Inside the spring-training roster: Starters
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- February
- 6
40-man roster players: Andrew Brackman (injured), Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Jeffrey Marquez, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano (injured), Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang, Kei Igawa, Jeff Karstens, Humberto Sanchez (injured), Steven White, Chase Wright.
Non-roster invitees: Alan Horne, Daniel McCutchen, Darrell Rasner.
Competition: Pettitte, Wang, Mussina, Hughes and Chamberlain are almost certain to be with the team when camp breaks. Chamberlain could start as a reliever, which would likely put Kennedy on the roster. Look for a comeback from Mussina, who doesn’t want to end his career on a down note.
Don’t Sleep On: Karstens was injured most of last season but had a great fall with Team USA. He has been in Tampa for nearly a month now and could emerge as a long reliever/spot starter.
Promotion possibilities: Igawa was a bust last season but the Yankees will give him every chance to contribute. He could need some more work in Scranton. The Yankees are saying that Marquez, Horne and White could help out the major league team in the bullpen.
Youngster of interest: Horne could be the next Joba in terms of emerging as an important player late in the season. A first-round pick of Cleveland in 2001, he diidn’t sign. Three college stops and one Tommy John surgery later, he was taken by the Yankees in the 11th round in 2005. He emerged last season, posting a 3.11 ERA in 27 starts for Trenton. He’s projected to start the season with Scranton. Horne throws four pitches with bite but lacks command at times.
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on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008 at 1:55 am by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
Melancon is better suited to be this years Joba. Nardi even backed up the claims himself.
Pete — You are the man.
I read this blog every day — twice a day — for this very reason: The man is on vacation, but he still reports more about the Yankees and baseball than any other individual on a daily basis.
Nice work.
thanks Pete
((((((Applause Sign)))))))
I’m interested in the Pavano dynamic. Does he show up? Who’s his locker next to? Does he interact? Is he shunned?
Great post Pete, But you didn’t write where Kennedy goes if he doesn’t start the season as a starter in the major leagues. Does he go down to SWB or does he remain in long relief for awhile? From what the yankees have been saying I understood that Ian is going to start the beginning of the year in the majors. With the possibility of Ian pitching 185-195 innings and the knowledge that he is Major League ready the yankees would be very tempted to use him in long relief until he can start. What do you think?
Thanks Pete, I don’t see Kennedy at spring training yet is he practicing near where he lives. Any news on Cano’s contract? If Kennedy gets shipped down to the minors that would be a huge mistake. He has so much that he can add with his great control that it would be a waste not to use him as a starter. If there’s no space for him to start April at least leave him in long relief. If he starts April that would be even better. I know people say he has no Great pitches, but look at his numbers and see yourself that he is worth alot as a starter. He has control and strikes out batters alot. Rest my case. So like I said I’m hoping the Yankees make the right decision and keep him the full year in the majors mainly starting. Good Luck IPK.
“Any news on Cano’s contract?”
What? It’s all done, isn’t it? Four years, 28 mil, with two option years at 13 and 15 mil with a 2 mil buyout.
“Melancon is better suited to be this years Joba. Nardi even backed up the claims himself.”
Yeah, but he has 6 innings of pro ball and is coming off surgery. Kind of hard to say that until he shows he’s all the way back — and has success in the high minors.
CMW, Andy, Joba, Phil, IPK/Moose; all starters.
Mo, Farnsy, Ohlendorf, Albaladejo, Veras, Hawk, Kei/Henn(lefty’s). Britton, Bruney, Ramirez, are interchangeable with the others in the Bull pen.
Mid-way, we could be seeing; Melancon, J.B. Cox, H. Sanchez, as they are recovering from surgery.
No surprise if; IPK/Moose, Rasner, and Karsten are thrown in as starters every once in a while, we will need 7/8 starters just as other teams do.
Kennedy’s not a lock to go North? I’m surprised. I think it’s etched in stone that Joba starts in the bullpen. I’ve got mixed feelings about that.
Not familiar with Daniel McCutchen. What’s the story on him?
cant see the yanks putting kennedy in the bp. long relief is very irregular work and the yanks will want kennedy starting. either he will go north in the rotation or go to swb into thier rotation b/c he will be thier go-to guy when they need to bring up a starter. Dont see him going north in the BP.
Melancon will be in the Yankee bullpen at some point and likely after the All Star break. He’ll stay behind at High A Tampa to start off with warm weather and work his way to AA and AAA. The plan is to ease him back.
IMO, anything the team gets from Sanchez and Melancon is gravy, but I wouldnt count on either of them in 2008.
i think Joba is destined to start in the bp myself, but that is contingent on IPK having a solid effort in Spring Training.
and i do think Karstens can play a big role in this bullpen… one weapon Joe Torre did not have last year was a long man out of the pen, and from what i understand, that is one piece Girardi insists on having. I like the fact that he works fast and throws a ton of strikes.
what this team needs more than anything is for Farsnworth and Hawkins to validate thier contracts by becoming a reliable bridge to Mo. This is Farns’s contract year so maybe he will step up. If those guys can just hold down the 7th, 8th innnings of close games, then Joba stays a starter (he projects as a #1, shouldnt be in middle relief any more than absolutly nessesary) and hughes wang pettitte form a solid 1-4. moose/kennedy/igawa/karstens can take up the slack. If joba has to bail out the BP it exposes moose and co. to more starts and more innings. If Farns/Hawk hold down the BP, the starters are like pigs at the trough, fighting it out for innings and starts and creates the flexibility to deal with innings limits much more easily
Fans going to spring training this year get to see where Super Bowl 43 will be played. Raymond James Stadium is plainly seen across the road (Dale Mabry Highway) from Legends Field.
