Start Joba AND Hughes in 2010
By Howard Megdal ~ December 23rd, 2009. Filed under: Howard Megdal.
The acquisition this week of Javier Vazquez seems to have pitted the fans of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain against each other- only one man can become a starter, while the other is destined for eight-inning duty.
It doesn’t- and shouldn’t-be that way. Whoever doesn’t start in the rotation must be sent to Triple-A for more time as a starter.
Of the two pitchers, Phil Hughes had the better 2009 out of the bullpen, while it isn’t necessarily clear that Vazquez will be an upgrade in the 2010 rotation over Joba Chamberlain. After all, Vazquez has a career 4.19 ERA as a starter- while Joba, for all his supposed problems reaching his potential, has a 4.18 ERA as a starter.
And of the two, Chamberlain is obviously the one likelier to exceed his past performance, as a pitcher turning 24.
But one certainly can’t fault the Yankees for obtaining Vazquez’s ability to be good-to-great while pitching 200 innings every single season. And a spring training where either Hughes or Chamberlain will slot in as the number five is a spring likely to be a precursor to summer/fall success.
But looking at the rest of the rotation, moving Joba Chamberlainor Phil Hughes to the bullpen does a disservice to the team in 2010 and beyond.
In 2010, the Yankees will have A.J. Burnett in the rotation- a pitcher who was healthy in 2009, yes, but whose health is the exception to the rule throughout his career. They also have a 38-year-old Andy Pettitte. And whichever pitcher gets that fifth nod, Chamberlain or Hughes, is no guarantee to succeed.
Having the other at Triple-A, starting every day, will keep a ready-made solution to any rotation problems in reserve- a tremendous depth to have. And even if no injuries occur, the extra time as a starter will also allow Joba Chamberlain to further develop his arsenal, and Phil Hughes the chance to pitch a full season of starter’s innings in preparation for when they will both almost certainly be needed: 2011.
Andy Pettitte, after all, is signed to a one-year deal. One of these years, he’s going to hang it up- or lose effecitveness. Javy Vazquez is also only signed through 2010- one reason he was such an attractive trade option. Will the Yankees, even off of a good season, want to sign Vazquez long-term, beginning with his age-34 season? Unlikely.
Of course, these being the Yankees, there’s always free agent options. But why on earth would New York do that, with pitchers like Chamberlain and Hughes as potential high-upside, low-cost rotation options?
With a bullpen overflowing with options ranging from Robertson to Aceves, Ramirez to Marte, and Melancon waiting in the wings at Triple-A (not to mention, Mariano Rivera), the Yankees don’t have the bullpen crisis so acute that they should blow up the development of 40 percent of their 2011 rotation.
And wasting Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in middle relief is not any more excusable now, just because they picked up a strong value for the 2010 rotation group.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I couldn’t agree with you more. The yanks bullpen had matured to the point where they don’t need either one in the pen, so leave one to pitch in SWB and let the other take their turn in the rotation. This not only allows them to build up innings and mature as starters, but also add depth to the rotation.
We’ll have to see how spring training goes, but I would think that Joba would be the 5th starter. He spent most of last year in that role, and the Joba Rules are now a thing of the past. Let Hughes build up his innings at AAA. And if anyone pulls a Wang or a Pavano this year, Hughes will be ready to step right in. If not, he can make some spot starts and be ready to join the rotation next year.