The fans voted the Yankees need to upgrade their bullpen more than any other part of the team. More than three-quarters of the votes when toward helping the bullpen, while starting pitching received the second-most votes.
I’m going to take a wild guess and say that Joba Chamberlain’s awful performances recently factored into the voting last week. In his past five outings he’s allowed runs in four of them, inflating his ERA near 6.00.
He has lost what he had in 2007 and is starting to resemble Kyle Farnsworth’s run with the Yankees — not good.
Joba’s Replacement? There isn’t a boatload of talent for relievers at the deadline, but the most likely option thus far is lefty Scott Downs of Toronto.
Where’d All the Starters Go? For those who still think the Yankees may go after a starter, I’d like to inform you that the two biggest stars already are off the market. The Yankees were close with Cliff Lee, but now Dan Haren is gone too. That leaves Roy Oswalt as the best available, and not many teams are interested in picking up his contract. The fact is, the Yankees usually strive for the best available, and this year that isn’t an option anymore. Jon Heyman reported yesterday the Yankees like Ted LIlly, but he’s about all that’s left on the market.
My Overall Take: I agree with the voting, except the Yankees also need to add a player to the bench. I’m almost certain it’s going to happen, along with a reliever, but it’s all about the quality at this point.
New Poll: Can the Yankees win the World Series without Cliff Lee or Dan Haren?
