The Yankees are 'stepping up' their pursuit of Justin Duchscherer, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. It's not clear whether the Yankees are interested in the right-hander as a starter or as a reliever.
Duchscherer, who dealt with depression issues in Oakland, also missed time because of serious injuries. He underwent right elbow surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2009 season and started just five games in 2010, missing time after a left hip operation.
The Pirates, A's and Red Sox have also been linked to Duchscherer this offseason, though Boston has made substantial additions to its staff since expressing interest and may no longer be a fit.
A two-time All-Star, the 33-year-old has a 3.13 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 454 2/3 career innings. The Yankees have also expressed interest in Jeff Francis and Jeremy Bonderman as they look to solidify a pitching staff that may not include Andy Pettitte.
Might as well.
Great move.
This guy is a real project, depression, elbow surgery.
This is not the yankee style. Not reclaim projects. I smell desperation.
Yes, desperation to fill a middle relief spot or a fifth starter. You got us, Sox fan. The Yankees have never taken on reclaim projects like Marcus Thames, Richie Sexton or Sean Chacon.
Where you have you head stuck, it’s not desperation you smell.
Wow, Sean Chacon, there’s a reference.
How was Marcus Thames a reclaim project?
Considering how miniscule his contract would be and how padded the yankees wallet is, It’s a good shot in the dark.
i just want to know what everyone will say if he ends up doing good this year. Everyone not a Yankee fan is saying it’s a desperation move, what if he does good though what will everyone say then? Oh the Yanks ended up taking a player from a small market team where he could have rebuilt his career and maybe helped that team compete. Either way i think the Yankees are going to get a lot of grief for signing this guy. No matter how you slice it the yankees will get blamed for something for signing him.
Bondermans a better fit. They shouldve went after penny instead of JD
As a redsox fan i can say it would have been great to see brad penny in a yankees uniform.
as a cardinals fan id say the same thing
Why, to see a repeat of what we saw of Brad Penny in a Red Sox uniform in 2009? hehe, we enjoyed that. Same for Smoltz.
and gagne
Not as much as we enjoyed Javy Vazquez!
and Paul Byrd
and Paul Byrd
Duke’s got way, way more upside than Bonderman.
Was wondering if anyone would ever try this guy. nobody else on the entire market (outside of lee) worth even having in a rotation other than him. Might as well try and get him and roll the dice and see if his arm can hold up.
Edit:
Penny and his part time curveball might have been a possibility, but he has already struggled in the AL east and shown it with Boston even with a good pitching coach (John Farrell) when he only has that straight as an arrow 95+ FB he has to rely on gets nailed. Batters just sit back and wait on it and no matter how hard it is.. It has no movement and u have throw that curve in the dirt some games, batters know what is coming.
Pass!!
hey he got 3mil last season, whats the harm in a 1mil gamble. thats like .5% of the payroll.
I would be happy to see the yanks trade a bag of baseballs to the cubs for zambrano and soriano and 100% of their contracts.
Z can help them as their starter and soriano can help them as their DH
With Zambrano’s control problems and emotional problems he would get destroyed in the AL East and New York and Soriano doesn’t walk and the Yankees already have a full-time DH with a bunch of other players they can rotate in there that are way better hitters overall than Soriano.
Also, just because the Yankees have money, doesn’t mean they are willing to pony up almost $40 mil for another teams monumental underachievers.
And this is coming from a Red Sox fan.
what would it take to pry gardner from the yanks? Z+Colvin?
I would never trade colvin if I was them.
Colvin + Z would get that speedy leadoff man that the Cubs have been in desperate need of for awhile.
Juan Pierre?
-wtk
Colvin is one of the best upside guys in the entire Cub organization, and he’s only going to get better. I’m pretty sure we dealt enough big talent this month. We need someone else dependable out there besides Byrd.
Unless Colvin gets more speed and can steal bases he can be replaced with someone that can.
However, Zambrano would not be counted on as an ace and less would have been expected of him here as opposed to in Chicago. Who knows, maybe a change of scenery could have helped him? I can see it as both a potential for a disaster but at the same time, I wouldn’t be shocked if he thrived in a NY environment.
I’d like to think that all the ‘bigger’ people on the Yankee’s would pull him to the side and tell him that that’s not the way they do it in NY and to respect the game. You have to think putting on the NYY uniform has to humble some people to a degree from just the history of the team.
