a- Cano ain’t going nowhere but up! He continues to develop into a perennial all star player at a premium position and is cost controlled for the forseeable future.Maybe in two years when/if Dave Adams or Corbin Joseph are ready and Robbies through his arb years would he be movable but for now he’s a foundation player. I actually think the Yanks should let Damon walk and move Cano intop the 2 hole behind Jeet and in front of Tex and ARod as i think he’s finally ready to make that quantum leap into one of the games elite hitters with those guys protecting him.

b- Joba and Hughes will assume their roles in the rotation next year. Joba will have no limits and with proper conditioning and commitment i think will be a dominant front of the rotation type starter next season. I’m looking for 34 starts 200 innings 200+Ks 16-18 wins and a sub 3.6 era. Phranchise i think will be asked to make 27-28 starts with an innings limit of 175-180 innings as he’s thrown far more innings in the minors than Joba i don’t think the Hughes Rules will be as severe as Joba’s. Also having experienced the failed 3inning/skip a week and a half approach of the Joba rules this season i think they will go more with the approach that the Tigers took with Porcello and either shut him down for a month around the break with IPK/McCallister/Nova coming up for a few starts or shut him down in July/Aug with Wang if healthy and ready moving in to the rotation for Hughes.

c-Forget about Holliday and or Bay in NY. Cash is tired of hearing how he can only win with a $200 mil payroll and buying championships. After last seasons investments he’s looking to lower payroll(so is Hal quiet as it’s kept) and knows that he’s got the in-house solutions to do so.

d-AJax and Montero ain’t going anywhere either but on the express train to the Bronx. Both players will make their debuts at some point this season with AJax having an outside shot to make the team out of spring training and Montero almost certainly getting a callup when rosters expand if not sooner.

e- a very intriguing cheaper alternative to Damon that i’d love to see the Yanks explore would be Ankiel. He’s six years younger and faster,top 5 defensive OF’er who could play CF and move to RF when AJax gets here and would be a gold glover at both positions,and unlike Damon he has LEGIT LH power who could hit 30+ hrs in the Yanks lineup.I know some will point to the low batting average but remember Paul O’Neill was a career .258 hitter averaging 16 homers when we made the trade for him. Ankiel has the kind of skillset that i think Long can work with and unleash a .280-.290/35+/100 rbi gold glove athletically gifted outfielder for the next 3-4 yrs. In this market 2yrs/10 mil would definitely get it done. Boras and Damon are looking for 3-4yrs 30-40mil which is laughable in my opinion.

Add Lackey, Halladay, and a better pen??????

Do you really think that’s going to happen? Don’t say yes.

——————————————————–

i didnt mean both

i meant one & a better pen

my point is if we can upgrade our pitching we should try so we can have 3 very good 1-3 pitchers & a good 4th

why cant we do that with a 206 million dollar payroll
???

it is not impossible

we keep going ti t for tat in debating every single thing on this blog

every player is tradeable except a few that is why all names get thrown in.

I agree whole-heartedly re: it not working again in the playoffs with CC, AJ, and Andy.

But I don’t think Lackey is the solution.

———————————————————-

there is no way of knowing

nobody can know

i just think that giving 2 spots away can only work if our 3 starters outperform the other teams we play

so far it has worked but how long before teams like the phillies & rs upgrade

would you want to face

becket
lester
halladay
dice

their 2 & 3 pitchers are better & cc & becket can go either way

this is if they had doc

you add a big bat & a lf to the rs & they are right back in the mix

I agree whole-heartedly re: it not working again in the playoffs with CC, AJ, and Andy.

But I don’t think Lackey is the solution.

———————————————————-

there is no way of knowin

nobody can know

i just think that ivin 2 spots away can only work if our 3 starters outperform the other teams we play

so far it has worked but how lon before teams like the phillies & rs uprade

would you want to face

becket
lester
halladay
dice

teir 2 & 3 pitcers are better & cc & becket can o eiter way

tis is if tey ad doc

you add a bi bat & a lf to te rs & tey are rit back in te mix

we might have enough with pettitte,cc & burnett but if any team or teams can put together 3 starters like us it will be a battle

becket
lester
dice

or if they get lackey/halladay/etc & slide dice k to # 4 i would not want to face them

why stick with

cc
burnett
pettitte when you can probably make the rotation better?

cc
lackey/??
burnett
pettitte

or trade for a good more cost controlled younger pitcher

i think only the 5th spot should be up for grabs

we are in great shape to trade some of our young talent to bring in a solid # 2 or 3 pitcher

if money is no concern keep all of them & sign a fa like lackey

Garland would get killed pitching in the AL East…he’s way to hittable a pitcher to consistently face the lineups in our division. to be successful in the AL east a pitcher must have swing and miss stuff or a killer sinker ball to keep these lineups in check.

In my opinion the rotation next year should be CC, AJ, Pettitte, Joba and Hughes. If either Hughes or Joba are struggling when Wang is able to pitch then you put that guy in the bullpen. If we must sign a free agent pitcher then I would sign Jose Valverde to be our 8th inning guy this season and move into the closer spot in 2011 if Mo retires.

Add Lackey, Halladay, and a better pen??????

Do you really think that’s going to happen? Don’t say yes.

I agree whole-heartedly re: it not working again in the playoffs with CC, AJ, and Andy.

But I don’t think Lackey is the solution.