Official "I'm Glad I'm not Brian Cashman" 2007-2008 NYY Off-season Thread

[Veovis]

So, here we are a day removed from elimination. Some might think it is too soon to look forward to next season, too soon to begin an off-season thread. Perhaps we should have an extended mourning period for the 2007 Yankees, go into hiding for awhile, etc., but hey, I know us Yankees fans are made of stronger stuff than that. We will not wallow in our defeat. There simply is not time. This off-season is one of the biggest in recent memory. So many important decisions need to be made. Will Joe get the axe? Will A-Rod opt out? What about Mo and Jorge? It is all so uncertain and the moves or non-moves made here will impact the course of the franchise for years to come. I know one thing though, I am sure glad I am not in Brian Cashman’s shoes right now.

So with that preface, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Official 2007-2008 New York Yankees Off-Season Thread!

If I may, I will list all of our players eligible for FA. If I forget anyone let me know and I will edit the list.

Jorge Posada
Mariano Rivera
Jose Molina
Doug Mientkiewicz
Ron Villone
Luis Vizcaino
Andy Pettitte ($16 million Player Option)
Alex Rodriguez (Player Option to opt out)
Bobby Abreu ($16 million Team Option/$2 million buy out)

On another front, I believe we also have two players eligible for arbitration due to status as Super 2’s: Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano. Congratulations to those two, they should make some nice money for themselves, and it is well deserved, despite the playoffs.

So, omitting the free agents to be, our roster looks something like this:

C: N/A
1B: Shelley Duncan / Andy Phillips
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Wilson Betemit
OF: Johnny Damon / Melky Cabrera / Hideki Matsui
DH: Jason Giambi
SP: Chien-Ming Wang / Mike Mussina / Phil Hughes / Ian Kennedy / Kei Igawa or Joba Chamberlain
RP: Kyle Farnsworth / Edwar Ramirez / Chris Britton / Ross Ohlendorf / Sean Henn / Brian Bruney

Manager: ?
Bench Coach: ?
Pitching Coach: ?
Hitting Coach: ?
First Base Coach: ?
Third Base Coach: ?

I’ll post my thoughts below.

[Veovis]

I think the first thing the Yankees need to get settled is the whole manager issue. If they are bringing Torre back, do it now! If they are firing him, do it NOW! The longer it drags out, the worse it is for both parties and the greater of a distraction it becomes for our potential free agents. If they fire Torre, we have several potential guys in house to replace him. Tony Pena, Larry Bowa and Joe Girardi immediately come to mind. Don Mattingly keeps getting whispered about, but what experience does he have, really? Regardless, these guys have been great the past few seasons, and it will really hurt if they decide to move on. My favorite of the group is Tony Pena. He is smart, lively, and good with the young players. Unfortunately, I think he is a long shot.

Out-of-house, I keep hearing whispers about Tony La Russa. He’s a great manager, no doubts there, but he is thin-skinned, and that will not play well here. A dark horse candidate is always a possibility, and maybe that would be a good thing – some fresh air. If someone is brought in out-of-house though, we run the risk of losing the entire coaching staff, and I do not think that is the right move.

Moving beyond the coaching staff, the number one priority of the off-season has to be retaining Alex Rodriguez. He is the anchor for our offense. Certainly we have other good hitters, but Jeter is our only other viable RH bat. Without A-Rod, all pretences at balancing the lineup go out the window.

Next up is Mariano Rivera. If Joba moves into the rotation next year as he should, he would be our only other dependable bullpen option. We need him and that is all there is to it.

Jorge Posada is a tough case. Obviously his bat is important, as is his clubhouse leadership. However let’s face it. He’s old. He just had a career year that no other catcher at his age has ever been able to match. Jorge is a dangerous buy at this point. He will demand at least $13 million a year. I imagine he’ll be looking for a three year contract besides. If I am Cashman, I am not looking to give him more than two. Sharp decline is just around the corner for Posada, and the Yankees need to make sure they do not get stuck with another albatross.

Bobby Abreu’s option needs to be picked up. I think we are all in agreement on that one. He is the perfect stop gap in RF until some of our young outfielders are ready.

I loved the grit Dougie M. brought to the team, but we have enough 1B. He is expendable.

Jose Molina should be resigned. He is the perfect backup catcher.

Luis Vizcaino and Ron Villone should be set adrift. I liked what Vizcaino did for us midseason, but he looks like another Torre victim now, and such pitchers need be let go.

That just leaves Andy Pettitte. What can I say? We need the guy to bring some stability to the staff next year. I hope he decides to return for another season.

Major Problem heading into next season: Starting Rotation
The major issue here is the potential for three 21-22 year olds starting for us. I do not doubt their ability to be good, I simply doubt their ability to throw 190-200 innings during the season and then not be totally gassed in the playoffs (IF we are lucky enough to make the dance). Really, it would be irresponsible for the Yankees to even let them try to throw 200 innings. Kennedy can probably only safely throw 180 innings max next year. Hughes probably around 160, and the same for Joba. Regardless, these guys need to be in the rotation. Those innings need to start logging on their arms. They need to be stretched so they can be as effective as possible in the future. How do we solve this problem? Well, if Pettitte resigns, it is pretty simple I think. I propose we go to a six man rotation. It saves wear and tear on Pettitte and Mussina, and it gives the youngsters a chance to stretch out their innings without heightening the risk for injury. Is it a little unconventional? Yeah, but we are going to depend on these guys next year. I don’t see a way around it, and a six man rotation would offer them some protection and increase our flexibility. A little more unconventional perhaps, I think they should let the starters throw an inning of relief on their throw days if needed to compensate for the decreased bullpen.

Well, those are my thoughts as of now. What do you guys think?