Slow Off-Season For The Yanks

The Story So Far
Well, it's been a long month and a half since the Yankees got bundled out by the Angels who got trounced by the eventual World Series winners, the White Sox. Since then, the Yankees have hired a bevvy of ex-managers to their coaching ranks: Joe Kerrigan as bullpen coach; Tony Pena as first base coach to replace Roy White; and Larry Bowa to replace Luis Sojo as third base coach. all these guys have managed elsewhere to mixed results, but thee word in the WWW is that Bowa's a great third base coach, Pena is great with Latin players and that Joe Kerrigan is a superb pitching coach who can back up Ron Guidry.

Ron Guidry's appointment as pitching coach was kind of radical seeing that he hasn't coached anywhere; he's doing it on the strength of having helped out players in spring training. That's a thin resume for a coach, but he has two big things in his favour. he's a home grown Yankee as much as Don Mattingly and he never seemed fussed with George Steinbrenner's antics during the halcyon days of Steinbrenner antics (it has to be said George is a lot more calmer now).

A-Rod won his AL MVP award and the press has spent weeks trying to take him down for not being Jeter. It' a shame they have to defy reason, twist logic, destroy definitions and invent new forms of idiocy to advance this pseudo-argument that A-Rod was undeserving of the MVP. Hopefully he'll have another bumper crop year and the Yanks win the World Series and everybody will then go back to the usual, "the Yankees win because they have so much money" routines. While being equally wrong, that argument would be easier to live with because it would mean the Yanks had won in 2006. :)

Matsui came back into the fold for a 4 year 52million deal. Some are saying he's getting over-paid; which is probably true given that by the fourth year of that contract, he might haave declined substantially. Still, let's be blunt; the Yankees got him for a bargain for 3 years because he was so desperate to play for them. Now that he's passed his audition, he's getting some back-pay.
Meanwhile there have been reports that Carl Pavano wants out of the Bronx. Cashman has said that that's not something they are looking to do.

So where does that leave the holes in Center Field and the bullpen? Not very good so far.
First, the Center Field problem.
It seems where ever the Yankees turn to look for a trade, they keep getting asked for Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang. I seem to recall nobody wanted Cano last year when the Yankees went shopping for Randy Johnson. It'ss amazing what a difference a season can make. It stil doesn't change the fact that Yankees have not managed to get a trade for a Center Fielder.
To date, this is what we've heard:
The White Sox won't trade Aaron Rowand; instead they flipped him to the Phillies for Jim Thome.
The Twins won't trade Torii Hunter.
The Mariners have some kind of problem wtith Ichiro, but they won't trade him to the Yankees.
The A's have Mark Kotsay but asked for Cano and Wang - thanks Billy for reminding 'Cash' how valuable they are. If there's one GM who's asking for a player of yours that you should listen to, it would be Billy Beane.
Milton Bradley would be a god fit and he's unwanted in LA; but the Yankees say they won't take on the personality problems.
The Marlins are having a fire-sale and so Juan Pierre might be available, but he is a truly un-appetising option.
Tampa Bay won't trade Rocco Baldelli, but that's not very surprising.
The Mets' displaced Center Fielder Mike Cameron has already been traded to the Padres.
Right now it's looking like the Yanks should've signed Beltran last year rather than get Pavano and Wright. Don't even get me started on the Woemack signing.

Then there's the persistent Brian Giles sounds but Cashman says he's not looking at Giles as the Centerf Felder.
The fall-back plan is that they will start with Bubba Crosby and maybe find him a platoon partner. Maybe it will be Kevin Thompson who played center in AAA Columbus. Heck, maybe Melky Cabrera will arrive next year, though it seems a little unlikely.
UPDATE: There is however the possibility they'll flip Carl Pavano for Rowand to the Phillies.

The Bullpen is another kettle of fish altogether. They seem unable to convince anybody to come over.
BJ Ryan is looking to close; even though he said he wouldn't mind setting upon.
Billy Wagner is probably going to the Mets.
Scott Eyre signed with the Cubs; that was bad.
Tom Gordon's 38, declining, and asking for 3 years; he's dreaming.
So now it's looking like Kyle Farnsworth is an option.
Here's a nice bit of thinking by Steve Lombardi:

Right now, the only thing that we know about the Yankees 2006 bullpen is that Mariano Rivera and Tanyon Sturtze will be in it. I do expect the Yankees to carry 6 pitchers in their pen to start the season next year. This means there are four spots to fill.

I'm hoping that the Yankees re-sign Aaron Small to take one of those four slots - he deserves it (based on what he did in 2005).

I also anticipate Jaret Wright getting one of the four spots (as the "last man" in the pen) - and here I assume that he is healthy, not traded, and not needed for the starting rotation. If he is not available, I suppose it would be OK to have Jorge DePaula take this role on the team - or even a prospect like Steven White. The "last man" in the pen doesn't have to be a stud - just someone who can handle a mop.

What about the other two undefined positions in the bullpen? It would be nice to have a lefty in the mix. A propect like Matt Smith or a vet like Al Leiter maybe? And, for the other spot, right now, according to who's on the roster, it will be a Scott Proctor type. Or, could it be Jose Veras?

In summary, right now, it would look like this:

Closer: Rivera
Set-up: Sturtze and Small
Bridge: Proctor or Veras
Lefty: Smith or Leiter
Long-man: Wright or DePaula or White

I could see Torre burning out Sturtze and Small in a hurry with that group.

Ideally, the Yankees can acquire another set-up type pitcher, for now call him Kyle Farnsworth, and then everyone below Mo slides down a notch, as follows:

9th Inning: Rivera
8th Inning: Farnsworth
6th and 7th Inning: Sturtze and Small
5th Inning: Wright
Lefty: Leiter/Smith

And, then, you have Proctor, Veras, DePaula, et al, pitching in Columbus, if needed, where they belong. Or, one of them replaces Wright (if needed).

So, to me, the Yankees bullpen plan should be simple:

Sign Small.
Sign Farnsworth (or someone like him).
Figure out who is your lefty.

I wonder what they're waiting for?

It ain't half bad, but that bridge has already been half-burnt already. They really need another couple of power arms, not just one. BJ Ryan would've been good, but they need more. If Leiter is the Loogy, that's fine, but we don't want him pitching an inning. Having him will always tempt Joe in to using him for more than an inning. Personally, he's a maddening pitcher to watch.
If anything, I think Small should be the long man who does the inevitable spot-starts.
And what of Jorge DePaula? Is he going to come back effective, and will that be soon enough?

The Red Sox meanwhile have traded for future ace Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. The Marlins really are going ahead with their fire-sale. I have 2 words for the Yankee Brass: Guillermo Mota. If they can score Mota for two pennies and a tub of lard in the Marlin fire-sale, that would be nice indeed.

UPDATE 2: Guillermo Mota actually went to the Bosox in the Beckett&Lowell deal so we can all scratch that one.