Yankees Notes: Mitre, Gaudin, Wang

If the Yankees let Wang walk, that would be an infinitely stupid decision. High payroll teams don't do that with high-upside pitchers.

I like the fact that the Yanks have converted marginal starting pitchers like Aceves and Coke into bullpen guys. Mitre and Gaudin should be brought back as long as there's flexibility in terms of being able to move them back and forth from the mlb and AAA. Gaudin "could" be a good 6th man, the role that Aceves was thought to have earlier. I think the Yanks should try and add Mike Gonzales to the bullpen. The pen can excel with Mo and some assortment of Gonzalez, Coke, Marte, Bruney, Aceves and Robertson. Melancon derserves a shot as well. In fact I would go with a 7 man bullpen with Mo, Gonzalez, Coke or Marte, Robertson, Aceves, Gaudin and Bruney.

The only SP that I would bump Joba or Hughes for is (drum roll please)..Can anyone guess? Ben Sheets!!! If not then CC, AJ, Pettite, Joba and HUghes with Wang rehabbing.

The idea of the Yankees letting Wang walk and signing Lackey is laughable and shows how greedy and out of touch Yankee fans are.

sorry. what I meant to say is that the Yankees will let Wang walk, sign Lackey, and then Yankee fans will complain that they don't have a quality fifth starter.

I love the fact that they're having all of those guys come into spring prepared to start. Between Kennedy, Aceves, Hughes, Chamberlain, you'd hope at least one, maybe even two (Hughes/Chamberlain) can develop into good starters.

Kennedy had a poor 2008 season, but he's always had great minor league numbers. I really don't think he'll be a flop in the majors, but he certainly will never have the potential Hughes or Chamberlain still have. Those two at least have the stuff to become #2/#3 starters.

I really hope Gaudin is brought back. He seems like he could be a solid spot starter/long reliever.

Sabathia-Lackey-Burnett-Pettitte-Hughes/Joba/Wang

I'm a Yankees fan and I would much rather the Yankees hold on to Wang and let Lackey go to some other team. I agree that the Yankees should resign all of those guys just to have the depth because as we all know pitchers have a tendency to get hurt.

ThinkBlue,

The New York Yankees should get whoever they want and they should pay whatever it takes to get them. Why? Because they are the New York Yankees and the only thing that matters right now is 28.

There's no reason they can't sign Wang and Lackey. It's not an either/or situation in the Bronx, dig?

If the team thinks Lackey will help them win, they will sign him.

And the Hot Stove begins.

1. Joba should be in the pen. We all saw the difference in his stuff when he was in the pen compared to the whole year as a starter. This year I believe will be a quiet one for the Yanks. They just won a championship. If it aint broke dont fix it. They should bring back Wang and go with a rotation of CC/AJ/Andy(not sure if he will call it quits)/Hughes/Gaudin(until Wang gets back. I think Ace is another guy that should be in the pen because he is great for his role. He can go 4 or just 1 inning.

Besides Yanksfans sickly obsession with Ben Sheets....

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Haha....ok. Ben Sheets is obviously a guy I'm pushing for this winter. If he's healthy just imagine....(close your eyes)...going into Fenway on a 4 day set with CC, AJ, Pettite and Sheets as your starters.....(sigh)...magical. Lol.

Simply thinking short term, 2010/2011 only, wouldn't a healthy Ben Sheets be the best available starter this winter.

-Bring back Damon
-Bring back Pettitte
-Pursue a trade for Doc
-Ignore John Lackey
-Bring in Matt Holliday,LF
-Ignore bullpen needs (this can be fixed internally or with the excess of arms)

C Posada
1B Teix
2B Cano
3B Arod
SS Jeter
LF Holliday
CF ???
RF Swisher
DH Damon
w.o Doc vs w. Holliday
SP Sabathia
SP Burnett - Holliday
SP Pettitte - Burnett
SP Chamberlain - Pettitte
SP Hughes

Yea...everyone loves mock lineups.

Not.

YFS78... It just seems like Joba trusts his stuff when he was in the pen. He was always challenging hitters because he had a mentallity of you cant hit my fastball instead of trying to locate everything. I personally think his curve and changup arent going to be good.

JOba has very good offspeed stuff but he has to throw them "off" of his FB, or rather set them up using his FB. If he struggles to locate the FB or his FB is too "hitable" then the other stuff isn't as effective. PLain and simple he needs to throw 94-96 and locate it. Interestingly enough when he misses w/ his fastball it's usually low in the zone or just off the outside part of the plate. That leads me to think he's trying to trick the hitters too much.

Thats what Im saying Yanks fan he doesnt try to trick people out of the pen really... instead he trusts his stuff for some reason I have no idea why. This is off teh joba debate but I think its funny how people expect the Yankees to get everyone. Cashman has shown time after time he wont give up the farm for a player no matter how good he is. And JAckson was not good in the AL East. Comerica is like the GreatWall of China compared to the way Yankee Stadium plays

The Yankees could make a play for John Lackey if teams aren't willing to pay him the expected rate of $15 million annually.

According to the New York Daily News, the Yankees are only willing to play Lackey $10-12 million per year.

The Angels don't appear inclined to pay Lackey what he wants and the Rangers, another interested party, are in the midst of an ownership crisis.

METS ON LACKEY BREAKING NEWS:
Jon Heyman of SI.com feels the Mets will not pursue free-agent RHP John Lackey, due to health concerns regarding his arm.
…the way i understand it, like a lot of teams, the Mets have interest in lackey, but not if it means committing more than $60 million, or four years on a deal… lackey’s rumored to be seeking a five-year deal, much like A.J. Burnett got last off season from the Yankees…

i heard from one person today who wondered if a team, like the Rangers, could give to lackey a deal like they gave to Kevin Millwood, i.e., a big signing bonus with and a front-loaded deal…
Minaya told reporters he will be very aggressive in the free-agent market this winter, while seeking a power bat and starting pitching.

