CC Sabathia’s Injury Shows That Yankees Can’t Afford to Stand Pat
August 12, 2012 · Peter Alfano · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
After all these years of spending whatever it took to reach the World Series, the Steinbrenner family is acting as if they had invested with Bernie Madoff.
And now their postseason hopes have been jolted by CC Sabathia’s elbow injury.
We have heard how the Yankees want to reduce payroll to a more modest $185 million, which is fool’s gold for most major league teams but represents austerity for them. We have been told that Hal and Hank Steinbrenner do not want to pay millions in luxury tax, which means the days of George Steinbrenner’s free-spending ways have ended.
The Yankees still have the YES Network; they still draw incredibly well. But we don’t know how much the Steinbrenner’s family business has been impacted by the recession/depression and what effect it has had on baseball operations.
We don’t know whether Hal and Hank Steinbrenner are unified in this new approach or whether Hank, the acorn that fell closest to his father, is taking a backseat to the more financially conservative Hal.
What we do know is that Sabathia is on the disabled list with an inflamed left elbow, joining Andy Pettitte, whose return from the DL has been delayed because he aggravated his left ankle while rehabbing from a broken fibula.
And as for all those prized arms on the farm? Manny Banuelos, considered the most major league-ready prospect, has been shut down for the season because of arm problems.
So the Yankees are reduced to signing Derek Lowe, who was designated for assignment by the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Yes, the Yankees are now picking up castoffs from losing teams.
Lowe is 8-10 this season with a 5.52 ERA. He now has a better chance of finishing with a winning record because of the Yankees’ lineup. And while their hold on the East Division lead and a playoff berth may not be in jeopardy, the Yankees aren’t going anywhere but home in October unless Sabathia, and probably Pettitte return.
What would George have done?
We don’t think his ego would allow him to take a backseat to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels when it comes to aggressively pursuing players for the playoff run.
While we aren’t sold on Ryan Dempster in the American League, he would have bristled seeing Nolan Ryan’s Texas Rangers make a trade to bolster their own questionable pitching.
As we have said all season, the Yankees are about winning a World Series and nothing less. It is an aging team that is being weighed down by the contracts given to Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira.
Perhaps Sabathia and Pettitte will return and pitch well. Perhaps A-Rod will come back from his broken finger feeling refreshed and ready to contribute in a big way.
Still, when was the last time the Yankees sat around hoping instead of taking action?
Times are a-changin’ in the Bronx.
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