Obviously not concerned about potential tampering charges, the Yankees' Hank Steinbrenner said CC...

Obviously not concerned about potential tampering charges, the Yankees' Hank Steinbrenner said CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett could be two of his team's targets this winter.

"Everybody's looking at Sabathia and Burnett, not just us," Steinbrenner said. "We'll see. The main concern is, are their arms going to be OK after this season?" Bringing up Sabathia is one thing, as everyone knows he's going to be testing the market. However, Burnett still technically has two years left on his contract and has to make a decision about opting out. If Steinbrenner can't keep his mouth shut on the topic of specific players not under Yankees' control, then it's time to start penalizing the organization as a whole. Simply fining Hank isn't going to make a difference.

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I'm amused.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 2:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That would not be cool if they get both.

A 3 and a 4 tRA guy joining that rotation? God.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 29, 2008 2:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Obviously that would suck...

but I think its pretty much a certainty that they’ll add two front line starters in the offseason.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they spend close to 100 mil trying to upgrade.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Which contracts do they have going off the books next year? Mussina, Pettitte and Pavano? Abreu? I guess even with other contracts escalating, that give them some money to work with, but $100 mil. in upgrades seems a little too high even for the Yankees.

Purveyor of inane douchebaggery and general snarkiness

by RATW on Aug 29, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget the Giambino...

by rglass44 on Aug 29, 2008 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't mean add 100 mil total

but between (at least) 2 front line starters, a first baseman (Tex?), another outfielder or 2 (I doubt they’re ok with Damon in center and I have no idea about Matsui’s ability to play the field anymore), a closer (Mo retiring?), probably another pen arm… They could hit 100 mil.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Giambi – 21mil
Abreu – 15
Pettitte – 16
Mussina – 11
Pavano – 11

So that’s at least 74 mil off the books… I really think its conceivable that they add 26 mil in payroll before the start of next season.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, that would put them $26 mil over the previous team record and cost $32 mil. worth of luxury taxes. After revenue sharing, even the Yankees have to be near their budget limit.

Purveyor of inane douchebaggery and general snarkiness

by RATW on Aug 29, 2008 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, maybe

but after missing the playoffs for the first time in 13(?) years, I think they’re prepared to spend quite a bit. Also, Hank Steinbrenner is a dipshit (obviously) who doesn’t seem to care about things like fines and taxes and blah blah.

I guess its more likely that they wont spend 100mil, but I think they’ll definitely break the previous team record.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And they have the new stadium opening.

If I remember correctly, the luxury boxes are not subject to revenue sharing. Or I could be completely making that up.

by rglass44 on Aug 29, 2008 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Christ, I forgot all about the new stadium.

Purveyor of inane douchebaggery and general snarkiness

by RATW on Aug 29, 2008 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

so did I.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think that's the case

but debt service payments on the new stadium will reduce the revenue sharing bill.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/10/news/newsmakers/yankees_stadium.fortune/index.htm

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 30, 2008 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget Pudge

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 30, 2008 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And don't forget the late great Richie Sexson

He had to have cost them something for the week he was with them.

by Fox 71 on Aug 30, 2008 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

probably only a couple grand

seattle is paying the rest of his contract

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 30, 2008 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Yankees...

where good free agent arms go to die…or at least hibernate. Let them go to the Yankees. They will just get injured or have a few off years, and the Rays will dominate them.

by rayweaver on Aug 29, 2008 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm really amused that the Yankees think their pitching staff is their problem

it’s been one of the best in the big leagues when you include bullpen (Mo). Melky’s offense, Cano’s and Jeter’s slumps, Matsui’s and Posada’s injuries, and Bobby Abreu’s glove have been the main culprits to a disappointing season (for Yankee fans).

Even without any free agents, this is an above-average top three (although no sure-ace):

Wang
Joba
Hughes

Mussina or Pettitte would be a great signing for a one year contract. Even just one of Sabathia or Burnett is sick — they’d probably have a better rotation than the Rays.

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 29, 2008 5:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is the way it was supposed to be last year

Except it was Wang, Hughes, and Kennedy.

Starting rotation IS their problem right now (one of them). Even going with what you have, You’re looking at a rotation of Wang, Joba, Mussina, Pettitte, and Hughes. While this looks great on paper everybody behind Wang has legitimate question-marks. Joba broke down the second he was converted to a starter, Mussina’s having a career year (and is ancient), Pettitte is pitching realisitically like a no. 4, and Hughes has shown nothing at all at this point that says he’s a capable major league pitcher. Then you’ve got Ian Kennedy who was even worse than Hughes this year. Going into next year with your starting rotation looking like this and expecting to be competitive in this division is just asking for another year of heartbreak.

by kericr on Aug 30, 2008 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree IPK was never a real pitching prospect -- maybe a 4/5 eventually

but Hughes showed at the end of 2007 that he surely can hold his own in the big leagues and then his 2008 was derailed by broken ribs.

I think you’re overreacting to Joba’s injury. Yes, he also had issues in college, but he started 15 games in the minors is 2007 and he won’t miss all that much time this year.

And I hate the terms ‘question marks’. Every rotation has question marks. But just because the performance of a player could vary widely doesn’t mean that his expected performance is any less of a reasonable expectation. My point is that the Yankees had a solid rotation coming into 2008 (counting Joba as a starter) and it’s good for next year. Not counting IPK imploding, they got unlucky (only Mussina outperformed expectations and he was much better than his ERA last year).

The Yanks have scored runs at about AL league average and are giving them up at about .2 runs per game less than league average. Given the weakness of the fielders, that should be an even larger gap — the Yankees strength this year is pitching. It’s a good rotation. Sure it could be better.

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 30, 2008 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure if sabathia would sign for the yankees....

probably the mets though. He’s loving the NL (both that he gets to hit and he’s freakin KILLing their lineups)

by chancedj on Aug 30, 2008 1:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

true -- he's always said he wants to hit

CC and Johan? that’s killer

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 30, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Has anyone pointed out that Ned Yost is running Sabathia into the ground and Burnett is pitching worse than he has in years?

I can’t wait to see the Yankees spend $30 mil per for two pitchers who are going to throw less than 100 innings before their respective arms asplode

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 31, 2008 6:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was just thinking that

after ESPNEWS showed his pitch counts from the last 5 games or so…

by Vin on Aug 31, 2008 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

oooo I have ESPNews, I'm so rich

Stuff that elitist bunk.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 31, 2008 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

burnett's pitched pretty damn well this year. just isn't reflected in ERA

i know CC had the one 130 pitch game, but what have his other pitch counts been? 9 innings isn’t much when you just give up one hit…

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 31, 2008 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’s been under 100 pitches just 5 times this year.

by Vin on Aug 31, 2008 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

not that anyone has any idea if PAP means anything, but...

Sabathia’s second in PAP (pitcher abuse points) to Tim Lincecum and is just ahead of Halladay. He was 26th last year. Points are assigned non-linearly, that’s really all I know about the system.

By average number of pitches per start, Sabathia is in the lead at about 108. Halladay, Verlander, Lincecum, and Ervin Santana are all within one pitch.

There are 36 starters with a significant number of starts averaging at least 100.0 pitches per start, and about 50 more averaging at least 95.0 pitches.

I don’t have a point, just presenting info.

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 31, 2008 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs