I don't think Grandy will be back so they will need someone for RF. They cannot rely on Ichiro/Wells full time and I am hoping one of them gets traded or released by the start of the season. Catcher is huge. I would love to see McCann or Salty. They cannot go into the season like they did last year. If Stewart is the starting catcher I will jump off a cliff.
Two feet at the most...Point is I just cannot take another season like last. Also watching the Red Sox win it all was worse than getting a root canal and I have had two of them and they are pretty damn awful.
Let Grandy go, trade Wells or Ichiro away for a gift card to Starbucks, keep the other as a 4th/5th outfielder with Almonte, hope that Arod gets a full season suspension and sign the following: Cano Garza McCann Choo Freese
I like Garza, but to me he's a guy for Hughes or Andy's place, they need more pitching if they want to compete with the better teams, even if thet get Kuroda back they need more, a real front line type is paramount this off season IMO, without a big time pitcher, NY is toast no matter what bats they get.
...Garza, CC, Kuroda, Nova, Phelps, Pineda, and the rest should be adequate. Offense, not pitching, was the problem in 2013.
The rest? CC is no longer a force, Phelps is headed for TJ IMO, Kuroda is probably gone and stunk after the break anyway, Pineda has yet to pitch... Very optimistic you are.
I have changed my mind about McCann for the simple fact that with Salty and AJ we don't surrender a sandwich pick. AJ, like it or not makes more sense because of Sanchez, Murphy, and or Romine. This keeps our pick and the hopefully new found commitment to the Minor Leagues. You have to figure that one of the 3 (Sanchez, Murphy, or Romine. Garza I like, but like all players, is he on the downside.
...do you ever think and actually take the time to digest what someone has said before responding?...ever? ...do you have any idea what "adequate" means?...I didn't say or imply that the Yanx' pitching would be dominating.
I fully expect CC to bounce back after a full offseason routine. Remember, he had surgery last fall and came in slimmer but somewhat cold as far as preparation goes. I'd also look for a low risk contract for Josh Johnson, or somebody like him. And as far as those catching prospect go, look for 1 or 2 of them to be a piece of a package somewhere if the Yanks do the needed and get a real catcher in here until Sanchez makes it up.
Not entirely true... Jul he was 3-0 (2-0 after break) with a 0.55 ERA (0.86 ERA after break) his 1st 3 starts were decent in Aug although going 1-2 in those 3, his ERA was 2.61 After that, yes, he stunk: 6.805 ERA and 0-5 (with 2 no decisions) So, in the 3rd Quarter (All Star break through his Aug 17th Start (6 starts) he was 3-2 with a 1.728 ERA and he was 0-5 (with 2 no decisions) and a 6.085 in the 4th Quarter (7 starts) starting with his start on Aug 23rd. So he had a horrific quarter, not 2nd half.
By the way, if the Yanks are serious about getting back into the business of winning, expect a hard play for Tanaka as well. CC, Garza, Tanaka, Nova, Phelps/Pineda/a Johnson type? That's not bad, and that's assuming Kuroda is gone.
...hammer, to add to what you pointed out, a few weeks ago I brought up the idea that Kuroda was perhaps fatigued near the end of the year...he did the same thing in 2012, started strong but maybe the innings and pitch count eventually got the better of him.
not quite like this year, but not that far off either... If you exclude the 1 game in October of 2012, 2013 had 3 months with an ERA under 3, 2012 only had 2... 2012 April 2-3 with a 3.69 ERA May 2-3 with a 4.25 ERA June 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA July 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA August 2-3 with a 2.35 ERA September 3-1 with a 5.22 ERA October 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA 2013 April 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA May 2-2 with a 2.56 ERA June 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA July 3-0 with a 0.55 ERA August 1-4 with a 5.12 ERA September 0-3 with a 5.70 ERA
I like Kuroda, I was one of the very few on the ESPN board that supported the move from day one, and hope he returns, but I view him as a guy that would help but not enough in the big games, Boston and TB have had their way with him, the Yankees need a starter that can beat those teams, his numbers against the division have to be ugly.
...lol..more "fun with stats"...Kuroda has never faced either Boston or TB in the PS...and I can't think of any bigger games than PS games. ...how about his numbers vs Balt, Toronto, (divisional foes)...or Detroit, Texas, Angels, Cleveland, or even Atlanta, Cincinnati, LA? ...that's just the way it goes in Baseball...Pedro Martinez for example, had a hard time vs the Yanx in the PS.
