The Sommer Frieze

We still don’t know if Joba or Phil will get that #5 starter’s slot. Joba has been brutal so far (11 R in 3 2/3 IP) and Hughes, while doing ok, hasn’t put up the numbers of Mitre or Aceves so far in spring training.

That said, it is still early.

There are some in the Yankees front office that think the Yanks would be better with BOTH in the bullpen. Some fans may think that too.

Sam Borden at LoHud thinks that the Yanks really want Hughes to get that #5 slot.  

I do wonder if there are some in the Yankees front office, or even fans for that matter, that want Hughes or Joba for another reason.

Pride.

Pride in the system.

Think about it. The last homegrown starter the Yanks developed successfully was Andy Pettitte. Since then, who has come up through the system to join the rotation? From Andy to the possibility of Phil and/or Joba, no one….except for one.

Let’s go back. Cone, Clemens, El Duque (free agent, Cuba), Irabu (Japan), Mussina, Wells, Weaver, Brown (yes, have to throw in the clunkers too), Vazquez, Johnson, Jaret Wright, Aaron Small, Chacon, CC, Burnett…none from through the farm system.

the only one who made it and had an impact was Wang.

As Yankees fans, we can point at other positions when non-Yankees fans say pennants have been “bought.” We can point at home-grown relievers (if you want to put Joba and Phil in this category for now, go ahead) Robertson, Rivera. Aceves is from Mexico, and didn’t really come up “through the system.”  We can point at Gardner, Posada, Cano, Jeter. Melky. Previously, Bernie. We may point at Romine or Montero in the future.

But no starters. Maybe McAllister soon.

So you wonder…from the standpoint of pride, could the Yankees’ front office secretly be pulling for someone from the farm system (Joba, Hughes) over an “outsider” (Gaudin, Mitre, Aceves)?

Tonight’s game is supposed to be on WCBS radio. Should they get it in (weather concerns in FLA), I hope to listen to some of it. Checked LoHud, looks like they’ll get it in. AJ gets more work in tonight….maybe.  

Jeter pulled. He has the flu now. First Joba, then a few others, now the Captain.   

Update: Game rained out.