2012 Season Preview 1 of 5: The Rotation

With the first pitch of the 2012 season only five days away, it is now time to take a look at this year’s Bombers squad.  The preview will be split up in five parts (rotation, infield, outfield, bench/DH, and bullpen).

Rotation

The headache that was the 6th man rotation for most of the 2nd half of 2011 is no more, yet that does not mean the Yanks come in to 2012 with only five starters ready to throw.  With the familiar faces of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and Phil Hughes, not to mention the return of Andy Pettitte, sprinkled in with newcomers Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda, the Yankees will have one of their most solid staffs in recent years.  Joe Girardi’s tough decision to narrow this group down to five was made a little easier over the past couple of days, but the elephant in the room will re-emerge at the end of the month when Andy Pettitte shakes off the rust from his one year hiatus and Michael Pineda recovers from his injury.  What does this mean?  The first month of the season could dictate the future of everyone not named CC Sabthia in the Yanks rotation.  They always say you can’t have too much pitching, but with 7 capable arms, Girardi may have a tough time picking his five when everyone is 100%.

Here’s a more detailed look at who he’ll be choosing from.

CC Sabathia

2011: 19-8, 3.00 ERA, 230 K

For the fourth straight season, Carsten Charles Sabathia will get the Opening Day nod for the Yankees.  With 59 wins over the past three years, a much slimmer Sabathia is once again expected to be the main man in the 2012 staff.  The hefty lefty has dropped 15 pounds this off season, per team request, but the big question is will he be able to keep the weight off during the season.  If you recall, CC dropped around 30 pounds before the 2011 season, only to gain much of it back come October.  CC had filthy first half numbers, and was in conversation for the Cy Young Award for 3/4 of the year.  Many accredit the 6 man rotation for his slight decline in the season’s final two months, though the hurler did start in 33 games, one fewer than the 34 he totaled the two previous seasons.  Nonetheless, if Sabathia can match his numbers from last season, you won’t hear anyone complaining in the Bronx.  Sabathia is by far the most consistent arm on the staff, and if he were to go down for a significant period of time, the Yanks would be in trouble.  In case you’re wondering, he’s only recorded less than 30 starts once in his 11 year career, and that was back in 2006 when he only started in 28 games.

Andy Pettitte

2010: 11-3, 3.28 ERA, 101 K (did not pitch in 2011)

It all seemed a little too abrupt when Andy Pettitte announced his retirement at the end of the 2010 season, and one of the greatest pitchers in pinstripe history is giving another go at it.  Yankee fans everywhere we pleasantly surprised to see Andy hanging around camp this spring, and who knows, maybe that was the reason the 39 year old decided to come back.  Despite an injury riddled second half in 2010, Pettitte put up some promising numbers.  Now, will Andy still be dandy in 2012?  We cannot expect him to immediately return to his past form, but I’m sure no one will complain if Pettitte can consistently go at least six innings.  Pettitte’s leadership alone will help bolster the staff, and any other success will be an added incentive.  One thing we’ve always known about Pettitte is that he keeps in great shape.  He won’t be ready to throw major league innings until at least early May, and when he does return it will certainly cause some congestion in the Yankees rotation.

Michael Pineda

2011: 9-10, 3.74 ERA, 173 K

Acquired for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi this past winter, we knew right away that the 6 ’7″ righty would be have a magnifying class on him right away in the Bronx.  Well, that will have to wait.  Pineda will begin the season on the 15 day DL with a sore right shoulder, as we saw plenty of velocity problems with his arm this spring.  As a rookie, Pineda make the all-star team with plenty of first half success.  Though, it is 2nd half stats that raise some eyebrows.  During the final 2 1/2 months of 2011, Pineda was only 1-4 with a 5.12 ERA.  There were talks early on that the Yankees were considering possibly starting Pineda off in AAA this season, but the DL stint will obviously prevent this.  Hopefully, this shoulder injury isn’t too serious, once he’s healthy, his velocity will return to the 96-97 mark.  Pineda also is going to need to establish a changeup for his repertoire.  Regardless of when he makes his first start of the season, Pineda will forever be tied to Jesus Montero, and if we see the former Yankee farmhand flourish early on in Seattle, then there may be some added pressure for him to do well once he returns.

