Nunez in right vs. Tigers
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 25, 2012 
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Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Russell Martin C
Andruw Jones DH
Eduardo Nunez RF
Brett Gardner LF
RHP Michael Pineda
Pineda is one of the best five starters in camp and the Yankees tend to value that every year. Pineda can develop at the major league level like he did last year. His change-up is ML tested.
There is just as much pressure on Hughes and Nova with Pineda pitching against ML hitters vs. minor league hitters.
I also want to be clear that I don’t believe the Yankees will allow two rookies (Banuelos and Betances) in the rotation in 2013.
However, I don’t think Hughes is needed to hedge against two rookies (Banuelos and Betances) in the 2013 rotation.
Every year there are 1-year stop gap options like Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, Hiroki Kuroda and Andy Pettitte. They’re not hard to find.
So I think you find one of those guys and leverage him against a long-term commitment to Phil Hughes at 10-15 million.
I don’t see how you pay Hughes that much money to be your 4th starter long term after CC, Pineda and Nova.
I don’t see how you pay Hughes that much money long term when you have so much pitching depth that is cost controlled – Betances, Banuelos, Warren, Mitchell, Phelps, Marshall, DePaula…
The Yankees don’t need to spend 15 million dollars on a #4 starter.
The fact that Hughes only has two years left on his contract and it falls short of 2014 – i think is a huge issue.
That 10-15 dollars is earmarked for Russell Martin because Montero is gone, Cervelli is not a starter and Romine is not ready.
That’s just the reality of it, goofy or not goofy.
And with CC, Pineda and Nova, do the Yankees really need Hughes to turn into a pricey frontline starter? Nope. If he gets too pricey then Hamels, Cain or Greinke make more sense.
Because Hamels, Cain or Greinke are more established frontline starters than Hughes. Those guys are legit and a safer bet.
” His change-up is ML tested.”
hahahhahahahahhahha
the best thing about pineda’s change up is that it’s faster than a lot of guy’s fastballs.
or maybe that’s the worst part.
he needs to work on more separation between the fastball and change .
do we really want him to be doing that work with adrian gonzalez up with the bases loaded in yankee stadium at the end of a close game.
if i’m the catcher, i’m calling for his fastball or slider.
gonzalez is going to be guessing with two pitches. 50/50
not the best odds for pineda.
There’s a practical limit to how much Hughes’ salary can increase in arb in 2013. He’s not going to jump up to 16+ mil no matter how well he pitches in 2012.
If hughes is pitching with a 2.90 era,1.10 whip,his value will be as a number 1 starter,reagardless of what any other pitcher is doing,or where in the order.
Also,if hughes does become an ace,he will be cheaper than a free agent ace because signing your own is cheaper,even if it’s only a little cheaper,and 25 year old aces do not hit the market.
The yankees will lose pettitte,garcia,kuroda,and who knows how good anybody else will be.
There is always room fora 26 or 27 year old ace.
If hughes turns into an ace,the yankees would be crazy not to sign him,even if you have to get rid of swisher,and martin.
Also keep in mind,cano,and granderson will be pushing 32 years old when they hit fa,so i doubt the yankees sign both long term for 20-24 million a year.Their best years will be behind them.
randy
do we really want him to be doing that work with adrian gonzalez up with the bases loaded in yankee stadium at the end of a close game.
————————————————————————
So based on this thinking maybe Warren should be in the rotation.
He didn’t seem to have trouble with Gonzales.
Do you really see the yankees getting rid of a 27 year old hughes in 2013,if he has a 3.0 era,1.10 whip,just because we have other pitchers,and because of the new cba?
One of cano or granderson will be gone first at 32 years old,commanding possibly 24 million a year.
the guy with the fifth spot is going to be on the hot spot almost for sure.
==============
randy
why not give the 5 to Freddy? The 5 will not pitch much in April. Send Pineda or Nova down to get as much work as possible then if Andy is ready in May bring him and Pineda/Nova back, only problem is you have 6 starters at that point.
Cano or Granderson gone? We’ll see.
And if they let go of Martin because they want to use that money for Hughes, what do they do about catcher?
And if they let go of Swisher and need the money required to sign his replacement (i. e. Melky Cabrera), what do they do about RF?
maine yankee-
i’m just thinking that whoever stays is going to be on the hot seat.
it might be a case of be careful what you wish for.
he who is first might end up last.
“why not give the 5 to Freddy? ”
that’s what i’d do.
So it’s fine and dandy (perhaps a little “goofy”) to sign Hughes for 10-15 million and hope that you can just make Swisher and Martin go poof, it doesn’t really work that way. You need Hughes money for those spots more than you need it for a rotation spot – the top 3 spots are solid – CC, Pineda, Nova.
i’d start the season :
sabathia, kuroda, , nova, hughes, and garcia.
pineda woud be ace up my sleeve at triple a while he was mastering a plus change up.
i’d watch how nova and hughes do, and adjust for injuries.
when and if pettitte is ready, i’d make another decision then on who has to leave.
if everyone is healthy and pitching well, i’d deal garcia later when teams are short pitching and have to come to the yankees.
