Yankees Will Be Moving on Without Sheets as They Wait for Pettitte’s Decision

(Zell's Pinstripe Blog)

 Sliding Into Home reports that the Yankees have ruled out Ben Sheets. I think this is a good idea. I say bring back Pettitte for a year on a $10 million contract. Keep Hughes in the 6th slot for now. Pettitte can leave after the 2009 season, and Hughes will fill in his role in the 5th spot. It is a perfect plan.

Sheets won’t take a one year contract, otherwise I would do that. I really want to see Phil Hughes succeed in NY. He needs to get another chance to prove himself. If you brought in Sheets for two years, you would have to wait two years to see him. It just makes no sense to lock up every spot in the roatation.

From Kat O’Brien and Ken Davidoff:

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They have ruled out going after oft-injured Ben Sheets, someone familiar with their plans said, because of too many “red flags.” Instead, they will await a decision from Andy Pettitte.

The Yankees, who had hoped to sign Pettitte or Sheets to round out their starting rotation, have decided that Pettitte would be a better fit. Sheets did make 31 starts in 2008, going 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA for the Brewers, but injuries kept him from topping 160 innings between 2005 and 2007.

Another advantage of signing Pettitte instead of Sheets is that Pettitte will require just a one-year contract.

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Also a Yankees official with knowledge of the meeting between Cashman and Pettitte on Thursday said:

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“They just had a good meeting and [Pettitte's] thinking about things.”

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It’s probably the much smarter move to go with Pettitte over Sheets in this case. With a rotation that has A.J. Burnett (injury-prone) and Joba Chamberlain (innings limit) in it it’s good to have someone who has thrown 200 or more innings in 10 of his 14 major league seasons. They need an innings eater.

from rotoworld.com:

Yankees non-tendered infielder-outfielder Justin Christian.

Yankees non-tendered RHP Chris Britton.

from the Baltimore Sun:

Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun has heard that the Orioles will bring catcher Chad Moeller to camp this spring.

Newsday.com reports:

Brewers GM Doug Melvin said talks with the Yankees regarding a Mike Cameron-for-Melky Cabrera deal hadn’t picked up since the two sides left Las Vegas.

from a chat with Keith Law:

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Matt (Yardley, PA):I’m with Bryan. Burnett to me is Pavano ver2.0.

 Keith Law: Not even close. Pavano in the NL in his only two healthy years, right before signing with the Yanks: 423 IP, 272 K’s, 35 HR allowed. That’s in a big ballpark, facing opposing pitchers to boost his K total. Burnett, in the AL East, in a slight hitters’ park, last two years: 387 IP, 407 Ks, 42 HR. You can’t make a performance argument that he’s like Pavano.

You can’t make a health argument that he’s like Pavano (who was hurt in some part of every year until his sixth season). You definitely can’t make a stuff argument that he’s like Pavano. That’s a completely unfair tag to place on Burnett.

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 The non-tender market takes shape  /  The Angels made an eight-year offer to FA Tex