Sunday, October 22, 2006

Sheffield and Mussina - Time To Move On


When the '07 season starts, slugger Gary Sheffield will be 38, and right-hander Mike Mussina will be 39 and expensive. Gentleman, thank you very much for your time and service, and we wish you some success at your next team because it can't possibly be with the Yankees.

The proposition of exercising Mussina's $20 million option went awry when he failed to hold a two run lead at home in the playoffs. Removing him from the roster opens the door for Karstens, Hughes, or Pavano - all younger, all multiple million dollars less expensive all have potential to be brilliant big league pitchers.

Look, it is hard enough to make it to the BIGS at any position and to think that Sheffield can become an MLB level first baseman in a few months is insulting to the alumni of Mattingly and Martinez. How many plays, and runs are we willing to sacrifice at this experiment? First base needs to be played by first baseman - Philips, Wilson, and Giambi. Not Sheffield.

What about his offense? Who cares about damn offense! It is offensive to think that matters! We have offense (Damon, Jeter, Abreu, A-Rod, Matsui, Canoe, Giambi, Posada, Cabrera), we need to solidify the defense to get ring number 27 - plain and simple.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You really need to get a grasp on reality, or at least a grasp on the roster of the Yankees.

First of all, why even bring up Sheffield? I mean EVERYONE knows the Yankees are not picking up his option, so why waste blog space begging them not to do it? You mentioned Craig's Wilson's name; i'm pretty sure Wilson's contract is up..and if that's the case, he will not be re-signed. Let him go hit .240 for somebody else. He's not THAT good defensively.

On to Moose: Once again EVERYBODY knows that the Yanks are not going to pick up his option (which incidentally is for $17 mil, NOT $20 mil.), but if he is willing to re-sign at one or two years at about $8 mil a year, then it's a no brainer. He will be the best 4th starter in babeball.

Did I understand you right when you said thet you are lobbying for Kartsens and Pavano in the rotation?
You can't seriously believe that the Yankees will go into '07 relying on these two guys to anchor their rotation. I like Huges, but he won't be up until July or August. The Yankees need at least one, maybe two frontline starters if they intend to compete for a Championship next year.

Which brings us to your boy A-Rod. Mark my words, he will NEVER wear Yankee Pinstripes again. Like it or not, he can not coexist with Jeter and even if he could, it is clear he doesn't have the heart or stomach to play post season babeball in the Bronx. He will be traded for one of those front line starters that they need. My bet is that it is either Ervin Santana of the Angels; Buerhle or McCarthy from the White Sox; or if Cashman gets really lucky, then either Dontrelle Willis or Carlos Zambrano.

Here is the Yankees starting pitching rotation for '07:

Dontrelle
Matsuzaka (Look it up…stud from Japan)
Wang
Moose
Unit

Anonymous said...

The option is for $20 million if you take into consideration interest, taxes and inflation.

And 2nd, I'm not sure which team you're commenting on, but this is for the NY Yankees.

Anonymous said...

LOL @ interest, tax and inflation.

And if you're going to run a blog on the Yankees....please try to learn a little something about the team and about baseball in general.

Crash said...

1st: Matsuzaka will not be a Yankee. They are still feeling the pain of the last Japanese pitcher import...recall the "fat toad" comment from The Boss.

2nd: Willis is not coming to the Yankees, Florida will not trade him.

3rd: Not sure on A-Rod, he could stay or go anway where out west. San Fran, Dodgers, Angels, even Padres. As long as the Yanks get 2 young arms, I don't care where he goes. Any shot the Red Sox want him???

Crash said...

The Yanks will not pick up the options on Shef and Moose. Though they may sign both. If they do look for Shef to be traded. This is only to prevent Boston from siging him to play RF as Trot Nixon is mostly likely done there.

Anonymous said...

I like that call about signing and trading Sheff, Crash...Think the mets would give up Heilman?

And they ARE getting the Japanese pitcher.....Dontrelle is probably a little wishful thinking, but I have a feeling they are gonna pull an OMG type of trade.

Unknown said...

We'll see about the OMG trade. I think we'll start to hear things in about 2 weeks. That will put us right before the GM Meetings (Nov 19th). Then the Winter Meetings are 12/4. You won't hear about free agents until around the holidays.

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