Hiroki Kuroda

2011: 13-16, 3.07 ERA, 161 K

One of the two new faces to the Yankees pitching staff this season is that of the 37 year old Kuroda.  With only four years of MLB experience, all with the Dodgers, the righty is coming off his best season in the majors.  Don’t let the record fool you, Kuroda set career bests in GS (32), IP (202), W (13), SO (161), and ERA (3.07) for Los Angeles last year.  Kuroda’s signing was a tad overshadowed by the Montero-Pineda blockbuster, but he will provide another veteran presence for the Bombers.  Not known for having too much velocity, Kuroda is mainly a finesse guy with great control (2.1 BB/9 in 114 career starts).  The big question is if his success will translate over to the junior circuit.  We’ve seen plenty of guys not be able to handle the switch, just ask Javier Vazquez.  Kuroda will make his first start in pinstripes on Saturday in game two of the Tampa series, and should be expected to be a mainstay all season long.

Phil Hughes

2011: 5-5, 5.79 ERA, 47 K

It has been a bizarre three years for Hughes, as he’s gone from lights out setup man on a champion squad to an all-star starter in 2010 to a complete mess  last season.  Though, all seems to be in order for Hughes to regain his form from two seasons ago as 2012 approaches.  Hughes was not guaranteed a spot in the rotation, as he had to earn it down in Spring Training, where he put up much more impressive numbers than counterparts Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova.  The biggest concern last season was Hughes’s velocity.  When he put up his 18 win mark in 2010, Hughes was consistently between the 94-95 MPH range.  Last year was a different story, as we saw that number drop to 90-91, and a slow start landed him on the DL until early July after making only two starts.  The good news for Hughes and the Yanks is that his velocity is back up, and he appears to be healthy.  Once considered the future of the Yankees pitching staff, at only 25 years of age, Hughes is faced with a make or break type year.  If he can return to his 2010 form, than he should expect a juicy contract for 2013.  Though if he struggles, we could see him return to the pen.

Ivan Nova

2011: 16-4, 3.70 ERA, 98 K

Nova came out of nowhere in 2011 as a reliable starter, earning him a start in Game 1B of the ALDS against Detroit.  In his rookie campaign, Nova made the rotation out of Spring Training and went an impressive 8-4 in his first 17 starts.  After Phil Hughes returned to the rotation in early July, the controversial decision to demote Nova was AAA was made, and the righty didn’t see any MLB action until July 30.  He sure made the most of the opportunity, as he compiled a perfect 8-0 record with a 3.18 ERA in his final 11 starts.  But last year’s success will soon be forgotten if Nova can’t return to his prior form.  With a spring ERA of 6.86, there is notable concern as the 25 year old embarks in his second season.  With minor league options still available, Nova could be the odd man out if he has early season struggles.  It’s hard to speculate if his spring struggles will translate into the regular season, but I’m sure Nova will be given plenty of starts to show he belongs before the Yankees would make a move.

Freddy Garcia

2011: 12-8, 3.62 ERA, 96 K

How do you think it feels to Freddy Garcia right now?  After compiling his best season since 2005 and earning a one year contract with the Yankees for 2012, the 35 year old went from being a solid back of the rotation guy to one Michael Pineda injury away from pitching in the bullpen.  With the news Andy Pettitte would be coming out of retirement, it appeared that ultimately Freddy Garcia would be the odd man out.  Luckily for him, after Pineda went down a few days ago, Garcia was awarded the fifth spot in the rotation.  By no means was Freddy having a bad spring, as he’s posted a sub three ERA, but it appeared the Yankees were skeptical to move the struggling Pineda and Nova to the pen and couldn’t deny Hughes a spot with his success this spring.  So, Garcia stands now where he all expected him to be in January, as the Yanks fifth starter.  But with Pettitte and Pineda’s inevitable return waiting in the wings, Garcia’s days in the rotation could be numbered.  Obviously the best way for him to remain a starter will be to pitch like he did last April in May, as any sign of struggles could demote him to the bullpen.  Another option that very well could be explored would be a trade for a bat, if the Ibanez/Jones platoon doesn’t fare well.