To read direct quotes from Minaya, check out Barry Bloom’s report for MLB.com.

To read more from Heyman, including quotes from the Padres regarding Gonzalez, check out his Twitter page, here.

Anyone who wants to bail on Wang is an idiot. I truly think Cashman wants to bring him back and I'm sure Wang wants to come back as well. They'll figure out some sort of restructured deal. The fact that he was on the bench throughout most of the playoffs was a good sign, as opposed to Pavano who never....ever....saw around while on the DL.

"Anyone who wants to bail on Wang is an idiot"

Yep. 1-2 year fans that ride the tide as fans, then tear and rip everything that goes on that they see, just to cause problems when things go wrong.

Just to throw this out there YFS78, but I would really love to see how 3/4 of the Sox "fan" base would have dealt with the Sox winning/choking in the final month of Set. every year to lose the Division throughout the 70's, or worse, being the doormat every year just about in the 60's. My guess, is none would be around at all, or very few and have a feeling the same would be said of the NYY for the poor teams they had from mid 60-s until FA began.

The Yankees have a lot of really nice options in front of them, in house. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gaudin put up a 9-7 season with a 4.00 era, which in the AL East as a #4 or 5 would be terrific. I agree work something out with Wang. The upside is, well too high. There is probably a 100% chance he stays. Mitre also makes some sense too. I happen to agree that Joba likely does belong in the bullpen, but the Yanks are in a predicament, since he has starter stuff, to an extent, by sticking him in the bullpen they may feel they are not maximizing his full value. It maybe worth going one more season in the starting rotation, along with Hughes and see which pulls their weight and then perhaps, just maybe you look to trade one going into 2011. The Yanks just need to ride it out now. They have all the pieces in front of them. It's a long shot, but if some of these younger pitchers get better, along with some of the prospect position players, you may not be far off from seeing a Hanley Ramirez type of trade in 2 years. They have the $$ to sign him to a contract extension. I think more than any position on the Yankees, they will be in a difficult position with Jeter in two years. After his contract expires at the end of next year. You sign him to a 3 year $55mm or $60mm contract. If he goes for more fine. Jeter is should be credited with about 50% of the overalll success of the organization in the last decade. Problem is not paying him. He'll get whatever he wants. He'll pay for himself, so no concern there. Question is where do you play him in 2012 and beyond...

Mitre was absolutely terrible at the end of the year, and didn't even make the playoff roster. I really don't think it makes sense to bring him back, but Chad Gaudin would be a fine fifth starter.

I have re-thought my plan for the Yankees future. Originally I was hoping to drop Damon and Matsui for Holliday and Figgins with Holliday moving to Rightfield and Swisher becoming the DH. Really a much better plan of action would be to re-sign Damon and Matsui to 1 year deals. If Damon wants more years, let him walk and sign someone like Mike Cameron to a 1 year deal. Then this offseason do whatever it takes to trade for Felix Hernandez of the Mariners. I know they said that he is their property but soon enough they will realize that they will not be able to sign him to an extension. I understand that it will take a lot to entice the Mariners to trade King Felix. So I think the following trade will be sufficient:

Felix Hernandez for Phil Hughes, Jesus Montero, Juan Miranda, Melky Cabrera and another AAA class pitching prospect.

That trade fills a lot of the Mariners holes and I don't think they would pass that up. Then in 2 years when King Felix's contract is up, sign him to something like 10 years, $200 million. Keep in mind he's only 23 now..

The next step in this plan is simple. You might be asking what to do with Catcher if we trade Montero. Well first off Montero probably won't stay behind the plate given his size. And secondly the answer my friend is Joe Mauer. He will be 27 and a free agent after next year and I don't believe he wil be able to pass up 10 years $200, which is what the Yankees can offer him and the what the Twins can not come close too. With his signing comes Posada becoming a 6 day DH before retiring. Also after next year the Yankees sign Carl Crawford to play Left Field after who plays their this year's 1 year deal expires.

I know this is just wishful thinking but doesn't anyone get the feeling that this may be Brian Cashman's long term plan or at least some what of his plan after all. Imagine a 2011 team as follows:

Lineup:
SS Jeter
LF Crawford
1B Teixeira
3B Arod
C Mauer
DH Posada
RF Swisher
2B Cano
CF Jackson

Rotation:
RHP Hernandez
LHP Sabathia
RHP Burnett
LHP Pettite (year to year)
RHP Prospect?

The Yankees need to sign Damon to a 1-year deal to hold LF another season for Crawford in 2011. I also wouldnt mind seeing Matsui back on a 1 year deal, although creating a logjam at the DH spot, his production is undeniable. Pettite comes back for another year, with Hughes and Jobs filling out 4-5 to start the year. Gaudin, Mitre, Acevas, Kennedy and others on hand to fill a start when needed or if one of the young guns falter. They could possibly add a back end guy like Wolf for some insurance. If there are needs come midseason, then the Yanks can always pursue trades at that point. All the Yanks have to do this offseason is avoid shelling out multi-year deals and hit the 2011 FA market hard!

As Sherman said, if the Yanks can get Wang to an incentive laden deal with a base salary of around $1 million (due to him making money in Taiwan by playing for the Yanks) they'd be stupid not to try to do that to a guy that won 19 games back to back years.

also i wanted to add..bring back Matsui on a 1 year deal if he will accept it..Matsui was huge for the yankees this year.one big hit after another...he was lost somehow throughout this season..if not for his numbers the Yankees are not winning 103 games..damon..well thats up in the air..maybe...but i go with the kids if i`m cash....but i do believe they need another starter..maybe sheets...