Revisiting Yankees Spring Training Bold Pitching Predictions

After making a full review of my Bold Predictions for the Yankees 2014 offense, it is only fair that I do the same for the Yankees 2014 pitching. Without further delay –

1. CC Sabathia will win less than 12 games and not be the #1 starter by the end of the season.

Game, set, and match. Can I stop the review right here? Sabathia pitched in 8 games this season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA before being shut down with a mix of knee, confidence, and lack of fat issues. The former big man was even more useless than he was in the 2013 season when he went 14-13 with a 4.78 ERA. In my prediction, I mentioned that his losing weight was an issue he would not be coming back from and that “we have already seen the best of Sabathia.” 2014 showed just that. His days as the ace of any baseball team are over.

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My favorite part of this prediction was that a reader commented, “I’m sorry to say that if u honestly think CC only wins 12 games this year than I can no longer waste my time reading your post. Even if he hardly pitched better than he did last year with the offense the Yankees have this year, he will win a minimum of 15 games and I think that’s low balling it.” Mr. Fishbein, I’m sorry that you feel..well nevermind, it’s not like he’s reading this.

1. David Robertson will have more than 45 saves.

This one was close. Robertson had 39 saves. He blew 5 save opportunities, most notably Derek Jeter’s final home game. So, Robertson only had 44 save opportunities on the season. The Yankees only winning 84 games will do that. With a team that doesn’t struggle to win half its games, Robertson gets his 45 saves. All that being said, I hope not to see him in pinstripes in 2015, not because he can’t save 40 games again, but because it’s time for the Yankees to save some money and this is a great spot to do it in.

1. Michael Pineda will win 15 games

Well Pineda getting injured ruined this one. His suspension for using pine tar on the mound in the beginning of the season did not help either. Pineda only started 13 games this season, but he did have a 1.89 ERA in those starts. We will never know if he could keep up a pace even close to this over a full season, but he was fantastic both before and after he was hurt. I’m calling this a loss only on a technicality and will 100% make the same prediction for the 2015 season. By the way, how much better does that trade look now that Jesus Montero showed up to Mariners camp 40 pounds overweight, spent much of the season in the minors, then went into the stands to go after a scout that sent him an ice cream during a minor league game? The Yankees won that one in a landslide.

1. Vidal Nuno will join the squad by July and play a key part in making the playoffs

Of course everyone remembers that Nuno was with the squad this season. We lost almost our entire pitching rotation and Nuno was pushed to the Bronx very quickly. So I was right on the first half. You know what? I was almost right on the second half too. While Nuno pitched terribly for the Yankees, Brian Cashman was able to trade him for Brandon McCarthy. McCarthy actually was the reason the Yankees almost made the playoffs. Nuno went 2-5 with a 5.42 ERA with the Yankees through 14 starts, and then cleaned it up a bit to go 0-7 ERA with a 3.76 ERA with the Diamondbacks through 14 starts. Going 0-7 with a 3.76 ERA is obviously a bit of bad luck, but not the Yankees problem. Much more importantly, McCarthy went 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA with the Diamondbacks and 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA with the Yankees. McCarthy turned into a fantastic pitcher in the Bronx and that never would have happened with Mr. Vidal Nuno.

1. Masahiro Tanaka will win 20 games

The injury bug ruined this prediction as well. Tanaka only pitched half a season in 2014 and still won 13 games. In fact, Tanaka was tied for the league lead in wins before the All-Star game with 12. Pair that with a 2.51 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 129.1 innings, and Tanaka had one of the best pre All-Star break performances in any starter in baseball. Tanaka only started two games after the break. His elbow seems to be healing well and will be ready for baseball at the beginning of 2015. Provided Tanaka is healthy, I am also fully confident to make this prediction again in 2015.

My pitching predictions fared much better than my hitting predictions. Even the predictions that did not happen were injury related and could very well happen next season. With Tanaka coming back after seeing MLB baseball and Pineda hoping having a full healthy season, the Yankees should have one of the best front end rotations in the American League. It could be even better if the Yankees sign Max Scherzer, Jon Lester, or James Shields.