Overview

Despite their depth, the Yankees rotation still has a lot of question marks as they head into 2012.  Besides CC Sabathia, the other six arms all have their respective concerns attached with them.  With a six man rotation out of the question, it will be interesting to see how Girardi will handle his staff once Pineda and Pettitte are able to pitch.  In the end, Garcia is the most likeliest to be shipped to the pen or to another team.  But, there is a great possibility that the Yankees will be forced to decide on two of their youngest arms in Pineda and Nova, especially if Hughes and Kuroda both succeed early on.  Could be some tough decisions to be made in the Bronx in May.  Stay tuned.

Thoughts on the Garcia signing

Well, the Yankees 2012 rotation is set.  Technically.  One veteran starter got some good news with his turkey last Thursday, as Freddy Garcia inked a one-year deal to return to the Bronx.  This move was a no-brainer for the Bombers.  Garcia, 35, was one of the few consistent arms out of 2011′s elongated six man rotation.  He will receive at least $4 million and have the opportunity to earn more cash through incentives.  I really like this signing for Cashman and company, but what worries me is the possibility of this signing cementing the pitching staff for 2012.  Although he will provide some veteran experience in the back end of rotation, the primary concern with Garcia is his durability.  Freddy has gone back to back seasons with 12 wins, and he hurled 146 2/3 innings in 25 starts in pinstripes last season, but there’s always a chance with his age that he could instantly regress.  Let’s not forget Garcia’s career has taken a little bit of a resurgence over these past two seasons.  From 2007-09, he only made 23 starts and compiled an ERA north of 5 in a total of 129 innings pitched.  This will be only the second year since 2007 that Garcia will be guaranteed a MLB contract, as he previously signed minor league deals in ’08, ’09, and ’11.  Garcia will be a reliable fifth starter for the Yankees, but they shouldn’t get complacent with CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, A.J. Burnett, and Phil Hughes (along with Garcia) solidifying next year’s rotation.  Signing Freddy is nice, but the staff still needs a proven starter who can team up with Sabathia at the top of the rotation.  If a free agent or trade acquisition does come into town, expect a battle between Hughes and Nova for that final spot.  Hey, a little competition never hurt anybody.

 

 

 

Weighing in on the Yanks rotation options

With just about three months to go until pitchers and catchers report (but who’s counting), the Yanks have yet to really test the free agent/trade market for starting pitching, despite re-signing their workhorse, CC Sabathia.  That being said, it is safe to say CC will once again assume the role of the staff’s ace.  Realistically, Sabathia may be the only player that is guaranteed a spot in the 2012 rotation as of right now.  Barring trade, Ivan Nova’s performance last season easily earned him a another go around for next season, and barring a miracle, everyone’s favorite $83 million player, A.J. Burnett should be slotted in as well.  So, with Sabathia, Nova, and Burnett, that leaves two spots up for grabs for the opening day rotation.  I’d like to think Cashman will fill one spot via trade/free agency and the other in house.  First, let’s tackle the latter.

Coming off a superb rookie season, Nova will be counted on heavily in 2012 ,assuming he's not traded.

