After observing the Yankees veterans pitchers so far this spring, I am getting the uneasy feeling that they indeed could be in trouble. Here are the front runners for the core starting four:
Masahiro Tanaka
The number one spot in the rotation will likely go to Tanaka. The 28 year old right hander looks to be the easy ace of the pitching staff this year, especially if he repeats his 2016 performance ( 14-4, with a 3.07 ERA, 165 strike-outs). If his spring training outings are any indication, he might have his best season yet: he has pitched 13 innings, allowing no earned runs, and with 19 strike-outs. The most promising of the projected core four, he is in the fourth year of a seven year contract, he has a full no-trade clause in his contract.
CC Sabathia
Ok, maybe CC will prove me wrong, but, watching him makes me think , at 36 years old, he has waited a little too long to retire? The one-time highest paid pitcher in baseball had off-season knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Although he has an arsenal that includes at least 5 pitches, they all seem to lack velocity. His fastball, clocked at an average of 90-92 MPH in his prime, has recently been measured at an average of 85-89 MPH. He currently has a 9.45 ERA for spring training. Although he did not have the worst 2016 season ( 9-12, with a 3.91 ERA, 152 strike-outs), I am getting skeptical about his ability to obtain outs. Hopefully, he will prove me wrong.
Michael Pineda
I think the most common adjective used to describe the 28 year old right hander is: INCONSISTENT. Flashes of brilliance interspersed with pure mediocrity. Let's hope he can improve on 2016's record: 6-12, with a 4.82 ERA). Pineda' s spring training started off promising, with a 1.80 ERA and 14 strikeouts in his first 10 innings. In his last start yesterday, he was removed from the game in the second inning, after allowing three earned runs. Let's hope for more brilliance , less mediocrity for the season
OK , here's where it gets really shady. The number four starter is:
Nathan Eovaldi? No he will likely miss the entire season due to elbow surgery
Luis Severino? The 23 year old right- hander posted a less than stellar 3-8 record last season, with a 5.83 ERA. He had a disastrous spring training outing on Sunday, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Chad Green? The 25 year old righty is short on major league experience, and again less than shining statistics, finishing 2016 with a 2-4 record , and a 5.12 ERA in 45 innings pitched,
Jordan Montgomery? Although the 24 year old lefty has never played at a higher level than AAA, he has had the most impressive spring training on the list, with a 3.48 ERA and 5 strikeouts, in 10 innings pitched.
Joe Gerardi, are you listening? Maybe it's time to call 1-800-PITCHERS.
Hopefully we can snag someone before the deadline. I forgot all about Eovaldi! Pineda has been looking nice this year, hopefully he can keep it up today vs the Rangers
Cool. I have written a few sports posts recently. Trying to help that to grow here.
I gave you a vote courtesy of @htooms.
https://steemit.com/takemyvotes/@htooms/i-m-not-going-to-upvote-you-do-it-yourself-1-winners-and-updates
Thanks @theregularguy, I'll check out those posts.