Help Wanted - Bronx

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While the Yankees brass all pat themselves on the back after the Ellsbury signing, and continue there public concern and admiration for Cano the question still remains. Who is going to pitch in the Bronx this season?

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Even the smallest minded baseball fanatic has come to the realization that neither Jacoby Ellsbury nor Brian McCann can by themselves fix the desperate state of the NY Yankees.  Despite the cities excitement at the notion that the Yankees front office is at the very least appearing to turn the club's fortunes around. The fact is they have not really done much to return pride to this storied franchise.

If you are willing to concede Elsbury to an upgrade over Granderson than you must be intelligent enough to realize that Ichiro is still your every day right fielder. Make no mistake about it he is not the player he was ten or even two years ago. Then again he maybe the least of your worries considering right now Vernon Wells is your DH, Jeter (also showed his age severely in 2013) is your shortstop and that guy with that steroid suspension looming, is on paper anyway, your third baseman. All that being considered I much like the Yankee front office have yet to even address the turmoil the pitching staff is currently in.

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2014 PROJECTED STARTING ROTATION

• CC SABATHIA - THE POWER LEFTY DISPLAYED IN 2013 HE MAY HAVE LOST A BIT OF HIS SPEED. FINISHING THE YEAR WITH A 4.78 ERA AND A 14-13 RECORD. 
  
• HIROKI KURODA - ALTHOUGH HE HAD A LOOSING RECORD, KURODA WAS CLUTCH FOR THE YANKS LAST SEASON. OPPONENTS HIT .249 AGAINST HIM. THE DOWNSIDE. HIROKI WILL CELEBRATE HIS 39TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR.
  
• IVAN NOVA - STRUGGLING TO STAY HEALTHY IN 2013 NOVA PUT UP MODEST NUMBERS BUT HAS BEEN FAR FROM EXTRAORDINARY 
  
• DAVID PHELPS - A RELIEVER MORE OR LESS. PHELPS PUT UP AN UGLY 4.98 ERA IN 22 TOTAL GAMES IN 2013
  
• MICHAEL PINEDA - A PROMISING YOUNGSTER, HE HAS STRUCK OUT 173 BATTERS IN ONLY 28 CAREER GAMES. 
  

The Yankees are in desperate need of arms. In a league were pitching wins championships this team is in trouble. All fans will remember about 2013 will be the abundance of injuries to star players. Yet what those of us with not such a short memory will point out, is the fact the Yankees team pitching was so horrible they had to score 8 or 9 runs a game just to have a shot at winning.  NY finished in the lower half of the league in team ERA last year and that's with Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, both lost to retirement. Although Pettitte was not the lefty of old, he still manged to make 30 starts and win 11 games. Replacing Rivera is impossible. Finding a serviceable closer is difficult enough in this league. The Yankees are hoping incumbent Dave Robertson is that guy. Even if he is, his promotion to closer now leaves a major gap in the bullpen as far a setup reliever.

Lets pretend (for the sake of preventing a lengthy piece) like most squads, the Yankees piece together their pen before camp. What about the all important starting rotation? Beside loosing Pettite, Phil Hughes was lost to free agency. Many would argue addition by subtraction on Hughes yet that still leaves an open spot in the rotation. Why have the Yankees not been in conversations with the big name arms? If you search hard enough you maybe able to find a "trade rumor" or two but they are all bogus. The fact of the matter is the Yankees have already missed out on some big arms and the window is closing rapidly on the arms that are still available.  If NY fails to bring in at least one quality starter it will be another long hot summer in the city.