In House

Phil Hughes-  After an 18 win, all star season in 2010, Hughes will be coming off a disappointing 2011 in which he only started 14 games and compiled an ERA of 5.79.  Out of this bunch he appears to be the clear favorite, but if he struggles in Spring Training, and another one of these young guns steal the show, it wouldn’t shock me to see Phil spend some time in AAA or ultimately return to the pen.  A lot will have to do with his velocity on his fastball.  After returning from his two month hiatus, we did see his heater reach the mid 90′s early on and consistently hover around 90-92 in the innings, but Hughes still only made it out of the 7th inning once in 2011.  The kid’s only25, and he still has tons of promise.  I’ve always been a Hughes guy, and it is clear the Yankees have invested a lot of time in him, so moving him back to the bullpen would be a surprise to me.

Hector Noesi- Noesi made the most of his big league opportunity with the Yanks in 2011 out of the bullpen, and could be called upon for a bigger role in 2012.  Last week, Joe Girardi says he believes Noesi could contend for a spot based on what he did last season, but he appeared a tad skeptical with filling a spot with a young pitcher.  Noesi will be Hughes’s main competition in terms of in house candidates, for he is the only other name that has big league experience.  I had the opportunity to see Noesi pitch for Trenton back in 2010, and for what it’s worth, the kid looked on his game, painting the corners with a mid 90′s fastball.  From what we saw this year, there certainly was some inconsistency.  Cashman stressed that Noesi is in need of innings due to his limited role in 2011.  He has looked good so far in the Dominican Winter Leagues, as his arm continues to build.

Other possibilities: Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, David Phelps, Adam Warren-  Besides Betances, who was lit up in his debut but then threw two scoreless innings in his first big league start, these guys have never seen the major leagues.  And unless Cashman decides to play it very conservative for 2012, you shouldn’t expect any of them to be in the rotation come Opening Day.  Betances and Banuelos would be the more likely choices of the four, but as we are about to go into further, one of these guys could be included in a trade for a proven arm.

The Market

Free Agency

C.J. Wilson- As soon as Sabathia signed, all eyes shifted towards C.J. Wilson, and it is safe to assume that he is the most sought out free agent starter on the market.  Along with a shaky postseason, Wilson is just too unproven (only 2 full years as a starter) for the Yankees to invest serious money and years in.  He’s most likely going to be looking for a Burnett-esque contract.  Wilson’s lack of experience as a starter really scares me, and I’m sure it also makes Cashman a little hesitant.  I know Cash has already inquired on him, but I’d be very surprised if the Yanks take a chance on this lefty.

Mark Buehrle- It is a very thin free agency class in terms of starting pitching, but Buehrle may very well be a diamond in the rough.  The guy has gone 200+ IP every season since 2001, and has tons of experience against AL hitting.  I’ve always liked Buehrle, and I believe he’s gone most of his career as an under the radar guy out in Chicago.  He’s averaged 15 wins and a sub 4 ERA in 12 big league seasons, and he’s as consistent as your going to get from this free agent market.  He’s already made it clear that he would welcome a stay in the Bronx, and I the Yanks can get him for a reasonable price ($13-15 million, 2-3 years).  Another upside on Buehrle is that he is a lefty, and the Yankees would love to have another southpaw in the rotation to complement Sabathia.

Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game for the White Sox in 2009, and he’d be a PERFECT fit in the Bronx.

Roy Oswalt-  Other than Wilson, Oswalt will most likely be the most expensive free agent starter on the market when it is all said and done.  He is coming off of a year in which he only made 23 starts (lowest since 2003) and his second worst ERA, 3.69 (which isn’t terrible).  A few things raise a red flag for me on Oswalt.  First, is the aforementioned large amount of money it would take to bring him to the Bronx.  Oswalt is probably looking for at least 3 years at $15 million+.  Along with his high cost, Oswalt battled a back injury for most of last season that at one point threatened his career, so I’d be surprised to see Cashman giving 100% faith in Oswalt’s health.  Finally, it is no sure thing that Oswalt will be able to translate his success over to the American League.  We’ve seen it time and time again, as many pitchers have struggled switching over to the junior circuit.  All in all, Oswalt would be a great signing 3-4 years ago, but he is past his prime and would be too much of a financial and injury liability for the Yankees to commit for more than one or two years.

