Late Innings

As we all know by now, both teams from Gotham City failed to make the playoffs. At least one New York team has been in the playoffs since 1995. So now that we know the problem, what can these two teams do to get themselves back into the postseason? For starters, both teams have cash and are entirely liquid, especially from playing in the largest media market. Both teams also have a good amount of dead cash coming off the books in November. Fixing the Mets would be a whole new story, however let’s look at fixing the Yankees. I know that they play in the toughest division in baseball, however they’re a very few number of moves away from pushing themselves back up as a dangerous force.

If I’m Brian Cashman, fixing the Yankees should involve the following three things (in no real order):

1. Improve defense.
2. Create an offense which gets on base (improve OBP.)
3. Stabalize the starting pitching.

The first two points can be done rather easily, especially if Cashman inks Mark Teixiera to a large contract, and lets Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu walk. Personally I think that Brett Gardner can handle the job in center. That .228 average might look bad, but he got white hot at the end of the season, finishing with a ten game hitting streak. And given the four outfield assists he had in such limited play, his defense would clearly be a plus. That .289 OBP of his is sure to improve.

The Yankees would be wise to keep Gardner in center, instead of pursuing Nate McClouth. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

However, the main area of concern for the Yankees going into the Winter should be their starting pitching. I’m projecting a rotation of the following:

1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Chein Mein Wang
3. Mike Mussina
4. Joba Chamberlain
5. Andy Pettite

Great staff on paper, and they’d still have Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Darrell Rassner available as backups. I read through Jon Heyman’s piece today, and he’s projecting two of the three to sign with the Yankees: Sabathia, Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett. Wow, that could get expensive. However, think how dangerous this team could be in 2009.

So obviously they can’t sign everyone. In that case who would walk? Mussina could go, but he stabilized their rotation in 2008, winning 20 games and pitching 200 innings. People in Baltimore are speculating that he could return home as well, and isn’t too crazy of an idea. Pettite had a down year himself, and he probably won’t get 16MM again.

In either case, adding Sabathia and Teixiera would add ten wins to the Yankees, a team that didn’t meet expectations by only winning 89 games in 2008. Adding Lowe or Burnett could push their 2009 win total over triple digits. In other words, this is how close the Yankees are to being a dangerously good team.