The Yankees and Red Sox have approached the offseason with uncharacteristic restraint — at least so far. Freddy Garcia ($4MM deal with the Yankees) and Nick Punto ($3MM deal with the Red Sox) represent their most extravagant open market expenditures of the winter (though the Yankees did lock C.C. Sabathia up to an extension). Here’s the latest on the longtime American League rivals from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com:
- The Yankees “desperately seek” a number two starter, according to Heyman. Edwin Jackson and Matt Garza may be more likely targets than Hiroki Kuroda, Jair Jurrjens, Wandy Rodriguez, Gavin Floyd and Roy Oswalt. The Yankees like Jackson’s arm, potential and durability, though they wonder about his consistency. However, they would like to keep new contracts to one or two years and Jackson seeks a five-year deal in the $60MM range.
- The Yankees also like Garza, who can be retained through 2013 via arbitration.
- The Red Sox are still considering a new contract for Jason Varitek, Heyman reports. The Red Sox value his contributions and haven’t ruled out a reunion, despite the presence of catchers Kelly Shoppach, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway on the roster. "Our hope is that Tek will always be a part of the Red Sox in some way," GM Ben Cherington told reporters last month.
Who the hell views Edwin Jackson as a number 2?
Blue Jays do.
Back to Back years of 200 innings and an xFIP in the 3.70’s?? If Jackson’s not a #2, who is?
Hes not, Hamels and Cains are #2’s Edwin is a 3-4
Well Hamels and Cain are only #2’s because of who’s playing in front of them. Most people think Cain will be better than Lincecum. Hamels is a beast that just happens to play behind Lee and Halladay.
I think on most teams Cain and Hamels would be the ace, because they already are.
I’ve never heard anyone say that Cain “will be better than Lincecum.” They’re the same age, Cain has been in the majors longer, and he’s never approached Lincecum’s level.
I’ve heard it numerous times from SF fans, and a few analysts. I think it was more of them saying that if they had to extend only one that it should be Cain, not so much that Cain is better than Lincecum as of the past few years obviously.
xFIP doesn’t consider hits. If you look at his career h/9 and WHIP numbers, you can see that he has a high propensity to give up hits. (not a good way to succeed in the AL East) At any rate, his 3.7 xFIP isn’t even his career rate.
Also, while I do like his declining walk rate, he can still be volatile (he had a 4 BB/9 with Arizona). I wouldn’t be willing to give him a 5 year contract just based on 2 years of decent xFIP numbers.
FIP doesn’t consider hits either (except HR).
And what’s funny for those who like it say “This is how good a pitcher is without his defense”. Except one problem, FIP does factor defense becuase Innings Pitched is involved, and of course Defensive outs add to IP as well.
lol that’s what I was gonna say. Whatever though. Go for it Yanks. AJ Burnett part deux?
The Yanks are gonna need to acquire Garza to get a real premium no. 2. Kuroda, Jurjjens, Oswalt would be solid too, though Roy carries risk and those three guys won’t outperform Garza. Jurjjens is good but in a division like the AL East if he brings anything less than his best control he is gonna get slammed a bit and come back to earth a lot. Jackson could show number 2 stuff in stretches but I don’t think the Yankees is where its all gonna click, especially on five years. I mean Jackson has been on something like five teams in three years or so and none of them even seriously considered giving him an extension. For someone to just run out and toss him five years makes little sense. The league can wait Boras out and get him at something like two years, or one with an option. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him out there long after Kuroda and Oswalt are signed. As for the whole Tek thing I don’t see anyway he plays for AAA or the sox sign him and let Shoppach play there so I don’t see it happening. I personally wish they didnt sign Shoppach and just resigned him but hey its a business. He has always been a good guy and I hope he comes back to us somewhere in the org at some point. Wakefield could still be a fit in my opinion. If he is willing to take a contract at under 1M we could still find use for him as a spot starter and long man again. He pitched some solid games last year nothing spectacular but for mop up duty and occasional starts you could do alot worse.
most people would disagree with you about wakefield should be resigned, but i agree. although his ERA has been around 4.00 + i like him even as a yankee fan. and his ERA only comes with him being a knuckle ball thrower. but i do agree you could do alot worst, not to mention i think id prefer him over Dice-k or lackey. bet sox fans are happy that lackey is out for the year lol
He is very high and low thats why he always had those 12-12 seasons. But despite the ERA he usually manages to give you 6 innings and on the cheap (Which he what would be required for his return) we could do worse. He is an icon here we all love the guy and though the playing time he will get is likely small he could still thrive off it. If he gets 9 or so starts throughout the season to save some guys health here and there and comes in during blow outs to save the pen he will be very useful. And the incentive for him is obviously another year to add a couple wins to his Sox record which is something we all want to see as long as the timing is right.
Oh and we are very happy Lackey is out. Now if he comes back strong from the injury we got him for one of those years at league minimum. He wasn’t that bad the first year, his second half was excellent. It was 2011 that was truly intolerable. So now that he is slightly cheaper if he can pull the rest together he might make that contract look a little better.
Unless the Sox are thinking of trading Salty, why would they even think of signing Varitek. He’d give them 3 major league catchers, which no team carries anymore. Either something is up or it’s a line of BS by the Sox.
why in the world would they trade Salty though? that just doesn’t make sense to me.
So now Edwin Jackson and Matt Garza are #2 pitchers? And Jon Heyman, sorry, you’re wrong. The Yankees do not seek a #2 pitcher, what they seek is another ace like CC, to fill the top two spots and to pitch in different formations when necessary. Please, neither pitcher interests me and neither are meaningful upgrades from Hughes and Burnett when you consider all the costs involved, both prospects and dollars. If the Yankees want to toss $22mm over 2 years for Jackson, fine, but at any price that Garza commands it will be too much and just a waste of prospects for the Yankees.
I agree Garza is gonna cost too much (Everybody’s asking a premium for starters) But I assert strongly he is an upgrade over both Burnett and Hughes. Until Hughes or Burnett prove otherwise Garza is a much better player.
Yankees… Sign Oswalt! He fits all of the criteria without giving up a single prospect. Roy and CC could be a deadly combination at the top of that rotation. I’m blown away that he is still out there. This guy has been about as durable as it gets for his entire career. In the past eight seasons he has thrown over 200 innings six times. In one of those years he threw 181 with 30 starts. Last year was the anomaly. Even with the limited time he was worth 2.5 WAR. One year at 11-12 mill is a steal.
What “contributions” by Varitek? He couldn’t hit water if he fell out of the boat, is old and slow–and as Captain, he sat on his duff and did nothing as the Sox fell off the edge of the earth in Sept. Wave goodbye to him.