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Who’s To Blame? Who Stays? Who Goes? Part 1
By Frank Negron Jr. on September 13th, 2008 11:30 AM |
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The end of September is nearing and so is the end of the Yankees’ season. It’s a shame we didn’t get more out of this team than we did. Currently, they stand 9.5 games out of the wild card and are in FOURTH place. My goodness! The Yankees are in fourth place in September. What the heck happened?
There isn’t really one thing you can put to blame on this season. The bullpen was ineffective at times, so was the starting rotation, so was the offense, so was the defense. Injuries also plagued the Yanks this season. Ace Chien-Ming Wang, catcher Jorge Posada, Joba Chamberlain, Hideki Matsui, and Alex Rodriguez all missed significant time this season. Manager Joe Girardi did his best with the hand he was dealt this season but it ultimately wasn’t enough as the Yanks season will end on September 28th in Fenway Park. How fitting.
The Yankees will move into the offseason with questions surrounding their GM, their first baseman, their centerfielder, their bullpen and starting rotation. Who goes, who stays? Let’s take a quick look at who I think needs to go and who needs to stay.
Gone:
Jason Giambi: Still provides some pop and average defense but age will get to him sooner than later.
Carl Pavano: Hasn’t pitched bad since returning but it’s time to get rid of a bad investment.
Melky Cabrera: He may still have an upside but I think his glory days in the Bronx are over. Excellent arm but you need to deal him to get at least a 5th starter or a reliever.
Ivan Rodriguez: Age is catching up with Pudge and he hasn’t brought anything to the table since his arrival at the trade deadline.
Ian Kennedy: Cant pitch in New York, ‘nough said.
Hideki Matsui: Still a valuable and solid player but age is creeping up on him as well. It’s time to deal him before his value plummets.
Keep: 
Bobby Abreu: Still a solid ballplayer. Still hits .300 and drives in around 90 runs. Still a solid defender and a cannon for an arm. This is a no brainer.
Andy Pettitte: This one is 50-50. Depending on Andy and if he wants to return or retire, the Yanks have to bring him back, not for $16 million but something respectable as he can still be a #3 starter, at worst #4. Plus he’s better than sending out Sidney Ponson, Darrell Rasner, or Ian Kennedy.
Mike Mussina: Here’s your wild card. At 39 Moose is your Yankees 2008 MVP. Just as a reward for his work this year he deserves another shot with the team. #5 starter or more, he can prove to be a reliable guy in the rotation, a rotation that might need him more next season than they do right now.
That’s just a quick peek at what the Yankees need to do this offseason. At season’s end I will go further in-depth. But there is no reason to place blame on one part of the team. This was a teamwide letdown this season all across the board. So let’s just address the needs of the team this winter and move forward into the new Stadium and get ready to reclaim the top of the AL East.
There are currently 6 responses to “Who’s To Blame? Who Stays? Who Goes? Part 1”
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I think it’s crazy to say that a pitcher with such an upside like Ian Kennedy you can just say he’s gone because he can’t pitch in New York.
Kennedy didn’t even get a full season in the minors before being called up last season. They should have used him in triple-A all season long and he should have never even sniffed the majors, but they rushed him and he wasn’t ready. That doesn’t mean that he’ll never be ready.
There is also no rush to trade Melky Cabrera. Why not keep him around? He’d be one of the best 4th outfielders in baseball.
Also it’s not that easy to just get rid of Matsui. He has a full no trade clause and likes playing in New York. I think he might approve a trade, but it’s far from a forgone conclusion as he would probably perceive it as a failure if he was traded away so I can see him vetoing any trade.
As for bringing Moose and Pettitte back, I don’t think you can fit both of them on next year’s roster. You gotta figure that you have Wang, Joba, and Aceves penciled in. That leaves room for Hughes/Kennedy or Pettitte/Mussina. That’s IF the Yankees don’t sign a free agent starter.
Sorry bro, I usually love your articles, but this one seems like you are upset with the season and are not thinking this stuff through.
Yea it’s more of a rant than an actual article. I usually have a rant or 2 in me going on my personal feelings lol. I do happen to disagree with Kennedy, I dont think he has the stuff to pitch in NY, Im not impressed with his stuff. As for Hughes, I think he’s going to be great, just give him time. Matsui would be hard to trade but I dont think its impossible. Melky, I love the guy but I dont think he’s going to mount to anything significant. (yes, I finally gave in on the Melky fandom)
I think the time to deal Matsui was last offseason. His value has already plummeted. For a while, it sounded as if the Giants would’ve dealt Jonathan Sanchez for Matsui and cash. The Yankees, and their fans, wanted more for Godzilla. Think San Fran would do that trade today? No way.
As for Frank’s other suggestions, he may be upset, but I don’t think he’s been unthoughtful at all. You look around Yankee Universe and there are a ton of people ready to cut bait with Ian Kennedy. There were whispers that his comments following his most recent big league disaster punched his ticket out of town. It’s clear that Rob would keep Kennedy and Cabrera, but that doesn’t mean that he’s right. In fact, in this instance, I think he’s dead wrong.
The Yankees will address center field in the offseason, and they’ve already told you that they don’t value Melky as a fourth outfielder down the stretch. He’ll be traded or forgotten.
Kennedy is a punk and doesn’t have a sliver of the upside that Joba and Hughes have. After this 2008 disaster, Hell will freeze over before that terrific trio is penciled into the rotation again. There’s every chance in the world that Kennedy has zero trade value right now and that the Yanks will be unable to move him, but I think they’ll try. And since when is Aceves in the mix? Even in pencil, that’s a huge stretch. I could see a Spring Training where guys like Aceves and Kennedy are battling for the 5th spot in the rotation alongside a low-cost veteran (Paul Byrd or someone of that ilk – I only bring up his name because he’s pitching right now, but you can insert the name of any cheap veteran here). The Yankees have learned their lesson however. You’ll see a far more veteran rotation next season than you did in ‘08.
And when the Yanks start Joba in the bullpen again and his arm falls off next summer, who knows what they’ll do.
Outside of the fans, nobody in the Yankee organization has given up on Kennedy. Also his comments after that terrible start were blown up by the media. I had the opportunity to talk to him after his very next start and he was a completely different person than he was portrayed as. I can’t see the Yankees actively trying to trade him. He might get traded, but everyone runs that risk. You can’t give up on a guy who was rushed through the minors so quickly.
As for Aceves, he isn’t a typical minor league prospect. He has already been pitching professionally for years. I think he has a very realistic shot at making that rotation next year. At this point it’s his to loose. This isn’t just some fringe prospect who is having a good year. I’m not saying he’s going to be great, but he has a legit shot at sticking.
okay, but you can’t leave spots open for both Kennedy and Aceves. The only guys I can see them really “pencilling” in would be Wang, Joba, and Hughes. I can’t see the Yanks going young again to round out those final two spots. Why not bring Pettitte and Mussina back and leave it for Kennedy or Aceves to take someone’s job? Of course, the addition of CC Sabathia would throw a wrench into the whole thing.
There we go, now we’re closer to the same page. If the Yankees don’t sign CC or any free agents then maybe they can go with both Pettitte and Mussina.
I think the biggest decisions are, choosing between Pettitte and Mussina.
And, picking 2 of 3 out of Aceves, Hughes, and Kennedy. Aceves has the edge because he is older and more mature. Then it comes down to Hughes and Kennedy. I think Hughes will be chosen over Kennedy.