Yankees Rothschild Guiding Young Guns, Old Cannons & A Head-Case

It's still to early in spring training to call in the AL East title because of the performances of a few pitchers but, when you're the New York Yankees and the candidates for your third, fourth and fifth starting pitchers are a collection of inexperienced youngsters, old war-horses and a head-case trying to rebound,  the nice early numbers have to stoke high expectations.

Maybe Brian Cashman's Plans B, C and D, after being spurned by Cliff Lee, are working and new pitching coach Larry Rothschild's pitching philosophy will yield hefty returns.

Cashman, who loaded up on bargain-basement antiques like 34 year-old Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon to match arms with kids Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre, is starting to look like the Boy Wonder again.

Those four players have each pitched 5 innings this spring and have given up a total of one earned run (Colon) and struck out 14 overall batters.

From the first day of camp, manager Joe Girardi made it clear that picking the final spots would not be quick or easy.  Now it looks like it could take longer and be a lot harder.

"We won't make decisions till the end," said Girardi.  "We are going to take our time.  Right now with the four guys there is no separation yet."

The real revelation is Rothschild's work with A.J. Burnett, the ineffective and much maligned No. 3 starter.  The Yankees have to be happy with his first two outings: 5 Innings pitched, no earned runs or walks and---most important---no mental or physical breakdowns.

After Burnett's miserable 2010 season, it would have been a bad omen if he wilted in his first two games.  Never mind the final two spots in the rotation, the Yankees would be looking to fill the last three and it could turn into a wild game of musical chairs.

After throwing three perfect innings against the Phillies on Monday, the 34 year-old Burnett hinted that he knows it's early, but didn't want to hear the demon voices of last season to start bouncing around in his head again.

"I didn't want to come in for one inning, give up four homers, come out and say, 'It's just my second start,' "said Burnett.  "The fact that I was in control, the fact that the last batter I faced, the last five pitches were all down and away in the perfect spot.  I'm able to repeat easier.  My mind is clear.  I'm not thinking about this or that; I'm just attacking."

Last season one or two bad pitches would usually boil into a major meltdown for Burnett.  This year he is putting his trust in Rothschild.  That mutual trust is rubbing off.

Rothschild  began working with Burnett in January and put the emphasis on the pitcher getting better balance in his lower body so he wouldn't move side-to-side---a major reason his pitches were falling flat claims Rothschild.

Girardi has noticed more than Burnett's improved throwing mechanics, he is more impressed with the right-hander's body language.

"I look to how comfortable he is as opposed to the results," said Girardi.  "[Last year] he looked like he was searching.  He looked frustrated at times he was disgusted at himself."

What happens if Burnett and the other four pitchers run neck-and-neck all spring?  Mitre would probably end up in the bullpen again and Nova could end up as a relief pitcher or as a starter in Triple-A.

It's only March but even new catcher Russell Martin liked what he saw after catching Burnett.  When asked about Burnett compared to last season, Russell said, " He had his 'A' stuff."

Yankees Looking At Adding Millwood To Pitching Cage-Fight

The New York Yankees continue to try and fill up the vacuum at the back end of their rotation by saying the team has a "strong" interest in signing free-agent Kevin Millwood.  GM Brian Cashman seems to be compensating for the loss of Cliff Lee by accumulating rehabbing or fading bodies and tossing them into a brawl for the No. 4 and 5 spots.  Who said the MMA and cage-fighting were illegal in New York?

Millwood  is a workhorse who has averaged almost 190 innings per season over the past six years.  That average would have been second among Yankee starters last year. 

Millwood's name has already been bandied about the Yankees front office, along with just about every other available hurler out there. Is Cashman serious this time?

The big right-hander's asking price may be too high.  Millwood is coming off the last year of a five-year $60 million contract but it is substantially more than the Yankees laid out for Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon this winter.

The Yankees have already signed veteran right-handers Garcia (one-year at $1.5 million plus performance bonuses) and Colon (one-year at $900,000) to minor league deals.  Millwood would probably be asking for a major-league contract.

As a journeyman pitcher, Millwood had his best years when he came up with the Atlanta Braves.  He pitched for the bottom-dwelling Baltimore Orioles last year and finished with a record of 4-16 with a bloated ERA of 5.10.

While Cashman continues to stockpile arms for the No. 4 and 5 starters, manager Joe Girardi may have narrowed the competition to only the last spot.

Girardi has been praising Ivan Nova's all week and it sounds like the 24 year-old rightie is leading the pack after starting only seven games last season.  Nova was 1-2 with an ERA of 4.50.

"I would think it gives him a better understanding of what he has to do to stay here," said Girardi.  "He faced pretty tough teams in our division last year.  He pitched in the toughest month of the year when, we're trying to win our division.  He knows what it takes, but you still have to go out."

Could Girardi's subtle endorsement of Nova leave only the No. 5 position as the real battleground and Millwood's signing would make things tougher?

It is too early to say who's leading who,  since the Yankee pitchers are still only working out of the bullpens, but the odds are good that the 35 year-old Garcia could fit the bill.  Last year's record of 12-6, an ERA of 4.64 and and 157 innings in 28 starts for the White Sox would get Girardi's heart fluttering if he could repeat those numbers for the Yanks.

"He [Garcia] finds a way to get it done," said the optimistic manager.

The jury is still out on the inconsistent Sergio Mitre and Bartolo--who was inactive last year--and a group of kids who are on the outside looking in.  Girardi already said he doesn't want to push the young players until they "are ready to perform."

Cashman can't discount the possibility of No. 3 starter, A.J. Burnett, flaming out again.  Millwood's numbers--even on a worse team--were almost as good as Burnett's.

If Nova has a breakout season, Millwood could be an important acquisition if not only for insurance puposes, but it could move the kid up a notch.

Girardi said, "The chances the fourth and fifth stater roles will be answered sooner than later are not very good.  I think we will spend all spring evaluating everyone in camp."

If no one rises to the top, expect the Yankees to go after the best pitcher on the market come the July trade deadline.  This time he won't pull a Cliff Lee and get away.