Edwin Jackson-  The journeyman Jackson has played for five teams in just four seasons, but most recently was a contributor towards the Cardinals improbable World Series championship.  The righty has averaged 12 wins and a 4.06 ERA over the past four seasons, so he wouldn’t be a terrible option in the rotation, but the fact that he has traveled team to team shows that he could be a trouble in the clubhouse.  Remember, after an all star season in 2009, Jackson was Arizona’s centerpiece (turned out to be Ian Kennedy) in the three way deal that sent Grandy to the Bronx.  In 2010, Arizona quickly gave up on the 28 year old and shipped him to Chicago, only for the White Sox to dump is salary over to Toronto less than a year later.  Jackson’s asking price will be much lower than Oswalt, Buehrle, and Wilson, and he may in fact only ask for one year in order to prove his stuff to earn a bigger deal in 2013.  I think the Yankees will stay away from Jackson, and only show serious interest if they are in desperate need for starter.

Yu Darvish-  With the Yanks recent history with foreign pitchers (See: Kei Igawa), I would be very surprised if Cashman decides to intensely pursue Darvish.  He has seemed to pick up a lot of interest from quite a few clubs, and I am sure the Bombers will exchange numbers with the Asian righty.  In the end, I think the rotation holes can be filled out with more proven arms, and signing Darvish would be way too risky.

Freddy Garcia- It is no secret that Garcia wants to return to New York, and why wouldn’t he?  After accepting a non roster invite to Spring Training in 2011, Garcia not only earned his way into the rotation and he made the most of the opportunity by going 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA over 25 starts.  Granted, Freddy did fizzle down the stretch, but he still gained enough trust in the Yankees brass to earn a Game 3 start in the ALDS.  The Yankees have to be looking to re-sign Garcia to a one year deal, as he would be a very sturdy back end guy who would most likely be in competition with Phil Hughes and the collection of young arms.

Trade Candidates:

Cashman could also decide to obtain an arm via trade, and judging by the lackluster names out of this year’s free agent class, it is not entirely unlikely.  The real question is how much is he willing to give up.  Jesus Montero showed in September and the postseason that the hype is for real, and his trade worth will never be higher.  With the depth the Yankees have in the minors for catching (Romine, Sanchez) plus current starter Russell Martin and backup Frankie Cervelli, the Bombers could foreseeably get by with trading their number one prospect Montero.  They also could dangle Nova, Banuelos, or Betances as trade bait, if a team is looking for a MLB ready arm in return.  I’d hate to see the Yankees have to give up any of these three guys, but if there is a CY Younf caliber pitcher available, it is one of those scenarios that they’d have to pull the trigger.  Atop all of the the Yankee Universe’s wishlist is the Mariner’s Felix Hernandez.  Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik seems adamant about keeping King Felix and building around him.  I’m sure Cashman will make a run at him regardless, either way it seems destined for Hernandez to be a Yankee (his contract expires in 2014).  Other big name possibilities are Giants pitchers Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.  San Francisco is looking to free up

Could the Freak be heading to the Bronx? Cashman and company would have to give up a lot to get this 2 time CY Young winner.