I hope you are beind sarcastic.
You can’t say being among players that are truly stars that WILL be in the HOF that it won’t humble you at all. I believe that it would humble Z and bring him down to earth.
“The Great Yankees” will not cure Zambrano. He has an attitude problem and a rage problem and those can only be fixed if he decides to do something about it. It will not be fixed by a Jeter/A-Rod sleepover. He needs therapy and is probably already getting it. More than likely the rest of the Yankees will be worried about their own problems and not taking on Zambrano’s problems too. As would most of the players in the major leagues.
Well I do believe he’s in therapy now. I believe it was one of the conditions to be able to come back to the Cubs after he was put on the restricted list. He seemed much more calmer when he returned. Also, I believe the Cubs were dogging it a lot of the times when he goes off. He may fit in more with the Yankee fans if he demands his team to play to their abilities instead of playing dodgeball with a baseball.
But how long is he going to be calm this time? Zambrano is a classless clown.
I believe he’s taken a turn for the better. I really hope so too. He has the stuff to be really great when he’s on. Maybe at the trade deadline, his name might be on the block not because of antics, but because he’s pitching very well.
I know it is about 36 mil per season for them but it is a way to get a potentially great starter while saving the cubs alot of cash and the yanks loose no draft picks.
If they trade Z for nothing other than they also take soriano the yanks can then flip soriano for something usefull to them maybe to the nationals.
I know this is just fantasy speculation but it isnt as silly as ya make it out to be.
Soriano came up with the yanks also.
Soriano also already played for the Nationals, I highly doubt they are willing to go back down that road. There is a reason they didn’t pay him what Chicago did and I doubt they are wanting to now.
In todays market players with high upside are getting paid what soriano is getting paid, its just a shame that soriano has not lived up to his hype in chicago. He has the same potential to put up simalar numbers as pooholes minus the walks.
Pooholes pay per year should approach 30 mil per year so soriano’s 18 mil per year isnt all that bad in that light.
Chicago needs nothing in return from that trade scenerio. even if they sent like 10 mil with them the cubs still have lots of good pieces in the minors. B Jackson could get his feet wet this year rather than next year and colvin could start in left.
Do you realize you just compared Alfonso Soriano to Albert freakin Pujols?
Soriano would have nowhere near Pujols’ BA or walks, so his OBP would also suffer. Further, his defense is a liability, not a strength. Add onto that the fact that he’s no guarantee to play in even half of his team’s games – and you lose all credibility.
It would be a trade that would end Cashman’s career in New York. There is not one point in that trade that would be benificial to the Yankees. Both players are overpaid and while, Z would provide a #4 pitcher he would not be a good fit in New York at all on so many levels.
If they’re willing to do this, why didn’t they go for the higher upside in Brandon Webb?….doesn’t make sense to me
Maybe because, unlike most posters on this site, the Yankees scouts have seen Webb throw?
lol that is spot on right
Ah, OK I guess the Rangers, and all the other teams interested at the time have blind/retarded scouts. No need for snotty pointless comments kid….
The chances of webb bouncing back is slim at best and the 3 mil they gave him is imho flushed down the toilet and I am so very glad that the cubs didnt over pay for webb also.
3 mil is NOTHING to the Yanks. Look, its the same risk, they both missed 2 years with injuries but Webb has the higher upside….thats the only point im trying to make here
But his injury was considerably more serious. Is a perfectly healthy Webb better than a likewise healthy Duchscherer? Sure. Is a perfectly healthy Webb anywhere near as likely as a likewise healthy Duchscherer? No way.
David IS actually Brandon Webb 😉
If this further enhances the probability of NOT seeing Mitre start anymore games, I’m all for it.
I would be happy going into 2011 w/ a rotation consisting Sabathia-Burnett-Hughes-Nova- And Not Mitre. Now introducing, the starting pitcher…#17…”Not Mitre”….#17…
The best way to keep this guy on the field is probably as a reliever. If the Yankees do sign him, though, he’ll probably be competing for a rotation spot. They should look at Chris Young or Freddy Garcia as another arm to bring in to. You need depth, good or bad. The pitching for NY is very thin.
He has been reportedly looking for jobs this off season as a starter only. Maybe that is why he is still available at such a late date perhaps? i can’t see why he would still be out there, injury history and all if he would sign on as a reliever since he would be the perfect long guy many teams need.
