Quick Bits: Russo, IPK, Pettitte, Aceves
March 8, 2010, 3:00 pm by iYankees · 32 Comments
Here are a few quick items on the day:
- Kevin Russo hopes to stay healthy this season after missing time in ’09 with a hamstring injury.
- Joe Pawlikowski wonders whether or not former Yankee, Ian Kennedy, can be a success in the NL.
- Keith Olbermann, a self-proclaimed Baseball Nerd, ponders Andy Pettitte’s possible HOF chances.
- Like Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves is doing what he can to claim the final rotation spot this spring.
Aceves started today’s game against Pittsburgh and tossed 4 clean innings, striking out 3 (0 H, 0 BB).
I wonder, what happens if Aceves, Mitre, or Gaudin have much better springs than Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes? Even if they do, I cannot see the Yankees choosing one pitcher from that trio to be the fifth starter over Joba or Hughes. However, the problem is that, after billing the fifth rotation spot as an up-for-grabs affair, it looks bad to competing players if you ultimately choose a person to fulfill that role who has had a lesser spring when compared to his counterparts. For instance, if Joba is picked to be the fifth starter after posting a 5.45 ERA while Aceves posts a 2.85 ERA, wouldn’t that bother players who were told that the competition for a rotation spot was totally open?
It’s not a big deal, really, and the spring is still very young. It’s something I’m just curious about, though.
Photo by Reuters
