Posted by VDesai:
Kennedy will probably be a reliever in the playoffs:
http://www.nj.com/yankees/ledger/index.s...
I have more confidence in him than in Mussina or Roger, but I can understand it if they want to keep his total innings down.
Question is now what to do they do with Hughes. B/C he was hurt he's actually behind in his development this year. I suppose he's still a contender with Moose for the rotation and that he'll finish out the year in the rotation. Will they feel comfortable enough to use him in the pen?
hughes and kennedy will be in the pen.
the top 4 pitchers for joe will be wang, pettite, clemens, moose.
but any one of them will get the quick hook.
Would you use Hughes in a short relief role, perhaps for a key 5th or 6th inning spot?
He can get a strikeout if needed but he's had problems recently with the start of games. So he might need time to get a feel for his pitches which doesn't bode well for a reliever.
Kennedy can strike people out but he pitches more to contact. I'd leave him as the emergency starter with Hughes the long man.
I think Kennedy this year is pitching FAR better than Hughes and I'd take him over Hughes in any important situation (starting, mid relief, late relief if needed)
I think Hughes is getting punished in the court of public opinion for getting hurt and missing a lot of time.
He's just now getting back into rhythm. He's had some bad starts to games but then he continues to be lights out afterwards.
agree w.u Bonn... Kennedy's been a lot better than Hughes so far in his limited starts... Hughes is still so damn young, i don't have a problem if he doesn't get any playing time this postseason... he'll have plenty more opportunities over his career i'm sure... it'll do him good just to be in the stadium to experience the atmosphere, much like Jeter & Jorge did when they were just coming up through the ranks.
Posted by TMS:
agree w.u Bonn... Kennedy's been a lot better than Hughes so far in his limited starts... Hughes is still so damn young, i don't have a problem if he doesn't get any playing time this postseason... he'll have plenty more opportunities over his career i'm sure... it'll do him good just to be in the stadium to experience the atmosphere, much like Jeter & Jorge did when they were just coming up through the ranks.
Over the last 3 starts, the same amount of starts for Kennedy, Hughes hasn't been much worse. 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA.
I think it would be a mistake to just ignore what he has to offer come playoff time.
i didn't say ignore him, only that i don't think it's a must that we get him involved in a playoff game so early in his development... he's still a 21 yo kid afterall... i'd use Kennedy before i used Hughes, that's the only point i was trying to make.
Posted by TMS:
i didn't say ignore him, only that i don't think it's a must that we get him involved in a playoff game so early in his development... he's still a 21 yo kid afterall... i'd use Kennedy before i used Hughes, that's the only point i was trying to make.
I think it depends on the situation.
By no means have I given up on Hughes. I think he's a wonderful prospect and it may be the case that leg injuries interfered with him this year. That said, I'm still going with Kennedy in big moments b/c he's been so consistent. I love how he hits the corners with pinpoint control while still reaching the low 90s.
Kennedy scratched from Saturday start
Posted by Ed Price September 21, 2007 4:00PM
Rookie Ian Kennedy, who is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA after three starts in the majors, has been scratched from tomorrow's start against Toronto with what the team is calling a muscle strain in his upper back.
Since the team has been using six starters, the others will move up a day: Roger Clemens vs. Shaun Marcum tomorrow, Phil Hughes vs. Dustin McGowan on Sunday and Mike Mussina vs. A.J. Burnett on Monday.
I think TMS was right that they just want to keep his innings down.
let's say Kennedy were to go out & pitch a gem in his next start, that woulda made Torre's decision that much more complicated... i'm not so sure this is really a legitimate injury as much as it is a move to ensure that Moose gets into the starting rotation & saving Kennedy's arm from extended innings so he's available in October... obviously this is just speculation on my part.
i'm a little nervous about this toronto series - they have an awesome staff.
Posted by djsunyc:
i'm a little nervous about this toronto series - they have an awesome staff.
Is there any Toronto team you don't like?!
JK. I agree with you. They have a good team that got decimated by injuries. Even with their injuries, I think they'd be about 10 games above .500 if they were in the NL.
This is looking like a classic pitchers' duel!
Would you try to sign Barry Bonds this off-season to be our DH? Reports are that he won't be back in SF. I know we have a nice youth movement and this would be starphucking, but he's still an amazing hitter. And the idea of the Red Sox picking him up and him hitting between Ortiz and Manny is really scary.
AROD AGENT A 'CUB $COUT'
STAR COULD BE PART OWNER
September 23, 2007 -- A new report says Alex Rodriguez's agent has spoken to a potential new owner of the Chicago Cubs about a bank-breaking deal that could give A-Rod a cut of the team.
The powerful Yankee third baseman is eligible to opt for free agency 10 days after the World Series ends this fall. And, New York magazine reports, super-agent Scott Boras is already talking to who he thinks is the favorite group vying to purchase Chicago's first-place team.
A-Rod has three seasons left on a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Yanks but has the right to become a free agent after this season ends.
According to the magazine, Boras is peddling a Second City deal that could go for an average of $30 million a year over 10 seasons, with much of that cash backloaded for the 32-year-old Rodriguez - who would then be given the right to buy a chunk of the Cubs at the contract's conclusion. The report does not indicate who would pay for this proposed, precedent-setting deal.
The Tribune Company, owner of The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times and Newsday, announced in April it was seeking to break off the Cubs from its media empire and sell the team after this season.
New York magazine writes that Boras is in talks with the ownership group that insiders believe will win the Cub-purchase derby.
That, however, may violate Major League Baseball rules.
"It is tampering for an agent to talk to anybody about a player who is under contract with another team," a sports-business expert told The Post.
Boras did not return calls for comment.
Asked about the potential deal after the Yankees' win yesterday over the Blue Jays, A-Rod said only, "I don't know what that's about."
New York magazine doesn't name the front-running owner wannabe but reports that it is not Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban of the NBA, who's expressed interest in grabbing the Cubs.
It has been reported that a group led by private-equity mogul John Canning, chief executive of Chicago's Madison Dearborn Partners, has the best shot.
Other bidders include a group led by local lawyer Thomas Mandler and businessman Jim Anixter, and another spearheaded by former state Sen. Bill Marovitz.
The prospect would put A-Rod in a small class of athletes-turned-owners:
* Michael Jordan owns a stake of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats and had a piece of the Washington Wizards while playing there during a brief comeback.
* The legendary Connie Mack served as longtime manager of baseball's Philadelphia Athletics, a job from which he couldn't be fired since he also owned the team.
* Mario Lemieux is principal owner and chairman of the team for which he once starred, the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.
* And NHL legend Wayne Gretzky is managing partner of hockey's Phoenix Coyotes.
Even though the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 - a span that has seen the Yanks bring 26 titles to The Bronx - they're expected to sell for a record price between $600 million and $1 billion.
If Boras does cut a deal with the Cubs, A-Rod would be joining a stable of all-stars led by his former Seattle Mariner skipper, Lou Piniella.