1) Sign guy with stress/depression issues
2) Introduce him to media fishbowl and intense fans of NYC
3) ???
4) Profit
Only kidding. I am sure the Yanks will do their due diligence on how Duchscherer is holding up. And the psychological effects of pitching in NYC are probably overstated anyway.
Yea, and then after he blows his first lead for the Yanks, their wonderful fans will call his wife a “female dog”, dump beer on her, and finally, spit in her face….
Not to mention the nickname that his name will certainly lead to.
Not to mention the nickname that his name will certainly lead to.
I’ve never heard a single incident when a Yankee player’s wife was treated badly. Stop creating things.
This guy is a beast when healthy
Yankees looking desperate at this point…
very desperate
What are you talking about? They kicking the tires of a couple of players that may help them. Desperate would be trading their entire farm for a marginal #3 SPer or taking on the salary of some of the players mentioned above.
Right now there are a few teams that have won the FA signing period. Who cares!!! Did San Fran win the FA signing period in 2010? I already stated this but San Fran was favored to win nothing at the start of the season or even at the all star break. As a matter of fact they were the weakest of the 8 teams to make the playoffs because of the lineup. The something happened…they actually started to hit. No one would have predicted a World Series victory at the start of the 2010 season for San Fran except for the most blindly devoted fans (nothing wrong with that by the way).
I believe the Yankees are behind only the Red Sox in the American League. They probably/should win the wild card & then anything can happen. Not what NY is paying for but then again who knows what kind of moves the Yankees may make at the all star break. Or how their young players will produce. Hughes, Montero, & Gardner could continue to evolve. Will Joba bounce back? Probably not but who know?
Remember teams do not win the World Series in January…the series is won in October I mean November!!!!
very desperate
Why is it when another team goes after a guy like this it’s a “good gamble” but the Yankees are desperate? I think that if any other team with a spot in the rotation to fill signs him it’s “worth a shot” but since the New York Yankees do it it’s desperation. They missed out on Cliff Lee so anything short of trading for a former Cy Young award winner is desperation?
This is where your scouting system comes in, if Duchscherer can return to his old form he will be outstanding. Its a gamble the Yanks need to take at this point to try and catch lightning in a bottle. They only need him for half of the year or until they pick up the next stud on the market like Carpenter.
“next stud on the market like Carpenter. ”
Huh?
Carpenter will be a free agent next year,and with the Cards resigning Pujols I don’t see them resigning Carpenter. To get something for him he might be traded mid season if the Cards are out of contention.
Carpenter also has a team option for 2012. By the time he reaches free agency he’ll be 37 and not exactly a “stud”.
That’s a 15 million dollar option. The Cardinals have to re-sign Prince Albert for A-Rod type money, they may agree with you that he is not “exactly a stud” and make him available in a trade. They could use the prospects.
He’s pretty good, I would take him as a #2 starter.
My money is that Jim Duchsherer will be the number 1 starter…the number 1 starter to go the disabled list, the number 1 starter to be out for the year, the number 1 starter to have season ending surgery, and the number 1 starter to remind yankee fans of the Carl Pavano era! Tread carefully, Brian Cashman!
But he is going to be there #5 SPer. Not a huge loss like Pavano who is was supposed to be a #2.
Carpenter also has a team option for 2012. By the time he reaches free agency he’ll be 37 and not exactly a “stud”.
“next stud on the market like Carpenter. ”
Huh?
Duchsherer returning to his “old form” would mean long stretches on the DL and multiple surgeries. Even if I were a yankees hater, I wouldn’t wish “the Duke” and his “old form” on any team in MLB.
This is where your scouting system comes in, if Duchscherer can return to his old form he will be outstanding. Its a gamble the Yanks need to take at this point to try and catch lightning in a bottle. They only need him for half of the year or until they pick up the next stud on the market like Carpenter.
honestly its not a bad move if they sign him, hes better than Mitre, Francis or Bonderman. My guess is Pettite is not coming back if they are heavily pursuing him. I think the Yankees have the intent of having Nova as their 5th starter, and probably wont sign any starter if Pettite returns. It also always good to know Duscherer can probably do a solid job out of the bullpen if he doesnt fair well as a starter.