some cash, and a trade with the Yankees could get them MLB ready talent.  But, the asking price for these two would be understandably high, and it remains unclear how much of the farm Cashman is ready to sell.  The trio of Oakland starters, Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, and Gio Gonzalez could all help out the rotation and be acquired at a much less price, but who knows how willing Billy Beane would be to parting ways with these young guns.  I personally believe trying a deal for Cahill (23) or Gonzalez (26) would be great because of their youth plus the fact that they have already proven to be all star caliber starters.  The Yankees could also pursue a smaller name, in order to hold onto most of their prospects, but with three top level catching prospects, it’ll be interesting to see how Cashman handles them as this offseason progresses.  One other suggestion, which I’ll go more into detail about later this week, is to trade Nick Swisher.  Although the Yankees did exercise his option for 2012, that doesn’t mean that Swish in pinstripes next season is a done deal.  Due to be a free agent in 2013, I’m sure Swisher will draw lots of interest this offseason from teams in need of an offensive upgrade in the outfield.  If the Yanks can find the right suitor, perhaps they could make a trade for a proven starter that is packaged around Swish and then sign someone to play rightfield (Carlos Beltran?).  I’d like a move like this because the Yankees would upgrade the pitching without losing any key farm pieces or significantly downgrading the offense.

Options

So after going through all of this, I have devised six reasonable options for Brian Cashman and company in regards to the 2012 rotation.  NOTE: For argument’s sake, let’s assume Garcia re-signs with the Yankees in options 1-4.

Option 1: sign FA, no trade

Sabathia

Buehrle

Nova

Burnett

Hughes/Garcia

Option 2: trade for starter (include Nova)

Sabathia

#2

Burnett

Garcia

Hughes/Noesi

Option 3: trade for starter (include Nova) and sign FA

Sabathia

#2

Buehrle

Burnett

Hughes/Garcia

Option 4: trade for a starter (do not include Nova)

Sabathia

#2

Nova

Burnett

Hughes/Garcia

Option 5: trade for a starter (do not include Nova) and sign FA

Sabathia

#2

Buehrle

Nova

Burnett

Option 6: DO NOTHING

Sabathia

Nova

Burnett

Hughes

Noesi

Conclusion:

As you can see, some of these options are more favorable than others.  I ultimately believe that options 1 and 4 are looking like more realistic moves for the Yanks, but option 5 is clearly the smartest move.  It isn’t a matter of having the resources to make a trade AND sign Buehrle (all while keeping Nova), but more of how aggressive Cashman will be this offseason.  Let’s be real, the Yankees haven’t had a rotation you could count on since the late 90′-early 00′s, and in all reality, there will probably still be holes come the 2012 trading deadline.  So, this is an opportunity for the Yankees to fill two spots with proven veterans and take A LOT of pressure off of Nova.  Plus, A.J. Burnett is put in a position where all Yankee fans would love to see him, the five spot of the rotation.  Option 5 would indeed put Hughes in the pen or AAA along with Noesi, but either of them would be more than capable of taking over a spot if/when A.J. implodes or if there is an injury.

Its Official: Jones Headed for Pinstripes

Earlier today, Andruw Jones inked a one year, 2 million dollar deal with the Yanks.  Jones will serve has a strong fourth outfielder for Joe Girardi and his club.  He will likely see most of his playing time in left or center, spelling Grandy or Gardner against lefties.  At age 33, the 10 time gold glove winner’s fielding capabilities aren’t as great as they used to be, but he still is an above average fielder who can hold his own in the field.  The Yankees off season moves seem to be now near complete.  Cashman and company have resigned two hall of fame veterans, added a former all star catcher, the best relief pitcher in 2010, and now a once hall of fame bound outfielder.  It seems the only visible hole in the roster exists in the rotation, where Ivan Nova, Sergio Mitre, and minor leaguers appear to be in competition for spots four and five.  With no chance of Andy Pettitte being ready for opening day, perhaps the Yankees will look towards a small risk veteran starter to man down the five spot.  Guys like Freddy Garcia and Kevin Millwood would fit nicely in the five spot.

