I’ve had a rather enjoyable time this past week reading all the fatalistic “The Yankees are taking over the world” articles that seem to be reproducing themselves like tribbles all over the internet.

The fear inherent in these essays is palpable. Basically, the fans of the other 29 teams in baseball are soiling their khakis. Many are convinced that the Yanks will steamroll their way to championships in their brand new ballpark.

Fortunately for Yankee fans, these people are right.

It is not a simple matter of the Yankees out spending their rivals. Big George proved in the 1980s that spending wildly without a plan doesn’t work. And Big George also proved (when he was temporarily banned from running the team) that if you have money and a superb farm director/GM (Gene Michael) you can create a dynasty: Queue up the Yankees of the late 1990s.

Baseball people knew that the Yankees were run improperly in the 1980s and they were run extremely well in the 1990s. Now the Yankees have a plan in place with Brian Cashman. They are focusing on scouting and developing minor league pitchers – and filling their holes with the best free agents on the market. It’s a perfect storm of baseball brains and money.

Cashman knew what he was doing when he passed on Johan Santana last year. Sure, it seemed to backfire on him in 2008 when Santana pitched superbly for the Mets while Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy failed to win a single game for the Yanks.

But it showed that Yankees were committed to developing their young arms, with the understanding that they might not all pan out. This year, with $86 million coming off the payroll, the Yanks were in a unique position to add Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira, while still lowering their payroll.

These signings do not affect the Yanks’ long-term goal of developing their own pitchers. Keeping the focus on pitching is crucial to Cashman’s plan.

Awhile ago Steve Lombardi over at waswatching.com was playing around with the baseballreference.com Play Index Pitching Season Finder, and the charts he produced tell you all you need to know. Starting pitching has been the difference between the Yanks and the Red Sox since 2004.

Starting pitchers with ERA + 0ver 100. 
Yankees:
                   From  To   Ages Seasons
+-----------------+----+----+-----+-------+
 Chien-Ming Wang   2006 2007 26-27       2
 Mike Mussina      2006 2008 37-39       2
 Andy Pettitte     2007 2007 35-35       1
 Jaret Wright      2006 2006 30-30       1
 Randy Johnson     2005 2005 41-41       1

Seasons/Careers found: 5.
Red Sox:

                   From  To   Ages Seasons
+-----------------+----+----+-----+-------+
 Tim Wakefield     2004 2008 37-41       4
 Daisuke Matsuzaka 2007 2008 26-27       2
 Curt Schilling    2004 2006 37-39       2
 Bronson Arroyo    2004 2005 27-28       2
 Jon Lester        2008 2008 24-24       1
 Josh Beckett      2007 2007 27-27       1
 David Wells       2005 2005 42-42       1
 Pedro Martinez    2004 2004 32-32       1

Seasons/Careers found: 8.

Lombardi notes: “Well, there it is, huh? Since 2004, the Yankees have had just 7 “solid” seasons from a starting pitcher (coming from 5 starters) whereas the Red Sox have had 14 “solid” seasons from a starting pitcher (coming from 8 starters).

This puts the Yankees at 28% for a success rate whereas the Red Sox have a success rate of 56% over the same period of time. Do the math on that one - it’s double.”

No matter how you set up your algebraic equations, the result is the same: In order to win, you need pitching…pitching…pitching. The Yanks have the money to strengthen their weak spots with free agents and the commitment to develop their own starters as well. Combine that with a good scouting apparatus and the baseball world is shaking…and well they should.

How Good is CC Sabathia?
Here’s a quick look at new Yankee aces CC Sabathia’s vital stats, courtesy of Lee Sinins Complete Baseball Encyclopedia.

CC Sabathia is 2nd in the majors in RSAA over the past 3 years. Runs Saved Above Average is — to me — the single most important stat to judge a pitcher by. The formula is RA/IP minus league-average RA/IP, times total innings pitched.

1    Brandon Webb        122
2    C.C. Sabathia       111
3    Johan Santana       107
4    Roy Halladay         94
5    Roy Oswalt           83
6    John Lackey          73
T7   Cole Hamels          65
T7   Jonathan Papelbon    65
9    Dan Haren            63
T10  Joe Nathan           62
T10  Carlos Zambrano      62


Sabathia’s last three years:
YR RSAA ERA   G   GS IP    SO  SO/9 BR/9   W  L   ERA+  WHIP
06  26  3.22  28  28 192.2 172 8.03 10.88  12 11  140  1.17
07  41  3.21  34  34 241   209 7.80 10.57  19  7  143  1.14
08  44  2.70  35  35 253   251 8.93 10.28  17 10  162  1.11




				
 
				
Phil is a staff writer for NYYFans.com, and he writes a weekly column for the website of WCBS News Radio 88, the home of the Yankees. You can reach him at PhilAllard27(at)hotmail.com.