Yankees people seem a bit more optimistic about the potential return of Andy Pettitte, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. They’ll consider alternatives such as Kevin Millwood, but only after hearing from Pettitte. Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors:
- The Indians and Royals remain possibilities for Millwood.
- One rival executive doesn’t think the Bartolo Colon signing means much for the Yankees. "There is no real risk. But there is no real reward, either," the executive said.
- Bengie Molina might consider returning for “special opportunities,” Heyman writes.
- The Rangers and GM Jon Daniels have started discussing a contract extension and Rangers people expect a new deal for Daniels, whose current contract expires after the 2011 season.
- One competing executive believes the Astros overpaid for Wandy Rodriguez. I don’t mind this deal for the Astros, since solid left-handed starters aren’t cheap or easy to find and Rodriguez was about to hit free agency.
It’s not that the ‘Stros paid too much for Wandy (actually the price was pretty good). It’s that they have little reason to lock down a guy in his 30s for 3 or 4 years when they are *optimistically* two to three years from contending. Better they should have held say, the Yankees over a barrel to see what they could get for him to help them during this rebuilding process.
But then, I’m not an Astros fan, so this is easy for me to say.
I look at it this way. What other positive things can the Astros do? They’re not going to spend beg at this time. Their farm is a wreck. There’s not much coming up to help them. Hopefully some surprises. But at least locking up Wandy gives them some stability in the rotation.
Only now at the end of Uncle Drayton’s tenure as owner are they starting to fix things. Locking Wandy up gives them some pitching to give the air of competitiveness. They also apparently plan to start signing their draft picks instead of holding to the stated slot value crap that the Commish wants teams to follow. If a new owner comes in and starts the rebuilding full bore, the Astros could be a legitimate contender in a few years…maybe.
Or this is Ed Wade convincing Drayton to keep Wandy so they can trade him to a desperate team at the deadline. I’d say Philly, because Wade works over the table as Astros GM and under it as the Phillies scout…assuming Philly needs another pitcher because they will lose one during the year to injury.
I would have loved for them to trade Wandy for 2-3 prospects.
There is still time to trade Wandy. It’s not like he has a bad contract. His stuff should not deteriorate as he is not an overpowering pitcher. Relies more on control and mixing thinks up.
Edit: And he is a southpaw.
I hear what you’re saying. And again, if I was an Astros fan myself, I might definitely agree. I’m just saying that a team working on a long term plan might have been better off swapping Wandy for players who fit into that long term plan rather than hanging onto him for short term stability.
Sincerely: is Houston better off winning 70 games next year instead of 65 or would they have been better off swapping Wandy for Jesus Montero and some other young talent who would be cheap and controllable the next time they were really ready to compete? (I wouldn’t know how to put together a realistic package for Wandy from the Yankees, but it seems clear Montero would be the starting point.)
Good point. I believe the Yankees would have overpaid for the chance at adding Wandy to their rotation.
No doubt!
I was going write same thing. What is with the Astro bashing all the time? Nothing is wrong with the contract. Might have been better off to trade him but it’s a fair contract.
Interesting article a few days ago on Fangraphs about the Yankees approach to their 5th starter position. That slot has been filled for the past few years by low risk projects like Aaron Small, Dustin Mosley or Sergio Mitre.
If they get any production at all from the Colon signing (a win or two) or Nova/Mitre that would be a plus.
link to fangraphs.com
‘special opportunities’, aka. a job offer
why’s everyone so down on colon? if anyone else had signed him it would have been a decent flier, but because its the yankees, its a huge joke?
Nah, he’s a huge joke anywhere, including the buffet line. Oh snap. See?
People are only down on colon because he isn’t that good anymore and it’s entirely possible that the yanks could trot him out there every fifth day in oversized pinstripes.
I seriously doubt Millwood remains a possibility in KC. Their rotation sucks, but it is already full.
Unless I’m missing somebody *sips coffee,* until Pettitte says he’s coming back, Burnett is their #2.
That’s basically the situation they had most of last year. Their fourth starter, Javy Vasquez (10 wins, 26 GS, 157 ip, 5.37 ERA) was a disaster, Burnett was Burnett and Pettitte made 21 starts.
As far as the 2011 rotation or the Yankees are concerned, its CC (the anchor) and everybody else.
Phil Hughes disagrees.
Hughes is #2. He has more guts that Burnett
I’m not sold on Hughes, but I’d rather have him than Burnett.
I’m not sold on your opinion either.
4.25 FIP in 2010 and puts up the same WAR as he did as a reliever in 2009, in 90 extra innings.
Yawn.
Yes Vasquez started out as the #4 starter and Hughes and #5 but Vasquez couldn’t hold down his position. He lost his spot in the rotation to Nova and did not even make the post season roster.
The same formula (CC and everybody else) also worked in 2009. Burnett won 13, Pettitte won 14 and Joba only 9 games as the 4th.
But who is GRITTIER? We should check their uniforms.