Posted in Yankees Opinion, Yankees Outlook, Yankees: Off the field, tagged AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Brad Penny, Jack McDowell, Javy Vasquez, Joba Chamberlain, John Lackey, John Smoltz, Justin Duchscherer, Kenny Rodgers, Phil Hughes, Randy Johnson on December 15, 2009|
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Now that we know where Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and John Lackey will be playing baseball in 2010, it’s time to look at the best options that the Yankees have not named Chien-Ming Wang. The best free agent options the Yankees have are Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets. Let’s compare these two and pick a future Yankee…
Ben Sheets- Pros
Upon mentioning his name, I know I invoke a few groans and rolls of the eyes, which is well deserved, in some cases. Though, the stats do not lie, in 8 active years, he has an ERA of 3.72 and 7.6 Ks per nine innings. Though, when healthy (and that’s a big IF) he can throw 200+ innings easily and even with injury riddled years, he provides 6+ innings in his starts. Think of this you can slide Ben Sheets in as a 4th or 5th starter and move Joba or Phil to the bullpen or rotate their starts which benefits everyone. With Ben not needing to be the #1 starter like he was in Milwaukee, he can relax and pitch his game. When healthy, Ben Sheets has the potential to be a front line starter. Sheets is also one year younger than Justin Duchscherer.
Cons
Sheets missed all of last year due to rehabilitation of his surgically repaired elbow which he injured in 2008. All the eye rolling and scoffing at him possibly signing is well deserved. The biggest con against him is his health. If you remove 2008 from his pitching records, from 2005 to 2007, his innings pitched were: 156.2, 106, 141.1. Not exactly stellar, more like Joba rules were in effect for him. Another big IF is whether or not he’d be able to pitch in a big city market like New York. Many pitchers have come and not lived up to their expectations or wilted under the pressure (See: Javy Vasquez, Kenny Rodgers, Jack McDowell, Randy Johnson, etc al). He has also pitched solely in the National League Central… (more…)
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