KISSIMMEE, Fla. — In a perfect world the Yankees get 30 starts from Ivan Nova and 28 from Freddy Garcia and don’t have to sacrifice prospects for starting pitching in June or July.
Still, the world has a better chance of being flat than perfect when pitching is the subject.
At some point this summer Brian Cashman will be looking for a pitcher. And this being the Yankees, they won’t be searching for inexperienced arms or the Sidney Ponsons of the hurling fraternity.
Yesterday at Osceola County Stadium against the Astros, the Yankees got a look at Brett Myers, a 30-year-old right-hander who may not be what he was five years ago but has experience and is a strong candidate to be shopped by the Astros, who need players.
Myers isn’t as sexy as Felix Hernandez, Josh Johnson, Francisco Liriano, Chris Carpenter, Carlos Zambrano or Fausto Carmona. Yet, he is 87-71 with a 4.20 career ERA in nine seasons and was 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA a year ago in his first season with the Astros.
And since his two-year, $23 million contract ($11 million this year) expires after this season (there is a $13 million club option with a $3 million buyout), Myers wouldn’t be clogging the lane for the possibility that Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances are ready to pitch in the big leagues in 2012.
The consensus in the Yankees’ clubhouse following a wind-blown, 10-8 victory was that Myers “knows how to pitch.” His fastball was clocked at 90 to 91 mph and he gave up two runs and five hits in three innings in his second spring start.
The velocity is expected to increase and Myers has spent the first two starts working on command of curveballs and changeups.
“You haven’t heard his name mentioned yet, but they need players and if they fall out of it I would assume they would listen on everybody,” an National League talent evaluator said yesterday of the Astros.
Phil Hughes, the Yankees’ second or third starter, was bitten by a misbehaving change-up, a gale blowing to right field and Andruw Jones losing a ball in the sun.
“I felt my command was better (than the first game), the fastball was better,” said Hughes, who gave up three runs and five hits, two of which were homers. “I didn’t throw the changeup as much as I would have liked.”
One changeup to Jason Michaels in the second resulted in a homer to left that Jones took one step back on before halting. Carlos Lee also homered to left.
“The two homers were hit well,” Hughes said. “The sun ball happens every now and then. I am not super worried at this point.”
The Yankees don’t display a sense of fear about their rotation. Cashman believes he has the answers in camp even if Nova is still raw, Garcia has a history of breaking down and Bartolo Colon didn’t work in the big leagues last year.
And while there is a chance Banuelos and Bettances could be ready by June the Yankees have never been about sinking or swimming with neophytes.
Last July they lost Cliff Lee to the Rangers. You want to bet against them losing the best pitcher on the market this coming July? They have the chips. Chances are they will also have a need.