Yankees pitching staff?

Question

How do you think their starters will fare? They've got two guys at 35+ (Pettitte and Mussina, both of whom have very little injury history), a young guy who looks like a keeper (Wang), a guy who's been hurt forever (Pavano), and a Japenese import (Igawa). They also have Philip Hughes waiting in the wings.

Their offense should score a ton of runs, so they'll just their starters to do only a decent job. How do you think this group will do?

Answer 1

I think they have a decent starting pitching corp. Not a great bullpen (aside from Mariano of course).

Igawa is a total question mark. Even in Japan he wasn't a number 1 starter.

Mussina is usually pretty steady.

Wang is really good.

Hughes is a top prospect, but you can't count on rookies, and I doubt they would take the chance of pitching him a full season this year.

Pavano will not likely be with the Yankees. They announced yesterday that he is on the trade block, and they want to move him.

(when I initially posted I forgot Petitte).
I think a lot of Yankees fans expect the Andy of old. He will always be clutch, which is a good thing, but his "stuff" has really deteriorated, and his numbers haven't been great of late either. He's moving from a poor hitting division in the NL Central to the best in the AL East. He's such a pro, that I think he'll be fine. But long gone are the days of a 3.60 ERA for the Yanks for Andy. Just hope he's healthy for the playoffs where he nearly always performs.

So basically you have 2 reliable pitchers, and some others with potential but are question marks.

I think with this pitching staff and the lineup they have, they'll win the AL East. But, as is constantly and almost the case, pitching wins playoff games. It doesn't matter how good their offense is if they don't have really solid pitching. The Cardinals lineup pretty much sucked outside of a couple guys, but they got great pitching throughout the playoffs and won.

The Yanks on the other hand... well... you know.

Answer 2

Hello. While you make some valid points about the age of Mussina and Pettitte and the younger pitchers on the Yankee Roster, I am confident their starting pitching will do well. Here is why.

First, of all I believe in the veteran leadership provided by Mussina and Pettitte. If they are able to put up decent numbers, plus provide veteran wisdom to the younger Wang and Igawa, then I feel the Yankees will dominate the AL East. You are correct that Pavano has been hurt a great deal, but I don't feel Torre is depending on him to be a dominator on the Yankees staff. If he can recover and provide decent numbers that would be great, but I would like to see him due better than his 2005 stats, where he posted a 4.77 ERA, and went 4-6 for the year. One thing is for certain, if he does not have a good season this year, then is tenure as a Yankee may be in jeopardy.

Also, one thing that you forgot to mention, and it could be a key factor that would give the Yankees the best rotation in the Majors. Roger Clemens! I am figuring that Roger Clemens will dawn a Yankees uniform one more time. My reasoning is this. Clemens wants to go to the World Series one more time. The best chance for him to do that is wearing a Yankees uniform. Also, take into consideration that his best friend Andy Pettitte is playing for the Yankees, and I would be willing to bet the farm Clemens will be a Yankee. If you factor in the bullpen led by Mariano Rivera, then you may witness one of the best pitching staffs starting or relief in modern baseball.

Finally, I think you are correct to assume that the Yanks will score a lot of runs. If Clemens returns, their offense remains strong, and their bullpen can mop up I feel sorry for any teams that come to "The House that Ruth Built." I hope they bring Bernie Williams back!

Answer 3

If Clemens comes back AND if Pavano or Igawa can be decent, they should have a very solid staff. Pettitte - if healthy - should get to 15 wins with a good ERA - he can obviously handle the NY pressure. Should one of these guys go down, they have the up and coming Philip Hughes, who many say is an ace in the making. Should be a great race with the Bo Sox in 07!

Answer 4

Pavano trade talks are heating up with the Cardinals so Philip Hughes could loom even larger. Even if they stand pat with Pettite, Mussina, Wang, Igawa and Pavano they are still a pitching staff that is better than most. That will keep them in games and allow the offense to win it for them. I would love to see Hughes hit the big time in the Spring. His potential is staggering. He's only 20 years old and he throws like Clemens did in his youth, hard and nasty. I think 2007 is a Yankee year.

Answer 5

I definitely think the pitching staff is improved over recent years, if the team is able to land Clemens (even if for just half the season) it'll make the Yankees a very scary team).

