WHY NOVA AND COLON SHOULD GO NORTH

Before Spring Training started, the New York Yankees lost out on the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, and weeks later they found out veteran left hander Andy Pettitte was going to retire. Thus, the Yankees had a huge hole in their rotation. The Yankees were pretty desperate, by signing Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to minor league deals with an invitation to spring training. They are also considering in-house talents like the youngster Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre. The Yankees even considered signing veteran Kevin Millwood, who lost a league leading 16 games with a 5.10 ERA, talk about being desperate. I hate to say it, Millwood's still on the radar.
(photo: Daily News)
As Spring Training develops, it seems as though there have been two pitchers who have stood out the most. One of those is young right hander Ivan Nova. Nova pitched a bit last year with the Yankees, in 10 games, seven starts, Nova pitched to a 4.50 ERA while winning one and dropping two. The problem for Nova was that he was always running into trouble once he faced batters for the third time in the game. Those times, he yielded a .400 batting average against them, and a .531 OBP. Compared to the first and second time around where he allowed a .196 AVG, and a .286 OBP, and the second time around he allowed a .246 AVG, and a .254 OBP. This isn't surprising as Nova is just 24 years old. But, this spring he has been tremendous, going 1-0 with a sparkling 1.29 ERA. That includes his last start against the Baltimore Orioles best lineup in which he pitched six no-hit innings. This is also impressive because in his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays, he got touched up a bit by allowing two runs, two home runs, in three innings of work. Nova, has grown up right before our eyes, thus he should make the trip up north with the regulars to the Bronx and be the team's fourth starter.
The second guy that should may be a surprise to you, as it is to me. Bartolo Colon. When Colon got signed before spring training, I thought he had zero chance to make this club. He even admitted that he was 25 lbs overweight. Also, he hadn't pitched in the big leagues since 2009. With that in mind, I believe he would have been the first cut. I, along with the rest of us, were dead wrong. Colon has been better than advertised. In nine innings of work he has allowed just three runs, on eight hits, while striking out 12. His fastball has reached 92, even touching 93, with some very good downward movement. He's also shown a nasty change-up with a good breaking ball as well.
(photo: Daily News)
I believe so far Colon has earned his way to be the number five starter with the Yankees. Remember, this is a guy who won the American League Cy Young in 2005. Now, don't expect a year like that out of Colon, believe me, if he does, you can save your spot in the "Canyon of Heroes" for the Yankees ticker tape parade in November. I'm not saying that though, I'm saying this guy knows what he's doing out there. He's proven he can pitch in the American League, and he still believes he can be effective in the big leagues. Look for Colon to earn the number five spot in the Bombers rotation

Missed the cut from my perspective: Freddy Garcia and Sergio Mitre. They had a chance for the number four and five spots in the Yankee rotation. But because of some ineffectiveness, and injury, they will just miss the cut in my eye. Freddy Garcia started out well this spring, by not allowing a run in his first two spring assignments. But in his last two starts, he has given up nine runs, and so far this spring in 13.2 innings pitched he has a 5.93 ERA. The last start for Garcia could have been the deadly blow when he allowed five runs in six innings to a weak Toronto Blue Jays lineup. The killer for Freddy came on a two out, two run home run in the sixth inning by David Cooper. Don't expect Garcia to take a minor league assignment if he doesn't make the team.
The other loser, could have won the consolation prize, a spot in the bullpen. That is Sergio Mitre. Mitre missed a start earlier this spring against a complete Boston Red Sox lineup due to a sore left oblique. But, he has pitched well this spring, in four games, one start, he has allowed just two runs in eight innings of work. Mitre is a contact pitcher, and has struggled in the starting rotation in the regular season with the Yankees. Look for Mitre to make the Yankees' bullpen as a long man.

That's how I see it, do you agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think, comment.



--Jesse Schindler BYB Guest Writer
My Blog: The Pinstriped Personality


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