WHY THE YANKEES ROTATION CAN BE MIXED & MATCHED

I hate clichés but this is one I like and I agree with…”You can never have enough pitching,” and we finally have that. I never expected Cashman to make the moves he did during the off-season. In fact, I was expecting him to use the same pitching strategy from 2011 but he surprised us all. Now we not only have a competition to see who wins the fifth rotation spot, but we also have a game of rotation mix and match. There are many possibilities out there, and several theories floating around out in cyberspace. The one thing we know for sure is that Girardi has filled two spots, you can read about it HERE, so until the mystery is solved let’s add one more theory.

1. CC Sabathia: Of course our ace does not lose his place. The Yankees early exit in the postseason made CC’s impressive year rather overlooked. CC won 19 games and pitched to a 3.00 ERA with a 3.77 K /BB ratio, which is his best since 2008. The Monster has always been the one the Yankees have turned to in times of need and this will continue, he has been the true definition of what an “ace” really is. For the past two seasons his name has been in Cy Young discussions, hopefully he can win a second title in pinstripes.2. Ivan Nova: I know this may turn some heads too, but Nova really proved himself last year. After a demotion to Triple A, he returned late in the season with an improved slider and a new confidence when using it. Nova has proven that he can handle the pressure after stepping up as the #2 starter even though he didn’t have the experience and he was the answer the Yankees were looking for. Nova won 16 games last year and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, and 2012 can be even more impressive.3. Hiroki Kuroda: The Kuroda signing was somewhat overshadowed by the Jesus Montero-Pineda trade, but signing Kuroda is huge for the Yankees. Kuroda brings veteran presence, and the ability to handle the pressures of a big market after pitching for the Dodgers. Kuroda had a very successful season last year for the Dodgers so If he can bring his 13 wins, 3.07 ERA, 32 starts and 200+ innings to the Yankees then that would be a very strong number two starter. It will be interesting to see how his arsenal translates to the American League, but experience is on his side. Another thing that is worth noting, Kuroda already has a good relationship with former Dodger Russell Martin. Who knows, maybe this reunion could be a new dynamic duo for the Yankees.4. Michael Pineda: He is young, and getting acquainted to the American League East. Pineda has the ability to one day be an ace, and hopefully working with Larry Rothschild’s wisdom he can master that change up. There is no doubt that he is a great talent, but can he handle the pressure of a big market? How will he adapt to being in a hitter’s ballpark? Many believe that Pineda is a number two starter and I think he will be, but I think being at the back end of the rotation will take some of the initial pressure off. Eventually, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him move to the front of the rotation where he does belong.
5. Phil Hughes: This will be debated for weeks to come and I keep thinking about this one, and I believe Phil will get his shot again. Phil has been called our “Golden Boy” for a while now, and he is. He has the talent, and the experience but 2011 just wasn’t his year thanks to a frightening dead arm issue and several outings that left fans squirming uncomfortably in their seats, especially the game against the Oakland A’s. I believe that the All-Star season we saw from Phil Hughes in 2010 will be back again this year. He knows he has a lot to prove and that all eyes are on him. Sometimes, all you need to succeed is the motivation to change the way people perceive you.

Obviously, this puts Freddy Garcia in the bullpen and it might not be fair since he did pull his weight for the team last year, but what do I know? I could be completely wrong and Girardi might put Hughes in the bullpen since he has the experience as opposed to Freddy. Like Girardi said, these guys will have to “earn” their spot. So until this puzzle is solved….what does your rotation look like? Let us know!

--Jeana Bellezza --BYB Writer and Editor

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