I figure Pettitte, at this stage in his career, isn't the pitcher he was, but he is still a step-up over the washed-up version of Randy Johnson the Yankees had and he knows know to pitch big games in New York, a big plus.

Mussina had a great year last year and proved he still has some serious gas in the tank. As long as he is able to build on last year's success and put together another equally solid campaign it's hard to doubt his ability to contribute in a big way. One of the biggest factors for Moose is that he knows he's nearing the end of his career and he really wants that World Series ring before he hangs up the cleats. I'd expect him to emerge as a team leader this season with that goal in mind.

Wang's consistency has never been in doubt. He definitely isn't a power-pitcher, but he is a ground-ball pitcher and barring A-Rod having another awful season defensively (he is just one season removed from being a Gold Glove 3B) he has a solid defense behind him. Damon throws like a girl, but has some range. Matsui is healthy and any concerns about the wrist were erased with his comeback last season. Bobby Abreu isn't the presence Sheffield was, but is younger and less volatile. Expect Wang to have another very solid year, but please Yankee fans...don't honestly try mentioning his name alongside Johan Santana's for Cy Young consideration...you should know better. Just wait another two years until the Twins can't afford Santana and then he's all yours.

Pavano in my eyes has always been drastically overrated. He made his entire career on a few good years in Florida. When the Yankees signed him I threw up a little in my mouth, when he pretty much sat on his *** since then, I've laughed a lot. If he is healthy he is a solid fit as a number four or five starter in a deep American League East. However, I feel that the team would have had a more reliable starter if they'd have kept Jaret Wright, maybe not more talented, but at someone who wasn't going to sit out the entire season...just a third of it.

Igawa is a solid pitcher, based on his Japanese credentials, but that only means so much in the American version. How he'll adjust to the pressure and scrutiny as well as the increased talent level is a mystery and will probably remain so until at least the All-Star break, given time for adjustment. I feel that based on what I've read about and his career patterns, he'd be much better suited to come out of the 'pen in long relief situations and if the team is able to acquire Clemens or one of the rookies impresses...that just may be the case.

Hughes has an impressive dossier in the minors and many believe that 2007 is the year he'll finally get the call. Cashman resisted pressure to trade Hughes many times and the Yankees will be that much better for it in the future. Hughes has some great talent and some serious chance for success with an incredible line-up behind him. If he doesn't make the squad out of Spring Training expect the first Pettitte or Pavano injury to be his ticket to the show.

Humberto Sanchez, acquired from the Tigers in the Sheffield trade, is probably the only other pitcher in the system that is close to ready for the major leagues. He possess some really good pitches and shows great command on the mound. Much like Hughes, his ability to adjust to pressure in the Big Apple and his ability to put on a good show (and/or Pavano's inability to do so) in Spring Training will be a big factor in where the kid starts his season and more importantly...where he ends it.

All-in-all I think the starting rotation has definitely improved and is much deeper in terms of minor league options, but I still feel that the Red Sox have the best overall rotation in the division....although if the Yankees do land Clemens...the playing field is immediately even.

Answer 6

With Sheffield gone, they will score fewer runs, and their pitching is really suspect. Pettite and Mussina are on their way out, and the others, except Wang, have very little experience. My prediction is that the Yankees finish THIRD in their division behind the Blue Jays and the first place Red Sox. Have to call them as I see them!!

Chow!!

Answer 7

lit up this evening convinced, yet lit up the purple sox very last evening. pitching is difficult to discover now-a-days yet between wang, pettite, hughes, they have a fabulous proper 3 it truly is extremely what you opt on for a international sequence. there bullpen is stacked between joba (who wasnt accessible for any of the purple sox sequence), mariano, hawkins, ohlendorf and others they have contained in the minors. there pitching is an extremely wonderful blend of stripling and age, and they have some wonderful opportunities contained in the minors that can make there way up this 3 hundred and sixty 5 days too.

Answer 8

Pretty well I guess. Philip could burn out his arm or anything could happen but I think they might get 93 wins?

Answer 9

they could start off ok but the age could be an issue. time to check Triple-A to see who they can call up

Answer 10

its going to be rough, they should add Clemens