The New York Yankees are likely to have many question marks surrounding their 2015 starting rotation but one of those question marks should not be Shane Greene. With Masahiro Tanaka coming back in 2015 surrounded by his partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, CC Sabathia returning from a degenerative knee condition and surgery, Ivan Nova returning from Tommy John surgery, Michael Pineda failing to stay healthy for the last three seasons in a row, and the uncertainty surrounding the returns of Hiroki Kuroda and Brandon McCarthy the Yankees may need Greene more than ever next season.
Greene was brought in and used out of necessity when the starting rotation was decimated my injury and has risen to the occasion time and time again. Sure Greene has had the normal and expected growing pains of all rookie starting pitchers but overall has been a huge piece of the rotation that has kept New York in the playoff hunt through September. Greene has put up a 5-3 record with a 3.24 ERA and with a little more run support may have a 4-1 record on the season.
Greene has been successful by missing bats and keeping the ball on the ground which are two things that are especially important in Yankee Stadium. I personally compare Greene to a better and more consistent version of Ivan Nova. With a starting rotation riddled with question marks and no real room to add from the outside Greene may be more important than ever for the Yankees in 2015.
He should be, but won't. He's the new Phil Hughes. He'll be slapped in the face, insulted, and sent to the bullpen enough times to shatter his confidence. Then he'll leave and be a very solid pitcher.
ReplyDeletePHIL HUGHES & JEFF LEVIN :
ReplyDeleteNO one got more 2nd, 3rd, 4th...etc. chances than Phil Hughes. No one.
NO one was ever more treated with kid gloves than Hughes. No one.
Yes, Phil Hughes left...... because he wanted a contract, that did not warrant his body of work.
How is All-Star Phil doing in Minnesota ?
Sounds like you are having a bad day ?
Yes Patrick. It is a Monday morning. My least favorite moment of the week. When you when 18 games and have to "earn" your spot in the rotation, it's a slap in the face. When you miss a significant chunk of the season and come back the following season and win 16 games and have to "earn" your rotation spot, it's a slap in the face. And how you ask is all star Phil doing? 15-10 with a 3.61 era. Not to mention 201.2 innings pitched and the best strikeout to walk ratio in baseball. Not bad for a 28 year old pitcher we crapped on. But I will concede that I'm the only of us here that feels this way.
ReplyDeletePhil is actually doing fantastic in Tinysota. I think he has something like (going off memory here) 190 strikeouts and eight walks all season long. Something like an 11+ K/B ratio. Also only has 15 wins with a mediocre offense that sold at the trading deadline.
ReplyDeletepatrick:
What Jeff was eluding to was not the fact that Hughes wasn't given a shot. He was more or less eluding to the fact that he got sent to the pen, then a starter, then the pen, and back again.
Jeff, young man, I beg to differ, Phil and Joba were two of the Young Guns I named the "Kiddy Korp"!
ReplyDeleteThey were mistreated and mismanaged.
They never tough Joba how to use his slider...He would throw it to the outside corner and it would end-up as a ball. That was ok, until the hitters laid off of it, he should have put it on the outer half and hit the corner with it...or a bit outside!
Phil was always under pressure (as you stated), he made the right choice, and doing well.
IPK made a name in the NL but would have been fresh meat for the AL Beast...he did have the best C&C and stuff but, nothing to back up his very good pitches with...88-89 fastball, NO put-away pitch.
Those three and Cisco, were the Kiddie Korp...I am thinking there was one more but the name escapes me!
The whole thing was a big FUBAR.
I am of the opinion we need a six man rotation! Look at our pitchers;
ReplyDeleteCC less then healthy...forever!
Tank, maybe elbow problems!
Pineda, never healthy!
Nova, will he be ready for the season?
Greene, young and healthy!
Brandon McCarthy, durable and so far has gotten his stuff working well!
In the wings we have, Phelps, Warren, Banuelos, Tyler Webb and even Severino (2015-1/2 or 2016).
In stead of following the leader, maybe someone should start a new trend...be the leader, go for the six man rotation. Even with a six man, helping to protect those four pitchers is going to be fun to watch. With five pitchers just waiting for the opportunity to step up and fill in for those guys..I would have someone taste all the food they eat, just in case!
I am in favor if the six man rotation.
ReplyDeleteJEFF LEVIN...you made your points, and you did it very well.
ReplyDeleteI shall stand down. You have humbled...' Little p, the porn star '.