It’s that time of year again. Mother Nature is breezing the lovely season of spring throughout New York City and calling on the Yankees to come out and play. So what’s in store for America’s team this season? Well now that Andy Pettite has retired, the Yankee pitching rotation lacks a legend and is facing big changes.
The talk of the rotation for the upcoming season is 24-year-old Ivan Nova. Joe Girardi, now going on his fourth year as manager, has been raving about Nova’s talent and how much the team loves what he can bring to the table this season. Despite all the positive energy being thrown his way, Nova is still considered a bit of a risk if he becomes a full-time starter; he still has to adjust to the big leagues.
While Phil Hughes might have looked promising at the start of his first season, his inconsistent ERA was cause for some concern. Though it looked a bit rough last summer, he managed to bring back some good pitching near the end of the season. Though he may not be the talk of the team, or the number one starter for the upcoming season, Hughes still holds promise with the team.
Then we have AJ Burnett, who came out of last season not only with his eight-figure salary, but with a whopping 10 wins and 15 losses. His disaster of an ERA damaged his numbers as well as his career. But this season Burnett’s career lies in the hands of Larry Rothschild, his new pitching coach. Rothschild is expected to bring Burnett’s tarnishing 5.26 ERA down to somewhere in the mid 3’s.
CC Sabathia remains the Yankees’ number one. Ending the 2010 season with a 3.18 ERA, he is one of the strongest pitchers in baseball today. It is predicted that even at the age of thirty, Sabathia will continue to dominate the world of pitching with his extreme groundballing.
Joba Chamberlain is slowly making his way up the totem pole. While he is not yet a starter, the Yankees have him ready to be a setup man for the 2011 season. He holds promise with the team and is considered a ratio helper to any teams’ stats.
Of course every team has its share of relief pitchers. But the legendary Mariano Rivera remains the number one asset to the Yankee pitching rotation. Serving as a closer until his soon-anticipated retirement, the 41-year-old finished off last season with an unsurprising 1.80 ERA.
For the last few years, the Yankee bull pen has been noticeably shaky. With not many options for the season ahead, the pen is starting to see little improvements slowly peaking through. Sabathia will lead the rotation, while Nova makes his way to the top. Hughes will follow in an attempt to improve his standing with the team, the fans, and his career itself. Burnett has much to make up for this season and will hopefully make some dramatic changes for the team with the help of his new coach. But while Joba and more are held for relief, we know two things are for sure: the rotation is facing a great loss with Andy Pettite’s retirement, but when in doubt, Mariano Rivera will still be around to save the day.
