YU DARVISH WILL NOT BE A YANKEE

Source: SB Nation

Yu Darvish will not be a Yankee and I am relieved.  He won't even be in the American League, so that's a double good deal. According to NJ.com Saturday, "The Cubs and Yu Darvish have agreed to a six-year, $126-million deal, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The Yankees could use starting pitching -- the rotation seems good, but thin -- and though they had been linked to the 31-year-old righty, they never appeared to be serious suitors for him."  So, we move on...and wrap our heads around a starting rotation that has possibilities, without moving Chad Green.

Source: Newsday

Green has said that he will enter 2018 Yankees Spring Training as a starter.  As Bryan Hoch reported earlier in the fall, "Cashman noted that a return to the bullpen would be a fallback option for Green, who posted a remarkable 1.83 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 103:17 K:BB across 69 innings while serving primarily as a reliever in 2017. The 26-year-old has flashed potential as a starter in the past, posting a 1.52 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 100:21 K:BB in 16 starts (94.2 innings) with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2016, though he's yet to put it together in the majors (6.10 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in nine big-league starts). His role for 2018 will be determined in spring training," according to CBS Sports.

Source: NY Daily News

But here is my worry about Green going from middle reliever to starter: The Phil Hughes/Joba Chamberlain Curse.  I am sorry to bring this up, but I can't help it.  I worry that by changing things up for Green, who has been an indispensable member of the Yankee pitching staff, we run the risk of ruining a good thing, and devaluing Green's continuity and contributions to the team where he has been so successful- from the bullpen.  Both Hughes and Chamberlain lost their luster when the Yankees "played with their role" and I don't want to see this happen to Green.  Fool me once, fool me twice...but not three times!

Source: USA Today

So, unless we can unload some salary (a.k.a Jacoby Ellsbury) then we have no choice but to go with who we have unless there is a Luis Severino-like pitcher in the farm system that elevates to a standout in spring training.  A sixth starter will give us a safety net, in case someone goes down or needs to skip a start due to overuse, which is likely.  But, please don't let it be Green.  We need keep him right where he is. Good luck in Chicago, Darvish!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof