Yanks Off-Season Priority: Pitching
Via Anthong McCarron -
After finishing their budget meetings in Tampa Friday, the Yankees are ready to dive into both the trade and free-agent markets and their priority is pitching, according to one insider.
With that in mind, the Yankees will “see what’s there” in the Roy Halladay trade sweepstakes, the person said, and likely will be engaged in talks on the Toronto ace.
The Yanks also hope to resolve Andy Pettitte’s status as soon as possible and they will look at John Lackey, the top free agent starter, the person said. All of the Yankees’ own primary free agents – Pettitte, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui – are “in the game,” as well, the person added.
Less likely are bids for slugging outfielders Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, unless the Yankees are unable to retain Damon to fill left field.
Reached Friday while waiting for his flight back to New York, Yankees GM Brian Cashman would not be specific about the team’s plans, saying, “We’ve got our (payroll) numbers and I have the priorities we’ve lined up. We’ll go to the trade and free agent markets and hopefully make good decisions.
“I feel like I’ve got work to do, simple as that.”
Cashman got to work immediately. He spoke to Matsui’s agent, Arn Tellem, as he was boarding his plane Friday and the two plan to meet at baseball’s winter meetings, which begin Monday in Indianapolis.
The Yankees’ payroll should drop from the roughly $206 million it was last season, the insider said, but probably not by much. The Yankees have about $45 million coming off the books with their own free agents, though they are due to pay roughly $15 million in raises to other players. So if they add several pieces, they’ll likely be close to their 2009 figure.
Dare we dream of a rotation of Sabathia, Halladay, Lackey, Burnett and Pettitte?
I remember being extremely excited before the 2002 season over the rotation of Clemens, Mussina, Pettitte, Wells and El Duque. But, Sabathia, Halladay, Lackey, Burnett and Pettitte would top that one, for sure.
I will be very surprised if the Yanks sign Lackey.
Raf wrote:
I don’t want him on my team, personally.
Who would you guys prefer?
@ clintfsu813:
I’d rather wait to give big contract to a pitcher who’s worth it. Lackey is capitalizing on year where the free agent pool isn’t that great. Re-sign Andy. That gives you a 2009 rotation of: Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte, Chamberlain, X.
Who to give the 5th (or other if its a trade or free agent signing) spot in the rotiaton. Now, I wouldn’t give Hughes the starting job out of the gate. I would more certainly kick the tires on Rich Harden (in which he’d be 3rd/4th with Andy and Joba would be 5th). If that doesn’t work out, I would have an open competition for the 5th starter job among the whole organization during spring training. The pitcher who impresses the most gets the nod and long man 2nd best, etc. All the young pitching depth we had last winter have aged another year, after all.
All of that said. If Cashman could somehow work a trade where we get Doc without sending Joba or Montero up north, I’m all for it. They can have Hughes as far as I’m concerned. You want Hughes, Jackson, McAllister, Austin Romine? We got a deal.
With Pettitte, the Yankees have options at number five that should include Wang, Ian Kennedy, Aceves, Hughes, Gaudin, and Mitre, plus one or two other guys from the minors. That’s plenty. Worse case, take a flier on someone like Sheets.
What they can’t do is trade some combination of Hughes or Chamberlain and one or two other top minor league position players for Halladay and then pay at 32 year old pitcher $25m per year for four or five years. That’s insane.
@ jdg:
One could argue that it is a much rarer feat to win a string of multiple championships then to develop a young pitcher and position player. Getting Doc certainly gives us the chance to win a few more, now. while everyone under long term contract is in their, or closer to (then they will be), their prime.