Yanks eye expanded rotation for September — and maybe beyond
By Joel ShermanAugust
The Yankees have a puzzle. They have huge investments and equal-size physical
concerns in their rotation.
What to do?
Pitching coach Larry Rothschild told The Post the Yankees are strongly
considering a six-man rotation for September and that it could serve as a
precursor for doing it on a longer and larger scale in 2015.
Rothschild cautioned that you have to be able to find enough starters to make
a six-man rotation feasible and that upper management would have to buy in.
And general manager Brian Cashman said that aside from “talking about it” a
bit, the organization is not committed to the concept in the short- or
long-term. At least not yet.
However, Rothschild was passionate about trying. “Absolutely” was the word
he used to describe if he was serious about attempting this. And not just
because myopically he has to figure out how to get the best out of Masahiro
Tanaka and Michael Pineda in September and that duo plus CC Sabathia and,
perhaps, Ivan Nova next year. But because he sees the epidemic of pitching
injuries, particularly the need for Tommy John surgeries, Rothschild says, “
I think people are going to have to look at a lot of alternatives.”
Obviously, there are folks still bemoaning the move from four- to five-man
rotations. But we are where we are and we are not going back. More guys throw
harder than ever before and more guys break down. The cost in days, dollars
and playoff chances lost are large. The organizations that figure out how to
keep their starters healthy are going to be king.
Consider that 10 teams have used eight or fewer starters this year. All 10
are over .500 and five of the six division leaders have used seven or fewer
starters. The average is nine per team, with the Rockies at a major
league-high 15 and the Yanks tied for fourth at 12.
Amazingly, the Yankees have not been sunk by their rotation. However, Cashman
said, if this season were played out 100 times, the Yankees would not have
solved their starting pitching problems in a large majority of them. I am not
sure. Pitching is better. Hitting is worse. Thus, I believe you can create
some starting pitching depth more readily than in the past. But is there a
way to keep key guys healthy? Will starting 26-28 times a season and getting
extra rest be better than starting 32-34 times in a five-man rotation?
I am not sure. But I believe it is worth a try and the Yanks are in perfect
position to open this laboratory, especially once rosters expand and they
have extra relievers in September. On Sept. 2, they begin a phase of 21 games
in 20 days. They also hope that during that period they will work Tanaka back
into the rotation. His dubious elbow, Pineda’s problematic shoulder and
Hiroki Kuroda’s age give them reason to try to provide extra rest.
For next season, taking the huge assumptions Tanaka does not need Tommy John
surgery and Sabathia can return from knee surgery, the Yankees have that duo
plus Pineda, Shane Greene and, perhaps, a re-signed Brandon McCarthy. That is
five. David Phelps and Adam Warren could vie for a sixth spot, at least until
Nova returns from Tommy John surgery or Luis Severino, Manny Banuelos or
Bryan Mitchell proves ready.
Remember, in Japan most teams have off days each Monday, so starters pitch
once a week. During the All-Star festivities, Rangers ace Yu Darvish said MLB
teams should shift to six-man rotations to replicate the once-a-week style
and take stress off elbows. Subsequently, Darvish was shut down with elbow
inflammation.
Can you convince pitchers with bulldog mentalities (like Sabathia) to pitch
in a six-man rotation? Because a six-man rotation likely would mean a six-man
pen (rather than seven), a team trying this would need players with options
so that they could move relievers, primarily, on and off the roster as
needed. As with any new attempt in a game of tradition, there will be
criticism, unintended consequences and expected bumps. Still, at least for
September, the Yankees should open this lab to see what it looks like,
particularly because they have Tanaka and Sabathia signed, potentially,
through 2020 and 2017, respectively.
“No doubt, you have to see how all the pieces fit,” Rothschild said. “But
I think it is something you have to take a look at.”
http://ppt.cc/oadF
洋基投手教练Larry Rothschild强烈考虑在9月实行6人轮值,甚至当作明年实行6人
轮值的前导.但是GM Brian Cashman说至少目前尚未决定.Rothschild也说要这样做
必须要有足够的投手高层才会买帐.
以下是个人想法:
洋基今年深受SP受伤所苦,改成6人轮值让SP多休一天是否会改善这个状况?要多一个
SP代表牛棚或是野手名单就会少一个人,因为可以多休一天,提高SP的投球数由100球
到120球是可以减轻牛棚的负担,但是这就会增加失分的机率,外加上第6号SP的压制力
更差,真的有单一球队愿意这么做吗?除非有人先试验,然后发现前几号SP因为多休一
天受伤机率减小外,也表现得更勇猛,这样才会有其他球队效法吧?
其实我觉得多一个SP对联盟比赛精采性或许也有帮助,最近投手越来越强,让打击可以
多得点分又可以保护投手,似乎也不错~