I'm not just looking at this as a one year fix. Our pitching is OLD. Sabathia is not only a great, Ace type, pitcher, but he's also young. I'd want a deal only if we could sign him long term, but not if he'd want to test the waters.
As far as the current rotation, it almost seems as if you're counting Pedro to come back and stay healthy, El Duque to stay healthy, and Ollie to stay effective. I know I
ray: all these things happen, but it does take quite the optimist :wink:
Well lts put it this way, I wouldnt be upset if he became available and we got him for a package of say Humber and Milledge or something but first the Indians would have to go in to a tailspin (theyre playing well) and second the last time Minaya dealt with Cleveland and gave up a five tool OF for a rent a pitcher it was Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee for Bartolo Colon. Im not sure he really would want to do something along those lines again.....even if the situation is MUCH different (i.e. team not moving, strike looming possibly, having financial resources etc).
As far as the current rotation, im pretty comfortable as it is, let alone when Pedro comes back. I dont expect Maine and Duque to have pristine sub 3 era's all year but collectively as a staff I dont see anyone who should have an era above 4 if they pitch to capability. Pelfrey may be the exception but even he is really just having bad 1st innings/1st time through. For some inexplicable reason hes doing much better the 3rd time he sees a hitter which is just the opposite of how it usually works. Im very confident Pelfrey can improve based on what hes done because its been stated hes too jittery before games; it seems like once he settles in hes fine. His era by pitch count and by inning breaks down as such:
Pitch 1-15 ERA: 0.00 WHIP: 2.14 OPP B/A: .300
Pitch 16-30 ERA: 15.00 WHIP: 3.33 OPP B/A: .417
Pitch 31-45 ERA: 6.14 WHIP: 0.82 OPP B/A: .200
Pitch 46-60 ERA: 0.00 WHIP: 3.00 OPP B/A: .467
Pitch 61-75 ERA: 19.64 WHIP: 0.55 OPP B/A: .154
Pitch 76-90 ERA: 0.00 WHIP: 1.50 OPP B/A: .231
Pitch 91-105 ERA: 0.00 WHIP: 1.00 Opp B/A: .250
Pitch 106-20 ERA: 0.00 WHIP: 0.00 OPP B/A: 1.000
1st inning: 12.60 ERA
2nd inning: 3.60
3rd inning: 12.60
4th inning: 2.25
5th inning: 0.00
6th inning: 4.50
1st 9 batters: 8.38 ERA
2nd 9 batters: 7.45
3rd 9 batters: 1.50
I wouldnt complain if we dealt for sabathia but I just dont see the point in letting Cleveland take Pelfrey back and essentially recycle high salaried vets for young potential stars. If they want to cut payroll they can sell him cheaper and give us some incentive to take him on. Just cause the mets have money to blow doesnt mean we should take the double risk and give up top tiered prospects too and that goes for any team not just the mets. Theres no reason to take a double hit if that moves goes bad, payroll and prospect depth.
I happen to really like CC but I question whether it makes sense to bring him in. We'd have a staff of Pedro/CC/TG/Maine/Ollie and bump Pelfrey and sosa but where too? Pelfrey has accomplished all he can at AA so he's got to take his lumps in the bigs. Sosa can go to the pen I suppose but then where does Sele go and is sosa really an upgrade? Too many bodies not enough spaces...To me 2b is a more pressing need. Just move Milledge there :)