You mean you don’t like Sergio “I Only Serve Fine Kobe Beef Filet Mignon On My” Mitre?
honestly its not a bad move if they sign him, hes better than Mitre, Francis or Bonderman. My guess is Pettite is not coming back if they are heavily pursuing him. I think the Yankees have the intent of having Nova as their 5th starter, and probably wont sign any starter if Pettite returns. It also always good to know Duscherer can probably do a solid job out of the bullpen if he doesnt fair well as a starter.
I was wondering about this move early on in the off-season once they missed out on Lee. This is a much better risk/reward move than Colon or one of the other scrubs out there on the scrap heap,.
I was wondering about this move early on in the off-season once they missed out on Lee. This is a much better risk/reward move than Colon or one of the other scrubs out there on the scrap heap,.
I asked this of Yankees fans a while back but didn’t really get anything back, so I’ll try again. I ask this admitting my ignorance to the Yankees situation other than what I’ve learned hanging out here. So that said, if Pettitte retires, would there be value in acquiring Lowe from the Braves? He’s not going to be awesome anymore, but as a 4th/5th with the Yankees’ offense he doesn’t need to be. He’s solid 4ish ERA type, is a innings eater, knows what it takes to pitch in the AL East, and maybe most importantly, a ground ball pitcher in a homer friendly park.
I don’t know the Yankees payroll situation, but the Braves have indicated that they want to shed his salary, so i don’t think it would take a ton to get him in a trade if NY is willing to pick up his salary. IMO he’s a better option than guys coming off the DL/history of significant arm troubles to compete in that division, esp given the fact that the RedSox are a much improved team.
Of course then you have him for 2yrs at 15mil/per which you may not want after the ’11 season.
I’m not saying that the Yankees should, I’m more asking the people who are more familiar with the situation their thoughts or why or why not that isn’t workable.
Money is not an option for the Yankees. They still have the $140 million they waved at Cliff Lee. In the current Yankee rotation Lowe would be ahead of Burnett. He is more consistent.
The problem would be what do the Bravos want?
Give the Braves 2-3 decent prospects, maybe even including Mitre, and I’m sure Lowe would be theirs.
Braves better eat a big chunk of his remaining $30mil if they want 2-3 decent prospects from the Yankees. I say 1 OK prospect + Mitre is more than enough for a 37 years old who is owed $30mil in the next two years. At this point the Braves should be looking for salary relief from Lowe.
that was my thought, (sans the names since I don’t know yankee prospects) Yankees could acquire him without having to part with top prospects or even a lot of prospects if they take on the salary. Which the Yankees usually have the $$$ to do (but as I said, I’m not positive about this year). So, IMO it would be nearly like a FA signing. A FA that’s better than the actual FAs available.
They can Mitre but I wouldn’t want to give them anyone in the top 10.
IMO, Lowe would struggle just as much as Burnett in the AL East. I think time has made ppl forget about his last stint in the AL East back in 2004 when he had an ERA over 5.00. Now, 7 years older ppl think he would reproduce his numbers in NL East. We just had a great example of what can happen when you take a pitcher from the NL East, especially from the Braves, and bring them to the AL East. Also, I don’t think the Yanks would want him for two years.
One thing he has going for him is that he is a ground ball pitcher. The bad new is that the Yankees infield on the left side will not get to enough of those ground ball hits.
I would think the Yankees learned their lesson with Vazquez. I’m inclined to believe they’ll take flyers for a few mill or give the young guns a shot rather than stuffing the payroll with rich over-achievers. Cashman has been moving away from that route for a while now.
Lately, the Yanks have only paid top-dollar for elite free agents still in the prime of the careers. Vazquez didn’t cost much in terms of dollars at all. Ditto Swisher, Granderson, Thames, Martin, etc. (Of course, these statements do not apply to their in-house contract renewals which are significant over-pays.)
After Wright and Vazquez, I would be leery of any pitcher that Braves are willing to part with. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times, what are h*ll are you thinking Cashman.
After Wright and Vazquez, I would be leery of any pitcher that Braves are willing to part with. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times, what are h*ll are you thinking Cashman.
This guy is a very solid starter if he can stay healthy. This could work out very well for them.
