November 25, 2009

My letter to Brian Cashman

Via Peter Gammons:

The Yankees are planning to go to spring training with Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain being programmed to start. "They can always go from starting to the bullpen, but it's tough going the other way," says Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

Cashman feels David Robertson and Damaso Marte can pitch the seventh and eighth innings in front of Mariano Rivera, but a Yankees run at John Lackey, Ben Sheets or another starter hasn't been ruled out. The feeling inside the Yankees' offices is that there will be some payroll cutback, but how much is not known.

This scares me. I really can’t believe Cashman believes this. If I were to send a letter to Cashman, here’s how it would read:

When you watched Joba pitch from your beautiful box behind home plate, did you notice how Chamberlain through 92 MPH as a starter and hit 98 MPH as a reliever? It takes Chamberlain’s arm a few appearances to get his arm strength back. So, he definitely can’t always go from starting to the bullpen.

Firstly, you are stupid to think Chamberlain is still a starter after his garbage year last year. Hughes could possibly live up to your expectations, but Chamberlain looked out of place (and I used to see him as a starter!).

Secondly, this means you are going with a rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Hughes and Chamberlain for 2010. Cash, this isn’t the postseason where you can get away with only three legitimate starters. You need to go out and find another legit starter, and that doesn’t mean you have to spend the bank on John Lackey or the prospects for Roy Halladay (even though I’d like that).

Finally, taking both of those guys out of the bullpen leaves your pen short-staffed. Now you are going to have to give up a little for a Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez.

So please, Cash, get your head screwed on right, put Joba back in the pen where he belongs and find a real starter!

Comments (2)

Loading... Logging you in...
  • Logged in as
Jimmy Bege's avatar

Jimmy Bege · 806 weeks ago

Actually the way I see it is Joba being Mariano's replacement when he retires and Hughes did a great job as set up man! They kept blow outs during the season and think this is the way to go. Grooming these guys for starters would not be an option if Wang is healthy or if you get Halliday or Lackey.I honestly love Johnny Damon but he is asking for too many years and fear you will be in a "Carl Pavano" result situation with injuries as his wheels are going due to age! You also have to look ahead for Posada getting close to retirement. __I truly beieve the critical element here is weather or not Wang will return to an "elite" status! This would solve the starting problems we hasd toward the end of the year! Keep Huges and Joba as quality relief pitchers and I bet we will see a 28th World Champiuonship where the Yankees prevail!
1 reply · active 806 weeks ago
I like most of your points. The thing with Wang is that he is recovering from a major injury, and won't be ready for opening day.

Post a new comment

Comments by

  © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP