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Jan 13, 2012 - So, yeah.
Just moments after we've got confirmation that the New York Yankees have acquired one of baseball's hottest young starting pitchers, we receive news that they've also acquired one of baseball's few remaining good, available veteran starting pitchers. From the YES Network's Jack Curry:
Big night for the Yankees. They have agreed to a 1-year deal with Kuroda, pending a physical. Deal will be between $10 and $11 million.
Big night, indeed. Two hours ago, the Yankees' rotation looked like this:
1. CC Sabathia
2. Ivan Nova
3. Freddy Garcia
4. Phil Hughes
5. A.J. Burnett
Now it looks like this:
1. CC Sabathia
2. Hiroki Kuroda
3. Michael Pineda
4. Ivan Nova
5. Garcia / Hughes / Burnett
Look at the difference in those two rotations, and you can see the balance of power in the American League ... well, it didn't exactly shift. The Yankees were the best team in the American League East in 2011, and they look like the best team in the American League East in 2012. The difference is that now there's really no argument at all. Before, you figured if a few things broke right for the Red Sox, they might be right there.
Now, though? Now, 2012 looks like a rebuilding year for the Red Sox, because the Yankees look like they're going to run away and hide, with the division title locked up by the first week in September.
15 comments
Rob Neyer:
Report: Hiroki Kuroda Signing One-Year Deal With Yankees
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Comments
That
by aronofsky40 on Jan 13, 2012 9:14 PM EST reply actions
That's fun!
I hate the Yankees and everything, but big trades are fun. So that’s cool.
Oh and Kuroda too.
by aronofsky40 on Jan 13, 2012 9:15 PM EST reply actions
"Before, you figured if a few things broke right for the Red Sox, they might be right there."
Et tu, Rob? Seems like every year everyone wants to ignore the Rays. Last year, no one thought they would do what they did after cutting so much payroll and losing so many players. As a Yankees fan, it is the Rays that scare me, not the Sox.
by cookiedabookie on Jan 13, 2012 10:13 PM EST reply actions
yup
The Rays still have the best rotation in the AL, no disrespect to the Angels.
by steel sox on Jan 13, 2012 10:16 PM EST up reply actions
Neyer is of the ESPN mentality. Nothing exists outside of the upper east coast in sports.
"One time, when we got back to the locker room, all of our clothes were gone," Trout recalled. "They left me a Lady Gaga costume and I had to wear it."
by 44FAN on Jan 13, 2012 10:36 PM EST up reply actions
Not quite true
Neyer grew up as a fan of the Royals, and since coming to the Pac NW, has followed the Mariners.
by clashfan on Jan 14, 2012 10:33 PM EST up reply actions
+1
by cookiedabookie on Jan 14, 2012 11:12 PM EST up reply actions
And
the Yankees suddenly have a very solid pitching staff.
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by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Jan 14, 2012 1:08 AM EST reply actions
I agree
went from
CC-Nova-Burnett-Hughes-Garcia
to
CC-Pineda-Kuroda-Nova-Hughes/Burnett
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
by Brandon C. on Jan 14, 2012 1:26 AM EST up reply actions
And what praytell is your source for this outlandish claim?
SF Giants' record in the eleven-year twenty-first century/Pac Bell era: five MVPs, two CYA, one ROY, the two highest single-season OPS of all time (and two of the other top eight), the single-season and all-time HR records, two NL Pennants, and ... one World Championship
by SnowLeopard on Jan 14, 2012 2:13 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
his special eyes?
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
by jbg2772 on Jan 14, 2012 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
What?
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
by Brandon C. on Jan 14, 2012 4:11 PM EST up reply actions
Joe King
SF Giants' record in the eleven-year twenty-first century/Pac Bell era: five MVPs, two CYA, one ROY, the two highest single-season OPS of all time (and two of the other top eight), the single-season and all-time HR records, two NL Pennants, and ... one World Championship
by SnowLeopard on Jan 15, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
Run away and hide?
No way. Have you forgotten Tampa Bay’s rotation? And if Luke Scott is healthy, Longoria has some protection. Plus his Babip was incredibly low last year so he’s due for a rise. And none of this is to mention that the Red Sox have some performances that should rebound, and the back end of their bullpen should be much better. Plus, the Yanks 97 wins was a bit over their head last year given the performances they got from some SPs. I’m not huge on Pineda in NY, and Kuroda is a wait-and-see type of guy going from Dodger Stadium in the NL West to Yankee Stadium in the AL East. Mr. Neyer is not usually one given to hyperbole. But I suppose even he has his moments.
by Brett Davis on Jan 14, 2012 8:56 PM EST reply actions
I think the Rays' rotation
is being overblown here a little bit.
Sure, they basically have co-aces in Shields and Price, but nobody else in the starting rotation put up more than 1.5 WAR fWAR.
In last year’s rotation alone, Yanks had Sabathia,Nova (2.7 WAR), and Freddy Garcia (2.2). Add that to Pineda (3.4) and Kuroda (2.4), how exactly do the Rays come close to the Yanks as a full rotation?
by aronofsky40 on Jan 16, 2012 3:10 AM EST reply actions
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