Mussina's retirement won't alter Yankees' plans

2009-08-10T17:28:47-04:00

<p> </p> <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/moose.jpg" alt="Moose" width="298" height="344" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Mike Mussina finishes his career with a 270-153 record.<br />AP</div> </div> <p>The retirement of <strong>Mike Mussina</strong> probably won't alter the resolve with which the Yankees were approaching the free-agent starting pitching market since they were determined to make their mark in that arena, anyway. If they weren't serious players, would they be offering a six-year, $140-million offer for <strong>CC Sabathia</strong> and following that with quick calls of interest to <strong>A.J. Burnett</strong> and <strong>Derek Lowe</strong>?</p> <p>The Yankees long suspected Mussina would stick to his word late last year that he would retire, and the team set out a plan to pursue top free-agent pitchers Sabathia, Burnett and Lowe. That plan doesn't change, though their need was only reinforced with the loss of Mussina, a 20-game winner this past season.</p> <p>The one thing may change is the Yankees' interest in longtime Bronx hero <strong>Andy Pettitte</strong>, who hasn't been pursued aggressively by the Yankees to this point. Now that Mussina is out, they might start reaching out to Pettitte, who'd like to return after he went 14-14 in 2008.</p> Mussina's retirement won't alter Yankees' plans

2008-11-19T18:40:11-05:00

2008-11-22T09:34:49-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/216/540/thumb/Mussina.jpg 1480 XX

trooper707

No City 216840

24 "I think Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens*, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez" Pedro yes Clemens cheat and jerk only way he gets in Cooperstown is if he buys a ticket Maddux edge to Maddux because of length of years Mussina has better WP, much better realtive to teams they pitched for and a better era relative to the leagues they pitched in Johnson's AL only era is similar to Mussina's apples to apples mate 3.5 to 3.68 and for sure would have been the same of higher if he pitched only in the AL , especially AL East On what grounds do you say Glavine And Smoltz before Mussina? Mussina has better WP, much better relative to the team's they pitched for and a better era Glavine and Smoltz's era would be much higher than Mussina's if they pitched in the AL East unless you are claiming their experience would have been different than Johnson, Brown, Schilling, Beckett, Burnett, and on and on. 3418685

2008-11-20T16:13:31-05:00

ProfessorG

Burbank 606256

23 Well Andy Pettitte's agent just got a gift from the heavens. The real question is does Andy have anything left? it was sort of doubtful the second half of the season. The Yanks will sign him anyway at a higher price than they wanted because of Moose's retirement. Now we know we need at least 2 of the 3, Lowe, AJ and CC. I'm still hoping that we have a shot at Tex before the Sox get him. Notice I didn't mention Ben Sheets. That's really rolling the dice. 3400972

2008-11-19T20:01:16-05:00

djm018

Madison 610965

5 Thank you moose. We need to lock up pettite, burnett and sabathia. 3390694

2008-11-20T12:51:03-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/559/677/thumb/Yankees.jpg 369

DoctorBaseball

560157

Thank you moose. We need to lock up pettite, burnett and sabathia.

22 Lock up Pettite?? The admitted growth hormone cheat who resembles a garbage bag full of yogurt..ha.ha.lol you fool!! 3397909

2008-11-19T20:40:44-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/288/699/thumb/images__yanks.jpg 984 NY

Yank4life

Bronx 289039

6 As always my hat off to th moose, all class 3390961

2008-11-20T12:48:19-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/188/89/thumb/fatvenom.jpg 24553 NY

Moondizzle: TD Monkey

New York 18929

As always my hat off to th moose, all class

21 All class? You talking about the same Mike Mussina who showed disgust for fielding miscues by his regulars out there with him during his career? Not DL disgust. Open disgust. Or the Mussina who had an open contempt for the media? He was an exemplary player. Always took the ball. Never got in trouble. And he earned his money. But I'm going to stay away from calling him so classy. 3397855

