Bleeding Yankee Blue: NEXT BIG YANKEE PITCHING PROBLEM?

Monday, November 13, 2017

NEXT BIG YANKEE PITCHING PROBLEM?

The Yankees have an interesting challenge ahead of them. The managerial search is temporarily put on hold until the end of the Winter meetings end. I have to wonder if during those Winter meetings if Brian Cashman has an in-depth talk with CC Sabathia's agent and if that is the start of a fast tracked reunion. If it is....what about "the other guys?" Someone is about to get squeezed out of the pitching rotation.

I don't know if CC Sabathia will be back next year. As much as I would like to have his veteran leadership back in the clubhouse I'm not sure how the Yankees will approach this one. Now that Masahiro Tanaka is here to stay 4 out of 5 spots on the rotation are realistically taken. The Yankees have one spot left and there are three front runners. So, who should the Yankees sign? Here are the most likely scenarios:

1. Give CC Sabathia another deal

Photo: New York Daily News

This is assuming the Yankees want him back even if at the most team friendly terms. I think CC has proven he still has a lot to offer. He's been consistent, he is still an innings eater and would give the Yankees a second lefty to stagger with Jordan Montgomery. CC is a great clubhouse guy and he loves being on this team. He said he wants to finish what he started and continue with this journey but do the Yankees give him another deal or has this journey come to an end?

2. Spend some money and sign Shohei Otani

So now we know Otani's team the Nippon Ham Fighters will post him so he's read for an MLB team to lure him in. Will it be the Yankees? Who knows. I know there is a personal connection there with Otani and Tanaka but the Yankees are determined to get under the luxury tax and Otani is going to be expensive. Not to mention that signing Otani means the team who signs him, especially if it were an American League team, has agreed to give him hitting opportunities. I have some reservations on that and the fact that if he is signed one of our young kids gets stashed away in the minors even longer.

3. Stop wasting Chance Adams and give him a chance!

Photo: Mark LoMoglio/Yankees

I have to admit I have a little bias here since Chance Adams grew up in the next town over from me. He's a local boy and he's done well and moved up the minor ranks very fast. He is arguably the Yankees best pitching prospect but the Yankees have taken their time with him. It's taken some time to develop that third pitch and he's gone from reliever to starter so he has struggled with getting deeper into games.

But at this point, he's become more consistent and quickly went from Double-A to Triple-A where he finished 11-5. He may have deserved more consideration to be in the rotation this season over say, Luis Cessa but it never happened. The Yankees also never called him up when the injury bug hit the Yankee rotation OR during September call-ups. The Yankees have decided to exercise caution with him....but after his impressive season in Tripe-A the Yankees need to make a decision on this guy.

He's accomplished everything the Yankees have asked from him. He is young still only 22 years old, but he's got the numbers. How can they justify not giving Chance a chance? They can't keep him buried down in Triple-A forever and waste him. Even if Chance doesn't pull a Montgomery and surprise us all during Spring and make it onto the team the Yankees need to get this kid in the rotation this year. It's time to let the kid play and see what he's got.

Photo: NJ.com

So will the Yankees finally give Chance his chance? Will they go all out for Otani or go with old reliable CC? I dunno at this point. Now it's just a long game of hurry up, wait and see.