Also the site where the Giants playoff run all started.
Is that injured comment really necessary on Pavano anymore? What a disappointment… really
hes under contract, cant they make him rake the field or sell programs or something?
Here’s a question:
If the Indians start to fade early and decide to unload Sabathia in June, would the Yankees make a serious offer?
He’s only 27-28 years old and a lefty, (and a monster).
Just read this.
“The team said Monday that it planned to move Munson’s locker to a museum at the new Yankee Stadium, which opens in 2009. The team also plans to have an empty locker in the new clubhouse to honor all deceased Yankees. And Munson’s legacy lives on in other ways.”
Jennifer –
I just got chills!
Next to Pavano’s name it should have said perpetually injured.
This is such an exciting time of the year..
Every team can’t wait to get to camp.. Every team has a clean slate.
It gets more exciting every day.
This is the last full week of non-interesting news in sports pages. Spring training begins to work its way back to high interest columns next week.
I am so excited to see all the new young guns. I have a good feeling about this year. I cannot wait to see what Joe G has in store for us! And if Joba can continue his dominance, and if Ian can be a young Mike Mussina. This is going to be a great year.
I think the Yankees should wear an armband symbolizing the loss of Carl Pavano (Not to undermine the real losses) but so he gets the point that everyone views him as dead.
not that he would care. It’s obvious he really does not want to pitch.
Add Shaq’s name to the list of big name stars traded this season. Unreal names. Garnett, Santana, maybe McNabb
Carl should wear a $$ on the front instead of the NY. Seriously will he show up to st? Anyone know?
Munson’s actual locker is not moving across the street from what I understand. His locker was at the old stadium, not the new stadium.
The plans are to have en empty locker in the new stadium to honor every deceased Yankee.
To be honest, I’m not sure they could move Munson’s locker. One side is a wall next to the trainer’s room, the other side is a wall that’s part of a closet that stores bats.
Jennifer – I don’t think Pavano will show up to spring training and I don’t think anybody would miss him. (He hasn’t stayed around the team during all of his injuries.)
Maybe they are moving what ever they can and making a replica of the rest?
Sorry I should have put where it came from.
Football Upstages Munson Awards
TYLER KEPNER
February 6, 2008
Fleas-
Your comment is a little out of line, please get some perspective.
What happened to Scott Patterson? I thought he was on the 40 man roster, no?
Fernando, and he is.
Thank you Ben. Now I know and knowing’s half the battle.
I thought Horne was on the 40-man. Did he not get plucked in the Rule 5 Draft because no other team thought he could stick to their ML Roster?
I think that Alan Horne has less than 3 full years of pro experience, so the Yanks do not need to add him to the 40 man roster until next winter. Thus the non-roster invitation. (Pete – did I get that right?)
1. Scott Patterson is a relief pitcher, not a starter, so that’s why he wasn’t mentioned in this post
2. Horne wasn’t eligible for the Rule 5. He was drafted in 2005, so he still has another year or two before he needs to be protected.
I’m willing to take the chance on looking like an idiot (oh, all right, I always look like an idiot) and will predict a good year for Mussina that helps take some of the pressure off the kids.
I wish I had the same enthusiasm and hope for Mussina that Pete has, but when you lose your fastball and all your pitches are the same speed you’re in deep snit.
If he comes into camp with an 85mph heater like he was sporting last year, his career is pretty much done.
I’m very concerned about the rotation since I don’t love the Karstens/Rasner/Igawa backup plan if someone goes down or the young guys struggle or hit their innings caps early on.
I would love one more veteran starter on the team. With Johan gone and the free agent pickings picked bare, there’s not much to even consider.
I have a feeling at some point we’re going to be forced to trade for a mediocre innings eater 5 ERA type starter before the deadline. Like a Kevin Millwood. Yuck.
But what’s the difference between a “veteran” mediocre innings eater, like Kevin Millwood, or a young mediocre innings eater like Karstens and Rasner, both of whom also have some upside?
If you’re expecting some innings (oh, let’s say 140) of 4.75-5.00 ERA ball, does it matter whether it’s Kevin Millwood or Jeff Karstens giving it to you?
I think the only way the Yankees trade for a starter at the trade deadline this year is if there’s a slew of injuries akin to last season, or if (God forbid) Wang or Pettitte were to go down for a significant amount of time. Otherwise, the Yankees have 4-5-6 starter options internally that would be no worse (indeed, due to the opportunity cost of trading for an outside starter, marginally better) than outside alternatives.
gLove, there is no reason why mussina can’t start 08 like 06, monstrous. I doubt he comes in a 85
assuming everyone stays somewhat healthy… we will probably need in this order: kennedy, karstens, igawa, horne, rasner/wright to back the starters up