boston for the division. Besides that their bullpen scares me more and more each day, especially with Alfredo Aceves struggling like he has lately.
The lead is now down to just 1.5 games, the Sox have added Victor Martinez and Casey Kotchman, and the Yankees have a struggling Sergio Mitre as their fifth starter and Joba is rapidly approaching his innings limit. Maybe I'm just being a pessimist, but my confidence in this team is beginning to fade a bit.
So my question to you is can the Yankees, as they are right now, good enough to hold off the Red Sox and win this division. Answer below in the comments and/or vote in the poll on the right sidebar.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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15 Comments:
Yes they can. The onus, however, is on Girardi to get them playing well and avoid the lackluster play we've seen over the last few days. When this team is on their game they are a tough opponent.
Cashman screwed the pooch this time though. The Yankees need 1. A solid #5 starter, another reliever, and a solid outfielder. They didn't get any of those things. (Hairston is a #4 OF where the Yankees needed a solid everyday guy who can play multiple spots).
The rotation is a bit weak and this is going to kill the bullpen. Right now the pen has Rivera, Hughes and Coke. Robertson can eat up a few innings but no one else is trustworthy. Aceves will be valuable down the road but is too volatile to be used in a high leverage situation right now. With no fifth starter, the struggling bullpen is going to be taxed even more.
Boston, even after trading away Masterson, still has more pitching than they know what to do with, and solidified their offense with Martinez. The Yanks are going to have a hard time hanging on to the division.
So the Yanks are good enough to hold on, but it's a longshot. Even if they do, Detroit just went from also ran to serious contender. The AL is up for grabs at the moment.
The Yankees as they are right now are absolutely good enough to win the division, Whether they will or not is yet to be seen.
My biggest fear is an injury to the pitching staff. One serious injury and the Yanks are screwed because they no starting pitching depth and already have a lousy fifth starter.
Then of course there is the Joba innings dilemma that will rear its ugly head before the end of the season.
Not getting a starter before the trade deadline could well be the demise of this team.
I know everyone is going to blame Cashman if it happens and that may be justified.
But we have all heard for a while that Cash made his big money move before the season when he added Tex and then the purse strings were pulled closed.
I don't believe for a minute that the Yanks don't think they need another starter.
I know Hughes is pitching fantastic and his presence has solidified the bullpen. (Forgetting last night's game of course.)
But when the Yanks first put him in the bullpen, many, including myself worried about losing him as insurance for our starting pitching staff.
I was certain that it would just be for a few weeks. But then of course, he went out and pitched lights out.
I wasn't worried because I was quite certain that the yanks would just pick up the starter that they needed at the trade deadline.
But of course that didn't happen. I think this is the best team in baseball right now.
Lets hope the failure to get another starter doesn't derail the season.
I think the Yanks are a better team than the sox. When you look at their rotation to ours, we are stronger. Right now the only pitcher the sox can count on is Beckett. Lester is not having a great year, Penny has been getting smashed as well as Smoltz. They just traded Masterson, that might have not been a good idea concidering their pitching woes.
3 Days ago no one would have been questioning if the Yanks Can make it. AS long as out top for keep doing well they will be fine. THEY WILL NOT SHUT JOBA DOWN THIS SEASON!!! They Can say it all they want I don't see it..
As far as Mitre he has to go. Their has to be some one that can do a better job down the streach.
Any ideas??????
Yes they can win - tes they will win. Number one Sergio better thank the lord big George is a spectator these day or he'd pitching for the Newark Bears today. Second, I think the Yankees were smart to wait and not trade. The non-waiver deadline has passed. But now you will see alot of big names go through the waiver wire and in todays economy not many if any teams are going to put waiver claims on someone and get stuck. I think some pretty good pitchers can be there for the taking. Roid sox and others can't put blanket claims on all of these guys and not get stuck. I think thet get another decent arm via this route and part with no one but "benjamin franklins". Go yanks
One of the reasons I like this blog is because you guys are for the most part level-headed. Please don't wander into the territory of the typical "sky is falling Yankee fan" just because they lost a couple games.
Lets face it, the team needs a back end starter. as of right now, mitre is slated to start the opening game of the series against the redsox next week and that cannot happen.
You know what, we needed to replace Wang in our rotation, who is gone for this year, and maybe part of next year. Did we do that?
NO, Mitre is not Wang, not on his best day. Joba could be heading back to the pull penn. That's two starting pitchers.. Hughs, might take months before he is as a good a starter as Joba is turning into right now.
Cashman blew it yet again.. not saying we HAD to have Doc. But you let washburn get away.. Cliff Lee.
I am not worried about what Boston did, I am worried about what WE didn't do.
Andrew, I asked a question, that's all. And this has more to do with the Red Sox improving themselves during the trade deadline while the Yankees did nothing. That's a lot more significant than two losses to Chicago.
I am going to the first game against the sux and I am hoping they just pass over Mitre because of the day off on Monday.
Then again, he is pitching against Smoltz and he sucks too.
They should pass over Mitre for the Sox series, if they don't they're going to lose that game.
By the way, please vote in the poll on the right side bar. Thanks!
Yankees def need a fifth starter and must continue to pitch late into the games. Otherwise, the bullpen will end up overworked as they were last year. I'm not sure who replaces Mitre yet at this point I think any option is better. What about Kennedy or even Igawa? Do either of them have another shot at being called up? I'd like to see them give Kennedy a shot. Even Josh Schmidt from the AA affiliate might be worth a shot! I thought they should have made more of an effort for Bannister. I guess time will tell!
i don't quite get how the red sox got kotchman for a guy hitting 40 points lower
U realy arnt a Yankee fan if u want Joba to have an innings limit!!
If Joba goes, we will only have 3 starters!! Can we just stop this garbage and actualy think streught!
We wont win anything if we dnt have atleast 4 starters!!!!
Anon, spare me that nonsense. The limit is to keep him from turning into the next Mark Prior. I understand they won't win anything with the rotation they have now, that's why I'm pissed they didn't add a starter.
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