MLB Trade Speculation: Will the New York Yankees Go After Mariners’ Erik Bedard?
June 8, 2011 · Teresa Roca · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Unreliable, inconsistent and ineffective. Those were three of the many words used during the offseason to describe the New York Yankees‘ 2011 starting rotation.
Being left practically empty-handed after losing aces Andy Pettitte and Cliff Lee, the New York Yankees were left with A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes, two pitchers whose tendency to fall apart under pressure aided the Yankees’ 2010 playoff loss.
Announcing Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia as starting pitchers did not alleviate matters either. Coming off a 4.19 ERA for the 2009 season and taking the 2010 season off, no one knew if Colon would be ready to start for the Yankees. The same goes for Garcia, who came off a 4.64 ERA for the 2010 season.
Despite all of the negativity towards this starting rotation, the New York Yankees prospered and ended up with a dominant rotation, which is carrying the Yankees at the moment as they struggle to remain in first.
So will the Yankees go after Seattle Mariner Erik Bedard? Well, is it necessary? Just look at the Yankees’ starting rotation at the moment.
As always, CC Sabathia is pitching at his absolute best, posting a 2.80 ERA in 93.1 innings pitched. Leading MLB with seven wins, Sabathia has allowed only 36 runs and four home runs and has struck out a remarkable 70 hitters.
A.J. Burnett is recovering from a dismal season and is showing promise. Burnett has managed to record a 3.86 ERA in 74.2 innings pitched, allowing 36 runs and 10 home runs.
The two major contributions to the Yankees’ starting rotation are Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. Proving many wrong, Colon maintains a 3.39 ERA, allowing 29 runs and nine home runs. Garcia has also surprised all with his incredible numbers, maintaining a 3.34 ERA and allowing only 22 runs and eight home runs.
Back to Bedard—yes, he is doing great this season after taking the 2010 season off due to injury. In 11 starts Bedard has posted a 3.46 ERA, allowing 29 runs and eight home runs.
However, because of injuries that have plagued the starter his entire career, Bedard would only be an ideal short-term replacement.
In 2003, Bedard was forced to spend most of the season in rehab because of an elbow ligament injury.
After that, the injuries just kept on coming.
Bedard was out of the 2004 season for two months because of a sprained knee and returned to the disabled list in 2007 when he sprained his oblique.
Because of a torn labrum, Bedard only pitched the first four months of the 2009 season and remained out for the entire 2010 season.
Yes, Bedard has had many noteworthy moments in his eight-season career. However, do the Yankees really need to risk trading their players for a pitcher who is constantly injured?
If they are looking for a short-term starter, then Bedard is their man. Other than that, the Yankees should be spending their time trying to find a trade for their struggling offense.
For the Yankees to remain in first, they need it.
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