2008-11-20T12:33:38-05:00

Pinger

West Chesterfield 612588

20 If he does go in the hall it will be as an Oriole 3397683

2008-11-20T11:43:28-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/191/26/thumb/redsox_ripped_guy.jpg 662 NH

nflyoubet

19166

19 Well now when I predict that he won't win twelve games this year, I won't look anywhere near as stupid as I did last year. (And I felt good about that prediction). I'm not the brightest RSox fan but a rabid one nonetheless. Congrat's on a great year and career Moose. 3396795

2008-11-20T10:48:51-05:00

lmcib

Binghamton 118445

18 Mussina and Kofax aren't the only one's to retire after 20 win seasons, they are the two most recent though. Borderline hall of famer is Mussina. 100 + games over .500, entire career in AL East, 270 wins, great k/bb ratio, good era relative to league averages, 7 gold gloves and 2 w.s. appearances all make strong arguments. The one's against? No Cy Young award, only 1 20 win season, no era or k titles. The biggest argument I think that can be made about keeping him out of the hall is this: Don't you feel he is just a notch below the sure-fire hall of fame starters of his generation? I think Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens*, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez all belong in the hall ahead of Mussina. Is there room for him on that list? Does he belong in their company? I'm not sure that he does. I think Mussina is going to be one of those guys debated about every year at voting time. If he does get in, I believe it will probably take at least 5-10 years of eligibility. 3395762

2008-11-20T08:44:33-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/611/826/thumb/HusKVWJo.jpg 2 TX

LesPaul71

San Antonio 612466

17 Thanks for bringing that up Shooter ... Kenny Boy you have NO idea what you're talking about ... go back and look at the comparison to pitchers who are in the HoF ... I was on the fence about Moose being the HoF but this morning on ESPN, Tim K. pointed out how he put up these numbers while playing his entire career in the AL East (the most offensive power division in baseball) and during the steroid era ... he's won double-digit games his entire career with the exception of his rookie season where he pitched in only 12 games ... he had only ONE losing season his entire career ... a career 3.68 ERA again pitching soley in the AL East ... 2800+ strike outs ... compare his numbers with some of the best pitchers in the HoF and you'll see equals or bests some of them as well Don't hate on him because he's a Yankee ... Moose was nothing but class and is a great representative of baseball in every way, shape, and form ... I know I'll miss him a lot ... he belongs in the class of Yankees that include Jeter, Bernie, Jorge, and Mo ... he deserves all the best 3393663

2008-11-20T07:54:53-05:00

Kenny Boy

Keller 593139

15 Hall of fame? Are you kidding me? To only win 20 games once with the great offensive teams and closer that he had behind him is a joke. Look at his overall stats...very mediocre. What about his truly bad years? we just write those off because he had one really good one? His ERA in 2004, 2005, and 2007, respectively was 4.59. 4.41, 5.15! 3393320

2008-11-20T08:19:43-05:00

328

Shooter_McGavin

London 417517

Hall of fame? Are you kidding me? To only win 20 games once with the great offensive teams and closer that he had behind him is a joke. Look at his overall stats...very mediocre. What about his truly bad years? we just write those off because he had one really good one? His ERA in 2004, 2005, and 2007, respectively was 4.59. 4.41, 5.15!

16 20 wins also takes into account your team - and if you paid attention you would realize that Mussina has been close (a blown save here or there) before. Winning 19 twice, and 18 twice and at least 11 for the last 17 years - for a total of 270 in today's five man rotation world is a great feat. Couple that with the fact that in 18 years, Mussina has been BETTER than league ERA 15 years (and two other years he was at 96 and 98 percent of league average) so if you knew what you were talking about, you'd know he has had one truly bad year in 18 years of service. That's exceptional. And his ERA+ (a true indicator of how good he is relative to his peers) is at 123 (23 percent better than league average - which is the same as HOF'er Juan Marichal, and better than .. Tom Glavine, and in line with Jim Palmer, John Smoltz, Carl Hubbell et al. But yeah, point out the three years he was over the league average in ERA and leave it at that. You must be on the Harvard Debate team!!! 3393494

2008-11-20T07:54:53-05:00

Kenny Boy

Keller 593139

Jon Heyman

New York 10084