Starting Rotation
The New York Yankees starters ranked sixth in the American League last season with a 4.04 ERA. Their 71 wins was second to the Texas Rangers (72) and their total innings pitched (1001.1) was behind only the Mariners (1002.2).
Overall one could say it was a fairly successful campaign for the starting five, but a closer look reveals a disturbing issue that needs to be addressed in 2013.
Namely,
the starters need to limit the number of long balls they allow. In
2012 they were the worst in Major League Baseball yielding 143
round-trippers. They were led by Phil Hughes (35 HR allowed) and Ivan
Nova (28), and four of the five starters gave up 20 or more HR. Even
part-time starter Freddy Garcia teed up 18 wall-clearing shots for
opposing batters. In the post-season things weren’t much better as
opponents clubbed 6 HR off starting pitchers in 9 games.
Where Manager Joe Girardi was depending upon his offense to provide game-turning long balls, instead his starters were handing them out to opponents like candy at a parade.
Where Manager Joe Girardi was depending upon his offense to provide game-turning long balls, instead his starters were handing them out to opponents like candy at a parade.
There is hope.
Ace
CC Sabathia had what many considered to be an “off” year. Even so, he
won 15 games and posted a very respectable 3.38 ERA. In his three
previous seasons as a Yankee, Sabathia averaged 19 wins and a 3.18 ERA -
and he had never allowed more than 20 HRs in a season (he gave up 22 in
2012). Fans should expect a return to form for the southpaw that
anchors the rotation.
Hiroki Kuroda was arguably the Yankees best pitcher in 2012. He led the team
in starts, innings pitched and tied for the most wins with Phil Hughes
(16). In July and August of last season, when the team suffered
injuries to both Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, Kuroda had a 2.97 ERA and a
microscopic 0.95 WHIP over 11 starts. When the team needed someone to
depend on, Hiroki stepped up. At 38 years old the question will be
whether he can maintain the level of play he established in 2012. Given
his calm demeanor, the veteran pitcher should turn in another solid
year for our “Bombers”.
Andy Pettitte will have a full off season of preparation for the coming year
and that should mean continued success for our beloved left hander.
Last season he led the rotation with a stellar 2.87 ERA but missed
significant time (more than 2 months) with an ankle fracture the result
of a line drive in a game against the Cleveland Indians. At 40 years
old his days with the Yankees certainly are numbered but given what he
showed last season in leading the starters in WHIP (1.14) and holding
opponents to a .232 batting average, one has to believe there is still
something in the tank.
In
spite of the home runs he allowed, Phil Hughes had a bounce-back year
in 2012. Over 191-plus innings pitched he threw to a 4.19 ERA and
rediscovered the fastball many thought he had lost. The 26-year old
(yes, that’s right, he’s still only 26) was signed to a one year $7.15
million contract and will have plenty of incentive to raise the level of
his game while reducing the number of home runs he allows. He is
solidly entrenched as the Yankees fourth starter.
The
fifth spot in the rotation will be up for grabs during spring
training. The two primary competitors for the job are a pair of 26-year
olds – Ivan Nova and David Phelps.
If
last season was used to choose between them, Phelps would already have
been named to the role. During the year he held a 3.34 ERA and a
respectable 1.19 WHIP (as a starter he was 2 – 2 with a 3.77 ERA). In
99 1/3 innings, he struck out 96 and walked 38. When the fifth spot was
in turmoil last season, Phelps settled into the role and gave it
stability.
Two
seasons ago Ivan Nova looked like the right handed version of CC
Sabathia. As a 24-year old he went 16 – 4 with a 3.70 ERA. Going into
2012, his spot in the rotation was more certain than that of Phil
Hughes.
Oh what a difference a year makes. Last year was a nightmare for the young hurler as he went 12 – 8 with a 5.02 ERA and gave up 194 hits, 56 walks and 28 home runs in a little over 170 innings pitched. Many called for his demotion to the minor leagues and he wasn’t called upon at all in the post season.
Oh what a difference a year makes. Last year was a nightmare for the young hurler as he went 12 – 8 with a 5.02 ERA and gave up 194 hits, 56 walks and 28 home runs in a little over 170 innings pitched. Many called for his demotion to the minor leagues and he wasn’t called upon at all in the post season.
