Both pitched about 200 innings last season. Garland gave up 237 hits and 59 walks. Pettite gave up 233 hits and 55 walks (238/69 in ‘07). Garland hit 8 batters, Pettite hit 7. Garland had a 1.51 WHIP, Pettite 1.41 (1.43 in ‘07). Garland’s second half ERA of 5.99 is not much worse than Pettite’s 5.35. Pettite certainly had a better K/9 ratio, but his .338 OBP against wasn’t so great compared to Garland’s .359.

Aside from Peter’s oversight in offering these stats to make his case, those in the comments should do a little stat-mining themselves. We’re talking about a fifth starter here, people…

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back on-topic: Why not sign Sheets, and simply use him late in the season? If he only has a few bullets left, be honest about it and utilize him as the inevitably needed 2nd half fill-in. If he’s the fifth starter, his early season innings will be limited by the nature of the schedule. It would garner much consternation, no doubt, as a vulgar display of fiscal over-indulgence. However, 2009 is going to see one stacked team sitting the post-season out, and it’s going to take shrewd and ballsy moves to ensure the Yanks aren’t that team, again.

Now, as far as Sheets not being able to pitch through it because they left him off the NLCS roster is only because he got hurt within the couple weeks leading up to it. He pitched 31 games for a total of 198.3 innings. The guy had bad timing with his injury. Had he had the same injury earlier in the year he’d have gotten a 4 year deal at least and be one of the first guys signed. Instead he’s a pariah. Now, the guy might have legit concerns. I’m not saying to give him a CC deal. I’m saying he’s an ace and there are very few of them in MLB and we should take advantage of putting him in a rotation of CC, AJ, Wang and Joba and have 5 guys with ace stuff. Some of his starts could be skipped to give him rest. This is the kind of guy you baby. Not guys in their prime condition. If we can get him on a 1 year deal, and thats still an IF, then we should sign him even if his physical says his arm might fall off by the all star break. At least we got the half season out of him that we didn’t have to make one of the young kids do. Hughes will be up eventually and I believe he has it in him to be an ace but right now we need to bring someone in that can fill our rotation. Even if its not Sheets.

Wang is definitely a goner w/ Betances, WDR, Zach and Brack in the wings. And people keep forgetting about Christian Garcia.

As for Nady…if he nets you Milledge when Lasting is probably playing the poorest he’ll ever play and has great upside, I’d take Milledge and few arms if possible for X.

Another potential is the Braves who have soured on Jordan Schaffer after the 50 game suspension, your not getting Gorky from them so forget about that or any other high end arm. The closest thing you’ll probably get may be and it’s a strectch but you throw in Melky and Kennedy maybe they decide to shop Jurrjens and that maybe would be extremely slim.