yanks will call andy pettitte soon. they hope he returns but want to add a starter anyway (doc, lackey, wolf top list).i figured this was the case. The Yankees know they're going to need a fourth starter, and I don't think Cashman wants to rely too heavily on Chamberlain and Hughes. Plus, I think we'll see at least one of them in the bullpen next year.
From Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi (hat-tip to MLB Trade Rumors):
Here is some good news for free-agent right-handers John Lackey, Rich Harden and Joel Pineiro and maybe even left-hander Randy Wolf:We already knew about their interest in Halladay and Lackey, but some of these names are relatively new.
The Yankees will be calling, if they haven't already.
The team's first priority, according to major-league sources, is to re-sign free-agent lefty Andy Pettitte. The Yankees also will be involved in trade discussions for Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay. But as they pursue those options, they will explore the rest of the free-agent market for starting pitchers.
Many in the industry expect the Yankees to sign at least one free-agent reliever, but club officials decided at the team's recent meetings to focus on starters first, sources said.
Wolf would seem a longshot; he has spent his entire career in the National League. Pineiro, too, probably is not high on the Yankees' list; his resurgence with the Cardinals last season occurred only after a five-year slide.
Lackey, though, would represent a strong alternative to Halladay. Harden possesses even more dominant stuff when healthy; he already is drawing interest from the Red Sox, Mariners and Twins.
I have no interest in the Yankees signing Wolf, and Pineiro had an ERA above 5 the last time he pitched in the American League.
As for Harden, he's an interesting possibility. Like the article says, when healthy he's got better stuff than anyone in the article.