Nova enters 2013 with a renewed determination to reclaim a spot in the rotation and is one of a small group of players already working out
at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa. If he can return to his
2011 form, fans can once again look forward to seeing him take the mound
every fifth day in the Bronx.
Here’s what the rest of the AL East will offer in the form of rotations:
Toronto Blue Jays: On paper the starting five of RA Dickey, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle,
Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero certainly looks impressive. Some
things to keep in mind: How will Dickey handle facing American League
lineups every time he steps on the mound (the Yankees were quite
successful in the game they faced him)? Will Josh Johnson manage to
stay healthy all season – he’s only pitched more than 200 innings once
in his career. 33-year old Mark Buehrle has been the closest thing to a
punching bag for the Yankees that they can get. In his career he is 1 –
5 with a 6.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and has allowed 10 HR verses New York.
Morrow and Romero are both excellent young pitchers to bring up the back
end.
Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles starters ranked ninth in the AL last season with a 4.42
ERA and allowed the third most home runs (136). This is a young
rotation whose “senior” man is 31-year old Jason Hammel. He is followed
by 28-year old Wei-Yin Chen, 25-year old Chris Tillman, 29-year old
Miguel Gonzalez, and 26-year old Brian Matusz. They combined to go 5 – 4
with a 4.66 ERA against the Yankees (Gonzalez alone was 2 – 0 with a
2.63 ERA). It is a rotation on the upswing and should keep Baltimore in
contention for years to come.
Tampa
Bay Rays: The Rays will once again field a strong rotation. 2012 Cy Young
award winner David Price continues to only get better, and he is
followed by Jeremy Hellickson (10 wins, 3.10 ERA), Matt Moore (11 wins,
3.81 ERA), Alex Cobb (11 wins, 4.03 ERA), and Jeff Niemann (3.08 ERA in 8
starts last year). They are young (average age is 26.8) and last
season led the American League in ERA (3.34) and strikeouts (900).
Frankly, this rotation is the one the rest of the division must keep up
with.
Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox rotation is a mixed bag of talent, and it is anyone’s guess as to how it all will turn out. Jon Lester heads up the starting five and comes off a disappointing 2012 season in which he was 8 – 14 with a career-high 4.82 ERA. In 2010 Clay Buchholz was 17 – 7 with a 2.33 ERA. He is 17 – 11 with a 4.02 ERA in the two years since. 26-year old southpaw Felix Doubront shows great promise (11 wins in 2012). 35-year old chicken and beer loving, meatball serving John Lackey will return to the rotation for the first time since 2011 and fans shouldn’t expect much but plenty of souvenirs beyond the outfield wall when he takes the mound. 36-year old Ryan Dempster was signed in the off season by the Red Sox and could prove to be a solid part of the rotation if he can handle the switch to the American League (after an entire career spent in the NL).
Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox rotation is a mixed bag of talent, and it is anyone’s guess as to how it all will turn out. Jon Lester heads up the starting five and comes off a disappointing 2012 season in which he was 8 – 14 with a career-high 4.82 ERA. In 2010 Clay Buchholz was 17 – 7 with a 2.33 ERA. He is 17 – 11 with a 4.02 ERA in the two years since. 26-year old southpaw Felix Doubront shows great promise (11 wins in 2012). 35-year old chicken and beer loving, meatball serving John Lackey will return to the rotation for the first time since 2011 and fans shouldn’t expect much but plenty of souvenirs beyond the outfield wall when he takes the mound. 36-year old Ryan Dempster was signed in the off season by the Red Sox and could prove to be a solid part of the rotation if he can handle the switch to the American League (after an entire career spent in the NL).
Here’s how we see the rotations of the AL East stacking up:
- Tampa Bay: Young and already successful. They are scary-good.
- Baltimore: I just have a feeling that this team is on the rise.
- New York: A Sabathia bounce-back, healthy Pettitte for a full season, and the competition for the fifth spot will make this an under-the-radar strength for the Yankees.
- Toronto: A very high-risk, high –reward situation for the Blue Jays. If all pitch to what their “book value” is, this team will be in the post season. This team has an “all or nothing” feel to it.
- Boston: Lester should bounce back, Buchholtz is anyone’s guess, Doubront will improve, Lackey is a waste of money and Dempster could be a hidden gem. I still see them fifth.
--Steve Skinner, BYB Guest Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1
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