Sunday, December 28, 2014

Without Hiroki the Yankees Rotation is Thin


Hiroki Kuroda has officially decided to return to his native Japan to finish his baseball career where it started with the Hiroshima Carp. Many Yankees fans had held on to the fact that New York may bring Hiroki back for a fourth season to once stabilize the Yankees rotation but it will not happen a fourth time. So what's left in the Yankees rotation you ask? Without a free agent signing or trade, not much. 

CC Sabathia has not been effective really since the 2012 season and is coming off a knee surgery before his age 34 season. Has CC learned how to pitch with a decreased velocity? Has he been eating Captain Crunch? These are things we won't know until he is on the mound facing off with major league talent unfortunately. 

Masahiro Tanaka's battle with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament is well documented so I won't harp on it too much. Like Sabathia we won't know what we have until the season is under way and he is facing major league talent on the biggest stage. 

Michael Pineda has been inside the Yankees organization for three years now and has yet to pitch a full and healthy season in New York. Pineda has had shoulder issues and muscle strains and issues around the shoulder which makes it hard to count on him for 30-35 starts in 2015. 

Nathan Eovaldi gave up the most hits in 2014 and was very home run and fly ball prone inside a typically pitcher friendly Marlins Park. How will that translate into a very hitter friendly Yankee Stadium? See Tanaka, see Sabathia and see my very ugly and scary BIP locations post. 

Finally we have Chris Capuano. That's really all I have to say, it's Chris Capuano. Sure most fifth starters around the league are mediocre and sure he is probably just a place holder until Ivan Nova is ready but still.... it's Chris Capuano. 

12 comments:

  1. STARTING ROTATION ?.......
    This is where we are at. The Yankee rotation is in trouble. I don't have to tell you that.
    Nothing is set in stone. I can not ever remember a situation as dire as this, going in January.

    I don't have a candle capable of correcting this mess.
    If one of you sees how this can be corrected...let it fly. I'm drawing a blank.
    The Capuano signing killed me.

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    Replies
    1. Here's how you fix it. Since Cashman is obviously trying to get younger and letting these ridiculous contracts expire, then you simply do that. Let Mitchell and Banuelos compete for spots. And actually give them a shot in Spring Training. That won't happen though. Regardless of how they pitch, they will be sent to AAA or the bullpen, and we will be forced to watch Capuano and his 5.00 era every 5th day because Girardi would rather play bad veteran players than good young players.

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    2. Capuano is only in for a month or two until Nova is ready. For $5 million for basically a month or two plus some bullpen work seems excessive but what can you do. I don't like it but I semi understand it.

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    3. I have some pretty pessimistic thoughts here. With the way the Yankees handle injuries, I don't expect Nova back before the all star break. That gives Capuano 15 starts. Also, I don't see Tanaka not having Tommy John surgery. And with the way his contract is structured, he's most likely going to have it this year so that he can rehab on the Yankees dime and still have a full year to rebuild his value before he opts out. I predict around June or July, he's out. That gives Capuano a full season. Like I said, Girardi will play him over a rookie everytime. And I have a theory on why if anybody wants to hear it.

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    4. WE'RE SUNK....Jeff / Daniels posts detect no light at the end of this.
      Without a solid line of staring pitching, in the American East, we are sunk.
      Yes...it can be worse than last year.

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  2. KENNETH R.....I go back to the older days with you, to draw knowledge.
    Yes, at times I wonder how any of us survived. In my heart I know they got the worst
    of it. They...... ignorant people....will always come up short.

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    Replies
    1. Your a better man than I, that's for sure Patrick!
      After Rooster, Ernie, Delia, BCD and Ballpark left, what was the use of taking the sh-t from a couple of bad apples. Verbal, conflict is not my cup of tea, but you held your own.
      Let's not let that happen here Patrick, this site has been good to us.
      Stay healthy Patrick, have many more years for the good fight...coors beer?
      You should see what I have been drinking, looks bad, but isn't...!

      Delete
  3. DANIEL :....
    In an attempt to make your life easier, so that you can spend more time with Mrs. Burch,
    and your two sons...I offer you my thoughts.
    You do splendid yeoman work on this site. Constantly running up new articles all day long.
    Many never even get commented on. That is a shame. So listen up.

    Back when I started, and even today at some sites ( ie: River Ave )...the site mgr. would put
    up one article / thought, and leave it up for the weekend. Or, a day or two, mid week.
    They called that a.." thread ". The posters get used to it real quick, and do not seem to mind.
    Your ghost post has 50 plus hits already.
    River Ave does it on Fridays, they get hundreds of comments on the one article....and life
    goes on. No need for you to keep changing your work. It will free you up also, and your boys will say..." is that really daddy ?"

    Last point...The Comment Section : I don't know how you can correct it, but it is way to short.
    There is room for 15 posts, before they disappear. Some guys put a lot of time into a comment,
    only to have it scroll down, and out in short order. Especially when you pop back in, and
    comment on 5-6 posts.
    Great conversations / word battles are short lived when one can not go back to see what...
    ...say, Hansel had said six hours ago. With his logo / graphic, and snippet sentence gone, who
    would even know to look for him.

    That has been my observation from day one....the comment line is way too short.
    I was using my Irish politeness.
    Just some food for thought, for one who works hard at his craft.

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    Replies
    1. patrick

      I appreciate your concern but my time here is not an issue. I write most of my stuff at least a day or two in advance and I do a ton of it while I am at work. I usually spend no more than an hour on the blog itself in the evening and that is after both kids are in bed or pre-occupied.

      I know what you are talking about concerning the open threads. Me personally, and I could be wrong and will be the first to admit it if I am, I don't think the threads would work for us here. Sure maybe one on the weekend might but sites like RAB don't have to worry about site traffic, getting views, etc. The more you post, again in my opinion, the more opportunities you give people to find you. Plus I enjoy doing it.

      I added 10 more comments to the comment line and I can make it really as many as you want or need so let me know if that's not enough.

      Delete
  4. THANK YOU....25 comments, great !
    Daniel, so much better. Thank you. Why don't we sit at the 25#, and when traffic picks up,
    you can always add on another ten, or so.
    Lets see if the other guys add their two cents.

    The old Baptists would say..." pitching will be our salvation, or doom.".....Amen.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)