Joba to start in Bullpen, finish in Rotation

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Signing 40 year old closers who are declining is not risky, it's dumb.

That would be the case with anyone else besides the best closer in the game.

Just because you have the money doesn't mean you have to buy the most expensive guy on the market or the biggest name.

It actually does in a lot of cases. Not all the time, but many times it does. Those guys bring in the crowds. That's why the Yankees set attendance records wherever they go. Hell they even sold out KANSAS CITY. When you sell out Kansas City you're doing something right. Those guys get to be big names for a reason: they're good. So bringing in the highest paid guys or the biggest names actually does make a lot of sense, if you have the means to do it.

[love_that_reefer]

He's not the best closer in the game anymore. He hasn't been for the past couple of seasons. Your point for bringing in the most expensive talent makes no sense what so ever. The point of signing guys is to win ballgames and in NY its to win championships, not sell out KC. You bring in guys who fit well with what your team concept is. I can;'t believe I have to keep saying this. Look at your franchise since the payroll climbed. In 1999, the Yankees spent only $7 or 8 mil more than the second highest payroll. Look at it now. I wonder why they haven't won anything? Oh yeah, because signing the biggest names doesn't get you anything.

[nyjunc]

What's gross is the Yankees inability to learn from their mistakes. You could have found a good setup man for half the cost Rivera makes annually. That's why the Red Sox are a better run organization.

Where are these good setup men? until Joba showed up last year we had been looking for years to find a dependable steup man. Gordon was a good reg season setup man but we hadn't had a reliable October setup man since the days of Stanton and Nelson. It's not easy to find those guys and a combo of Joba to Mariano is much better than someone else to joba.

[love_that_reefer]

The Yankees were looking in all the wrong places. They were looking at big names instead of good talent. I have already said I would take a Riske/Joba over a Joba/Rivera over three years. Yankees should have realized they probably aren't going to make the playoffs this season with the current roation but they felt they could hit their way into the playoffs again and needed to keep a declining closer......for three more years. Add a huge steroid cloud in Pettitte and it makes even harder to make it to October. No more Torre to handle the tough NY media.

[nyjunc]

I feel more confident in our rotation than I have in years. yes we have some young guys who may or may not be ready but it's better than older, inconsistent SPs.

[love_that_reefer]

I agree and think it is good they didn't trade for Santana. But I am realistic and know the rotation for '08 is not likely to get to the playoffs. Too young and too many questions marks. I think in 2010 if they keep the young core and don't waste their money like they have been, they will own one of if not the best rotation in baseball.

[nyjunc]

I think it may be too young but I expect Wang and Andy to be their usual selves and I expect hughes to take a big step up this year. I think our rotation should be good enough to make a playoff run but there is a chance Hughes and kennedy aren't ready to be consistent SPs yet but I could take a year off from the postseason as long as they don't get rid of the young guys b/c I can see a very bright future w/ them.

[love_that_reefer]

Hey, I'm looking forward to seeing the young guys like Hughes, Kennedy and Joba come through. Anything to knock Mussina out of the rotation is fine with me.

[nyjunc]

I have a weird feeling Mussina is going to have a bounce back year, not that he'll be great(he never was great) but I think he'll be a useful pitcher unlike a year ago.