BOSTON – Yankees honchos gathered at George M. Steinbrenner Field yesterday in Tampa to hatch a plan they hope will make sure this past season when they didn’t make the playoffs for the first time since 1993 was a one-year glitch instead of the beginning of a multi-year slide as they move into the new Yankee Stadium.
When the afternoon session was over, co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said one of the first off-season decisions was that Joba Chamberlain will be used as a starter next year. Steinbrenner said that before last year, but Chamberlain opened in the bullpen, was converted to a starter for 12 games, suffered a shoulder problem and finished the season in the bullpen with a tight right shoulder.
Strengthening the rotation is the Yankees’ top priority and many believe Chamberlain possesses ace-like stuff. The Yankees are expected to go hard after free-agent pitchers CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and may show interest in Derek Lowe and Jake Peavy, who reportedly has been placed on the trading block by the Padres.
Chamberlain was 4-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 42 games (12 starts). In 1001/3 innings he fanned 118 and walked 39. He was 3-1 as a starter.
“The plan as of right now is Chamberlain is going to be a starter,” the Yankees co-chairman said. “Everybody’s pretty much in agreement with that.”
As for the afternoon session that focused on information being distributed, Steinbrenner said progress was made.
“It was a productive day,” Steinbrenner said. “We didn’t make any decisions today. We just covered all the things we need to fix. Everything is open. We’re willing to do anything that will improve us. It was more of a summary and quite a lot of discussion.”
Though Andy Pettitte has told the Yankees he wants to pitch again, the Yankees are hearing whispers the veteran left-hander would like a two-year deal. If that’s the case, the Yankees may balk.
Pettitte, who made $16 million this past season when he was 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA, was swayed to put off retirement after talking it over with his wife and sons, who are at the age where they enjoy hanging around the Yankees and their big league father.
Ideally, the Yankees want Pettitte back as a fourth or fifth starter for a lot less money.
Because yesterday’s afternoon session that started at 10:30 p.m. and ended at 3:30 p.m. was just a preliminary meeting on the state of the team, Pettitte’s situation wasn’t mentioned.
As for 20-game winner Mike Mussina, he isn’t expected to decide to retire or return until the end of the month.
“Not at this point,” agent Arn Tellem said when asked if he had been in contact with the Yankees about Mussina.
Tellem, who also represents Jason Giambi, said it was “too early” to say what is going to happen with his soon-to-be free agent client.
In addition to Hank Steinbrenner, also attending the meeting were co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, COO Lonn Trost, GM Brian Cashman, advisors Reggie Jackson, Gene Michael and Tino Martinez, minor league head Mark Newman and head of professional scouting Billy Eppler.
The meetings are expected to run through today and could stretch into tomorrow.