Phil, Boone, and Joba All Avoid Arbitration

Three young pitchers for the Yankees will be given pay increases for 2011.  Phil Hughes was rewarded for an 18 win performance and his first all star selection with nearly six times as much money than last season.  The young righty will make 2.7 million dollars this year, and the expectations will be very high in a rotation that currently lacks depth.  Rocky reliever turned starter turned reliever Joba Chamberlain also received a raise.  After a sub par season in the bullpen, in which he went 3-4 with a 4.40 ERA in 73 appearances, Joba will rack up 1.4 million dollars in 2011.  The problematic Chamberlain’s name has surfaced these past few weeks in trade rumors (let’s say for a nice back end starter, fingers crossed), but he will most likely split time with David Robertson in the 7th inning.  Finally, lefty Boone Logan will be making 1.2 million dollars after a promising first season in pinstripes.  Logan was normally the only lefty out of Joe Girardi’s bullpen in 2010, and he performed nicely with a 2-0 record and a 2.93 ERA in 51 outings.  This season, Logan will not be the lone left hander, as the Yanks inked ex-Met Pedro Feliciano to a two year deal.

The Yankees will really rely on Hughes this season to have the same success, if not more.  Logan and Feliciano should be tough against lefties and capable of throwing to more than just one or two batters.  As for Joba, I think it is time for the once promising prospect to exit the Bronx.  He has just lost his luster and the Yanks front office is mostly to blame.  If Cashman could include Joba in a trade with a higher prospect and try and ship them for a proven starter, I don’t think many Yankee fans would object.  At age 25, Chamberlain still has plenty of time to salvage his career, but I don’t think it can be done at the friendly confines of 161st St. and River Ave.

Yanks on Verge of Signing Andruw Jones

Reports have surfaced this past week that the Yankees are close to finalizing a one year deal with former Atlanta Braves star Andruw Jones.  Although his days of 30/100 may be long gone, the son of Curacao would be a solid fourth outfielder for Joe Girardi in 2011.  Jones, 33, is  coming off a bounce back year in which he hit 19 home runs and drove in 48 runs for the White Sox in 278 at bats.  Filling in for injured Carlos Quentin, the right hander saw most of his time in right field, but he would be brought in to play left or center (especially against lefties) and possibly DH here and there.  A deal may be even more imminent now that Marcus Thames is off the table.  Perhaps the best addition last offseason signed a one year deal with the Dodgers earlier today.  Some may argue that the Yanks should have stuck with Thames, but Jones can hit lefties just as well if not better, and his fielding is vastly superior.  The ten time gold glove winner has showed some signs of regression in the field, but it is not enough to consider him a liability.  Jones had eight assists in limited action last year, which was three more than Granderson and one less then Gardner.  One thing that really excites me with Jones is his breakout potential.  It is hard to believe that he has 407 homeruns and has fifteen Major League seasons under his belt, but Jones is only a few years removed from being an elite player in the game.  After a one year blunder with the Dodgers in 2007, Jones has fit in nicely in the American League between Texas and Chicago.  Signing Jones would compare to a typical move in the Yankee dynasty years of the late 90’s.  Bringing in former stars to play small roles like Tim Raines and Darryl Strawberry did nothing but solidify a bench and gave another veteran voice in the clubhouse.  What I like most about Jones is that he knows how to win.  He has played in 75 playoff games and two World Series.  He and holds a .273 average with ten homers and 33 RBI.  Jones also ranks 10^th all time in postseason runs with 43.  Countless times have the Yankees brought in stars who can’t perform in October.  New York fans should remember Game 1 of the 1996 World Series when 19 year old Andruw Jones knocked two homers and silenced the Bronx on Mickey Mantle’s birthday.  Adding Jones to the 2011 Yankees would be a smart and low risk move that at this point should be a no-brainer.

The Beginning

Hello all!  My name is Michael Murabito, and I have created this blog in hope to bring you informative insight on the best team in all of baseball, the New York Yankees.  I am a sophomore studying at Hofstra University and majoring in Broadcast Journalism.  I am not too experienced with the blog world, so please bare with me as I will try and make this site more viewer friendly.  So sit back, relax, and feel free to interact with any post that is authored on this blog.  I will have the first REAL post up later today.  Other than that, enjoy your weekend and most importantly GO YANKEES!