It amazes me about the kind of comments ppl make regarding such a minimal signing of a guy like Duchs or Andru Jones. Neither guy is being signed to carry the weight of a #1-#4 starter or an everyday player. a) The market for SP is thin b) There’s zero word of any top rotation arm being on the market and if there were then the cost would likely be high. Therefor,as long as they don’t hitch their wagon to a Duchs or Jones past 2011, and as long as they don’t spend more than a couple of mil and as long as they aren’t blocking anyone from the farm who is major league ready then you make the incremental moves that might help your team with your eye on saving the “bullets” (major money and/or prospects) for when/if an impactful player hits the market midseason. For all we know, if Nova pitches well, then Duchs might just be keeping a spot warm until a pitcher in AAA becomes ready for the majors. It’s all about keeping the team in the hunt and in contention until that one move is available that helps you towards that playoff push.
Yankee haters amaze you? For a fan since ’78, I think nothing would surprise you. haha
Yeah, I guess you’re right. Sign a superstar and we’re evil. Sign a scrub and we’re desperate.
I’m a little tepid on this, not because I don’t like Duscherer. In fact, I think he’s a fantastic pitcher when he’s healthy. I just wonder whether NYC is a decent fit for him given his anxiety and whatnot. He’s going to be under the microscope more than other places and I wonder whether that’s a good thing or not. Still though, the upside here is tremendous and so long as he stays healthy, there haven’t been any indicators that he’s in store for a fall off.
I think the upside here is great, but it’s risky for sure.
I think there’s going to be a whole lot less pressure on Duchs as opposed to Greinke if he were being brought in. The expectations and just the sheer weight that is placed on being a fringe #5/bully compared to a front rotation starter or position player is on the other side of the spectrum. I don’tknow his condition as much as others but I can’t imagine he’ll crumble simply because he won’t be asked to do much.
I agree, your right on the money.
I’d take Duchscherer in a heartbeat as tthe 5th starter. Someone who’s flexible going between the rotation and pen, especially if he falters as a starter, you can have Nova come up and be the 5th starter.
More than possible. I really don’t know Girardi’s or Cashman’s thought process with it, but I like the idea of flexibility.
I would love to see Vlad in a Yankee uniform, however. That bat is still awesome.
Problem is that he can only play DH. They are a team of DHs w/ Posada & I am sure AROD & Tex will need time as well. That is not counting Montero as well. Maybe even Martin. And I haven’t mentioned Jeter yet. I like Vlad also but the Yankees are TEAM DH.
I definetly don’t see them adding a pure DH type at all. However, I don’t see there being a clog among those on the team right now. Posada will probably play they 100 games with the rest going to Arod and Montero. Jeter’s bat isn’t signifigant enough where he just has to be in the lineup. I don’t think Tex really needs that many either. He’s only 30-31. If anything just sit him on the bench and play Swisher or Montero @ 1B.
Problem is that he can only play DH. They are a team of DHs w/ Posada & I am sure AROD & Tex will need time as well. That is not counting Montero as well. Maybe even Martin. And I haven’t mentioned Jeter yet. I like Vlad also but the Yankees are TEAM DH.
I wouldn’t mind the Yanks getting Duchscherer IF Andy doesn’t come back. Him and Jones wouldn’t be bad pick-ups.
This would be a fantastic move for the Yanks to get their 5th starter. I don’t think i could trust Nova yet! I’ve been hearing Rumors of Yanks Pursuing Mark Buehrle, Buerhrle is a innings eater and that’s good for a 5th starter. Buehrle would be the perfect touch for the 5th starting role, but put that aside. Duchscherer would be the guy that would be perfect for the yanks, if the yanks land him their rotation would be 1. Sabathia 2. burnett 3. Pettitte 4. hughes 5. duchsherer
This would be a fantastic move for the Yanks to get their 5th starter. I don’t think i could trust Nova yet! I’ve been hearing Rumors of Yanks Pursuing Mark Buehrle, Buerhrle is a innings eater and that’s good for a 5th starter. Buehrle would be the perfect touch for the 5th starting role, but put that aside. Duchscherer would be the guy that would be perfect for the yanks, if the yanks land him their rotation would be 1. Sabathia 2. burnett 3. Pettitte 4. hughes 5. duchsherer
I can’t see a scenario where they would let Duchs block Nova. If anything maybe Duchs gets moved to the pen?
Agreed. Duchscherer started his MLB career as a very effective reliever in Oakland. Only his last two MLB seasons has he started, and obviously the added workload didn’t help his bill of health. Considering he has the potential to start, but his injury history will warrant him a salary more similar to a reliever, I don’t see how they can lose with this signing. Be he starter or reliever at the end of the season.
I thought the same thing. If the rookies do not pan out he is another option. If the rookies do pan out then they use him in the pen.