Luckily for the Yankees, the season doesn't end today.
Prior to the start of the 2009 season, Brian Cashman constructed a starting rotation that arguably was the best in baseball, coupled with an offense that was hands down the best. But after paying little attention to the bullpen and the depth on the bench, the Yankees lost many games in the first half of the season because of their two obvious flaws.
With the bullpen becoming the team's strength, the bench becoming stabilized and the offense continuing to do their thing, the starting rotation has become to the newest facet of the Yankees' game to begin to take on water, and so far, Cashman has opted against trying to plug any of the holes.
As recent as Saturday, Cashman denied being in the mix for Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee to reporters. Partially due to the tampering rules of the game and partially because he actually might not be talking to Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi and Indians general manager Mark Shapiro about possible deals. The tristate area is hoping it’s not the latter.
It's hard to believe that Cashman won't take part in the Halladay and Lee sweepstakes that are likely to take place over the next two weeks, whether he will admit to it or not. Remember, it wasn't too long ago that Cashman said he was content with Nick Swisher playing first base for the Yankees before swooping in to land Mark Teixeira as part of an epic offseason in the Bronx.
And while it will certainly take a lot to land either of the two aces, it is certainly worth it.
No Yankees fan wants to see Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes shipped away at the ages of 24 and 23, respectively. And no Yankees fan wants Jesus Montero or Austin Jackson to make it to the majors and realize their potential wearing another uniform. But that is the price you must pay sometimes to seriously make a run at a championship. And in this case, that is precisely what the Yankees must do to contend.
As of now, the Yankees’ starting rotation in the ALDS would be CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and then flip a coin. Heads, it's Andy Pettitte. Tails, it's Joba Chamberlain. Pencil in Pettitte if you care about experience, or give Chamberlain the nod if you think the 2007-08 dominance is still somewhere in the right arm of Joba.
But add Halladay or Lee to that rotation and the opposition can pack up the bats and balls and call it a season. Because it’s tough to deny a Halladay, Sabathia, Burnett or Lee, Sabathia, Burnett rotation would be the most formidable big three in baseball come October.
The last time the Yankees reached the World Series was 2003 when they boasted a rotation of Pettitte, David Wells, Mike Mussina and Roger Clemens. The Yankees appeared on their way to a fifth title in eight years with a 2-1 series lead before Joe Torre managed them out of the series in a disastrous Game 4 in Florida, but that's besides the point. The point is that the 2003 Yankees were built around their starting pitching, the same way the 1996-2002 Yankees were. And if Cashman and Co. have learned anything over the past five seasons, it should be that you can't count on the second coming of Murderer's Row come the second season.
Chien-Ming Wang, Pettitte, Clemens and Mussina were not enough to get by the Indians in 2007.
Wang, Mussina, Randy Johnson and Jaret Wright couldn't handle the Tigers in 2006.
Wang, Mussina, Johnson and Shawn Chacon didn't have enough to knock off the Angels in 2005.
And the Yankees would like to forget about 2004.
On Tuesday, they will send Sergio Mitre and his 10-23 career record and 5.36 ERA from the National League to the mound against the Baltimore Orioles. For $201 million, a team shouldn’t have to rely on someone of Mitre's ability to recreate Chacon or Aaron Small from the summer of '05.
But since the old guard began to leave one by one following the World Series loss to the Marlins nearly six years ago, it's been one poor pitching decision after another for Cashman. Now he finally has a chance to right his previous mistakes and put his team in the best possible position to win a World Series.
Will he finally decide to take the club to another level or put the fate of the 2009 Yankees in the hands of the offense for a sixth straight season? We'll have an answer in 12 days.