“Do you really see the yankees getting rid of a 27 year old hughes in 2013,if he has a 3.0 era,1.10 whip,just because we have other pitchers,and because of the new cba?”
if hughes were slowed down in coming up to the majors like i advocated all along as far back as 2007, the yankes wouldn’t be having a problem with what to do with hughes in 2013 would they?
if they slow down pineda, they’ll defer that problem too won’t they?
of course that could be said for nova too though he’s a bit older.
randy l. March 25th, 2012 at 9:01 am
maine yankee-
i’m just thinking that whoever stays is going to be on the hot seat.
it might be a case of be careful what you wish for.
he who is first might end up last.
——————————————————————–
I tend not to look for the negative.
I’m more inclined to watch and wait than predict failure.
It tends to make it more enjoyable.
“I’m more inclined to watch and wait than predict failure”
who are you kidding?
your idea of fun is watching grass grow.
Bret The Hitman
With all of your trade proposals I’m beginning to wonder if you are related to George.
Is it you Hank?
i’d start the season :
sabathia, kuroda, , nova, hughes, and garcia.
=============================
i have a funny feeling you might be right, but nova could be the odd man out. he’s proven he can handle it.
randy l. March 25th, 2012 at 9:18 am
“I’m more inclined to watch and wait than predict failure”
who are you kidding?
your idea of fun is watching grass grow.
——————————————————
That is fun this time of year.
:
without freddy as the long man you can bring an extra pitcher or position player.
freddy would still be the long man as the 5th, as with rain and off days he might get 2-3 starts.
“i have a funny feeling you might be right, but nova could be the odd man out. he’s proven he can handle it.”
there will likely be someone who points that out on the management decision making process that nova would take it the best because he’s so mentally tough.
of course, that mental toughness is why someone else at the table will probably say he should stay in the rotation.
nova reminds of old time yankees who weren’t the stars with the high ceilings like a ford, or mantle, or maris, but more like a tony kubek, or moose skowron or roy white. these guys handle the ny pressure and go about their business year in and year out and put up solid numbers over a long career.
“That is fun this time of year. ”
i have to work on my insults.
that one got nowhere.
bret-
what’d you have for breakfast?
Randy,
Still in bed. I drank last night.
I volunteered at a gluten-free expo in Asheville, NC yesterday and the marketing guy for Woodchuck Cider (a gluten-free beverage made in Vermont) gave me a half case leftover from the stash he brought for sampling and purchase.
When I wake up I’m gonna do steak and eggs – pastured ground beef fried in lard with scrambled eggs.
Zero carbs.
“When I wake up I’m gonna do steak and eggs – pastured ground beef fried in lard with scrambled eggs.
Zero carbs.”
bret-
now most people on the blog would freak at the thought of cooking with pure lard .
i was listening to an NPR piece a few weeks ago that had high level chefs talking about how lard is a secret ingredient they use and that lard is making a big comeback.
I would be shocked if the rotation is not:
CC – Kuroda – Nova – Pineda – Hughes (Not necessarily in that order.)
Garcia is destined to be the long man whether he likes it or not.
When Pettitte is ready you reevaluate based on performance/health of the current rotation.
Biscuits, pie crust and fried chicken all need lard.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....124Q6V.DTL
just in case, someone is interested in bret’s healthy breakfast.
“Biscuits, pie crust and fried chicken all need lard.”
the weird thing is that crisco was supposedly the scientific, modern, and healthy new thing, but the reality is that it kills people and nothing could be worse.
crisco may be to health what sabermetrics is to baseball
Randy,
Not all fats are created equal.
I render my own lard from pork strips cut from locally raised, pastured hogs…so the fatty acid profile is not so high in feedlot fats typical of supermarket meats.
Whenever you cook in unsaturated vegetable oil, you create trans fats. But Crisco doesn’t want you to know that and neither do the big food companies that package all of their processed foods with unsaturated, unstable, volatile, highly oxidized vegetable seed oils.
But I avoid carbs like the plague. Fat fuel is the primary energy source for our species. We are fat-burning machines (unless overloaded with carbohydrates).
“randy l.
i’d start the season :
sabathia, kuroda, , nova, hughes, and garcia.
pineda woud be ace up my sleeve at triple a while he was mastering a plus change up.
i’d watch how nova and hughes do, and adjust for injuries.
when and if pettitte is ready, i’d make another decision then on who has to leave.”
Randy, That is a good plan but things don’t alway work out as planned. If Pineda is Pitching well he could be in the starting rotation instead. Garcia is the obvious first choice to trade but trades are about maximizing value. If somebody is willing to give significantly more value for Hughes, Nova or even Pineda you have to consider it and do whatever is best for the team. Anybody could be traded for the right price.