Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Michael Pineda: Yankees Need Another Starter

There is a lot of time left, but the problem will not go away. The New York Yankees need another starting pitcher. 

Now that Michael Pineda will not pitch this season and realistically, Andy Pettitte may not be able to be the pitcher Brian Cashman was hoping for, there is no choice.

Last night, Philip Hughes couldn’t get out of the third inning against the defending American League champion Texas Rangers. Hughes gave up four runs, five hits and hit two batters. His ERA is now an obscene 7.88.

At Trenton, Pettitte fared poorly against the Double-A Erie Seawolves, allowing four runs (three earned), seven hits and a walk in five-plus innings. Pettitte has acknowledged that he isn’t ready for major league hitters.

"I wasn't happy with my command," he told MLB.com. “I made a few more mistakes than I had in my other starts. The weather was obviously different than it was in Florida, which is something I have to get used to, as well.”

Brian Cashman saw Pettitte pitch in Trenton. He thinks Pettitte will need a few more starts before joining the Yankees.

"Andy is between a quarter and halfway through spring training after being off for 16 months," Cashman told MLB.com. "He got to near 85 pitches in this start. He looks good and feels good. He's healthy. His strength and stamina have to get to the right levels."

Pettitte is 39 years old, but since he is not a power pitcher, he has a decent chance of regaining his form. Tommy John won 22 games for the Yankees at the age of 37 and was a 10-game winner as a Yankee when he was 39. He won four more games for the California Angels that season.

The problem is that Pettitte is coming back after a year away from the game. That may prove to be a major hindrance.

We’ve been through the rest before. CC Sabathia will be solid despite a slow start. Ivan Nova is more than adequate and Hiroki Kuroda should contribute as expected. That leaves Freddie Garcia, his 9.75 ERA and unbelievable 1.917 WHIP.

Many Yankees fans don’t want to take a chance on Roy Oswalt. The Yankees, realistically, are not yet desperate enough to pay him the money he wants but probably doesn’t deserve.

The Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals aren't eager to shell out a huge sum of money for a pitcher that ranks among the best when he is healthy, and that’s the rub. There is no guarantee that he will be healthy.

The Yankees’ starting pitching problems are real. The solution is unknown.