YANKEE TARGETS ARE LEE, PRICE, HAMELS... NOT REALLY

It's all very murky...but I guess anything's possible.

“I have to reinforce our pitching, in my opinion. I have things that I feel I have to try to do, that I’m trying to do, but it is easier said than done.” 

--Brian Cashman

The Yankees picked up Brandon McCarthy, Rich Hill, Jeff Francis... but apparently they aren't done. 

Oh yeah, and Brian Cashman spoke! He spoke about pitching, something the Yankees really need, especially with 4 out of the 5 rotation guys on the shelf.  It's disturbing actually... it's just bad luck. 

Yankeeland has been complaining for weeks that we needed pitchers, BYB included.  But finally, after weeks of picking up guys that "might be able to help" and all the while watching our team not be consistent, Cashman finally found a microphone and assured Yankeeland... he will fix it.  

"We have to try to improve, reinforce and upgrade, certainly. We certainly we would love to have some significant upgrades but when you lose four out of five starters, it is hard to re-materialize the same type of abilities with the guys you lost. It is whether you incrementally upgrade.”

Now for the average fan, it's easy... we just spout off a name, a top level guy and just expect Yankeeland to get them.  We don't think about contracts, about what type of personnel we'd move to get him, trade restrictions and whatever other types of stipulations are attached.  For the GM, there are a million things to think about, and then, if they all check out, that's when you make a deal... maybe.

Now I am of the belief that someone like David Phelps made significant strides recently.  He's become a starter in front of our eyes; Dominant, confident and it has a lot to do with a consistent routine.  I think that helps a starter.  If I'm the Yankees, he's automatic.

Someone like Brandon McCarthy I believe will be a big part of the puzzle as well. McCarthy is an innings eater, and he will get the wins. He's got good stuff, and I'm excited for him.  But what else? Who else is out there?

I'm making a prediction and it's a prediction we've made here at BYB for a while.  While it may not be popular, it makes sense, considering what the Yankees are dealing with... Cliff Lee may find his way to the Bronx.  Why you ask? Because while he didn't ever want to come to New York, allegedly, every player gives in, especially if there's a shot at winning a championship.  The Phillies are out of it, the Yankees are not.  But for me personally, that's the only obvious move the Yankees can make, unless you follow the theory that there's a blockbuster trade ready to happen between the Yankees and Phillies, read HERE.  I love the idea, but  I can't be behind it, yet. Ask me in a week.

And how about this... there's plenty of chatter about David Price. But truth be told, I don't see it and either do many of you.  Tampa Bay may want to be sellers, but why would they dump Price off to a division rival? It's my feeling they wouldn't... It makes no sense.  

I love Cole Hamels.  Coincidentally, he's in Philadelphia with Lee. Now Hamels has been a guy the Yankees love from afar, and we here at BYB like him too.  In fact, there was a time a while back where we wrote about him coming to New York.  In 2012, we wrote HAMELS IS A "NO GO" FOR YANKEES... OR IS HE? writing:  

"...The Phillies have put feelers out on Cole Hamels, Read HERE, one of the most coveted pitchers in baseball right now, the question is, will the Yankees go hot and heavy to try and snag him? Yankeeland loves this idea...  the Yankees are not stupid, they won't give away every promising prospect they have to get this guy. There is a balance between the home grown talent they have and "buying" guys as we've been criticized for..."

The idea of Cole Hamels in New York would be glorious, but now we're talking about 2 pitchers in from Philadelphia.  Cole is signed with the Phillies through 2018, that's a lot of money tied up there.  Could the Yankees even pull that off? And do the Phillies even want to trade him? And what about this? A recent report about Cole eventually being the backup plan for the Red Sox if Jon Lester makes a dash, HERE... 

"The Red Sox had their chance in spring training to make a solid offer to Jon Lester and his representatives on a long-term deal.  Instead, they reportedly began the negotiation with a laughable four-year, $70 million offer...  In a recent article in the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo suggests Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels “makes perfect sense” for the Red Sox, because “his contract is precisely the contract the Sox want for a no. 1 pitcher. It has four years remaining at about $90 million.”

So what do the Yankees do? Do we jump in before the Sox? Do they try and snatch all these pitchers up, give away potential young talent and hope and pray it all works out, all the while spending millions more on old players?  What's my point of this post? To tell you, the whole thing is ridiculous!  Listen, we can't get ahead of ourselves as fans... baby steps.

Look... I am a firm believer that the Yankees should go after 1 lefty pitcher. ONE.  Why? Because Chase Whitley, David Phelps, Shane Greene are doing a good, solid job.  They deserve the spot they earned.

Throw in Brandon McCarthy, Hiroki Kuroda, and on occasion a lefty in Jeff Francis... and there's an improvement.

And then what? We go after 1 pitcher and it's gotta be a stud lefty. For 1, it's all you really can do, unless you want to give away all of our talent, of course. Plus, it also doesn't tie your hands later with money and contracts.  Bottom line, we have good talent on the farm, despite what people will tell you.  We also went over budget in the off-season buying up big time Free Agents. Bottom line, the Yankees are strapped, and we need to power on with what we have.

What will happen? Who the hell knows, I do know this; Cashman was right to speak out to us fans. We want improvements, but with a huge off-season splash... we have the talent, we just need to gel. As far as pitching...Yup, we could use an upgrade... but I just don't know what we can do, do you?

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