I think today’s performance lends some credence to the idea that Joba is better with more rest, but I think it’s the result of arms strength issues rather than something that indicates that he needs to be in the pen.

As for deadline trades, no way I trade Hughes, Montero, or Joba. Success in October has a lot to do with luck. This team has sufficient talent to win the WS if they play up to their potential.

TurnTwo wrote:

this team is one dominant starter away from being to go 1-2-3 in a 7 game series and 7-8-9 at the back of games that will rival anyone… which is why Joba’s continued development, and performance today, is so crucial and so exciting.

and thats not tosay they couldnt go into a 7 game series without a chance, but id like to clarify that they are 1 lock-down dominant starter from almost assuring deep October baseball.

and thats why i think you almost have to be aggressive at the deadline… this team is too good to let another October swoon define the season. big bats at the top of the order, big guns at the front of the rotation… and a lot of valuable pieces in the minor leagues that really anyone but Montero should be available; and AJax for the right player.

this is why people cant freak out about the bullpen’s success on April 1st, and May 1st and June 1st.

or, why people cant judge the strength of the bullpen in December or January or February.

what you’re seeing now is the evolution and maturation of the bullpen into one of the best in baseball right now. bullpens are fluid, and sometimes it can take some failure and tinkering to get it just right… but with Bruney, Coke, Aceves, Hughes, and MO, with Marte coming back and Robertson, Melancon, and Albaladejo all available on the merry-go-round that is the Scranton shuttle, all you really need from your starters down the stretch, especially non-CC/AJ arms, its 6 strong.

this team is one dominant starter away from being to go 1-2-3 in a 7 game series and 7-8-9 at the back of games that will rival anyone… which is why Joba’s continued development, and performance today, is so crucial and so exciting.

mo has to get a day off tomorrow. hughes probably could use one too, though it would be good to give him a chance to close one out soon as he may need to do that from time to time this year, and the games will only get bigger from here.

71 games left…Yanks can follow that formula for perhaps another 30 wins at the most. (Mo would have 56 saves, a career high for him, and the 3rd best total in baseball history.)

That puts them at 84 wins….seems to me they’re going to have find other paths to another 10-12 wins at least to make the playoffs.

A good start on that would be pounding on David Hernandez, Rich Hill, and Jason Berken this week, and giving Mo at least 2 days off. It’ll be interesting if we see Phil Hughes, Ace Closer! in the 9th tomorrow, if it’s close.

Mo needs a day off after three in a row.