It’s hard to argue with the notion of bumping Javy Vazquez–he of the sluggish fastball and many homers–out of his Fenway start in favor of a start in Comerica, particularly given the way Phil Hughes is pitching.
But the question of “how do you solve a problem like Javy?” is reaching wacky proportions on sports talk radio and among baseball columnists with inches to fill. Bench him, send him to the bullpen, send him to Tampa on a trumped up “rehab” assignment, or, to take it do the extreme, trade him to the Mets as Daily News columnist Jon Harper wrote yesterday:
…while Vazquez is a mess mentally trying to overcome his issues pitching with the Yankees, put him back in the National League and he’d likely go right back to being a dependable starter, if not the Cy Young contender he was last year.
For the Yankees, meanwhile, they could wash their hands of what is developing into a major problem. And the way Phil Hughes is pitching, as well as their Big Three, they could plug Sergio Mitre – who has looked very good in relief – into the rotation and be just fine.
I’m not sure what to do with Javy either. I loved the trade that brought him here but obviously his fastball is short and his psyche is shattered. I am in no way convinced that Sergio Mitre (or Alfredo Aceves, for that matter) are the answer, nor do I believe that Vazquez can’t be a serviceable 5th starter for the remainder of the season. But getting him from here–a broken, mystified athlete who won’t even compete–to there–a 200 innings 4.50 ERA 5th starter–is going to require psychological skills beyond mine.
Meanwhile, the spectre of age related injury is already rearing its ugly head in Yankeeland with Posada and Rivera–the two oldest Yankee in the highest stress jobs–out of last night’s games with nagging muscle problems. But Nate Silver’s predictions for Jeter and Pettitte ain’t looking very good at the moment.
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- Trading Javier Vazquez to the Mets Would Make Sense for the Yankees (bleacherreport.com)
- Yanks opt to push back Vazquez(riveraveblues.com)
- For Vazquez, Next Start Is Delayed Three Days(nytimes.com)
- Harper: Trade Javy To The Mets (slidingintohome.blogspot.com)
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