Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Some thoughts...

Well, it's been quite some time since my last post, to say the very least.

The Yankees were 20-25 and had just won three in a row. I guess ending their season winning nearly 90 games isn't something to just brush off, one would think if some key injuries didn't happen and any sort of hitting with runners in scoring position went on, this brutal season could have seen 100 wins. Laugh if you want, but at 89 wins, you figure Wang, who got hurt in mid-July, for roughly 10 wins in the second half.

Anyway, as we move into the first baseball-less October in what seems like forever, the Yankees have some real work to do. They just extended Brian Cashman's contract three years, so that's done. Now, they have to discuss the on-the-field product.

Bare with me, I've been stewing like a mad scientist the past few weeks at what I would like to see the Yankees do this winter, given what's available, and here they are:

Most importantly, the pitching...

Convince Pettitte and Mussina that you want them to open the new stadium.

Get Wang on some kind of rehab assignment where he plays kickball with kindergartners to practice running (Thank you Miller) so he never hurts himself ever again.

Continue to develop Hughes and make sure he has tons of contact solution. His last start: 8 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, 0 BB.

Sign C.C. Sabathia for the love of everything holy. I know he said he wants to be on the west coast (Source), but the Yankees cannot afford for the Angels to scoop him up just because it's convenient for him. Offer him the rest of the payroll if need be, they're going to have plenty of free money.

Joba stays in the bullpen for now. Yes, we all know he was and would be a fantastic starter, but he obviously can't log innings like the Yankees needed him to this year. This way, with strong starting pitching, you have the eighth and ninth innings locked up.

The bullpen is fine and would only be better with Joba there.

Worst scenario: Go out and get Derek Lowe. Yeah, he's older, but he's a gamer and has big game experience (He was on a certain 2004 team, I can't quite remember which one though). He's coming off a good year with a great ERA.

So the rotation would look like this:

Chien-Ming Wang, C.C. Sabathia, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes

Now, for the rest of the position players...

Obviously this team is poised, when healthy, to score 1,000 runs in any given season. But it hasn't happened. What I would love to see is for the Yanks to pass on Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu.

Move Nady to right, Damon plays left.

Now, here's the big one: Trade Robinson Cano to the Dodgers for Matt Kemp. Kemp plays center, and they go out and sign free-agent Orlando Hudson to play second.

I'm a little sour on Matsui, but I suppose he could DH in a seven or eight spot.

Sign Mark Teixeira to play first. I can't even fathom the kind of numbers he could put up batting between Jeter and A-Rod. Scary.

Lineup:

Johnny Damon LF
Derek Jeter SS
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Xavier Nady RF
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Matt Kemp CF
Orlando Hudson 2B

I could love that squad. Thoughts?

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