Tanaka Finish Raises Anxiety Level

In 50 pitches and only 1.2 innings, Masahiro Tanaka has created the basis for an angst-ridden Yankees off season. Depending on how Tanaka and his temperamental elbow wake up on Sunday morning, the Yankee front office and medical staff will be sweating out the winter hoping they’ve prescribed the correct treatment.

Granted Tanaka received no help from errors by an out-of-position Chase Headley and newcomer Eury Perez, but when the time came to bear down, it seemed that Tanaka couldn’t shake off the rust of the 10 week layoff, giving up seven hits, two walks and five earned runs.   That wraps up his season which can be thought of as a success, but with major caveats.

In the 135-plus innings in 2014, Tanaka was an ace.  But an ace is expected to throw 100 more innings and perform at the same level.  The Yankees will go into 2015 not knowing if Tanaka can complete a season.   Do the Yankees buy an insurance policy like Jon Lester or Max Scherzer?  Do they go to a six-man rotation?

At the beginning of the season Tanaka was the ace.  As he was building his 13-4 record over 135+ innings, he was must-see TV, providing this team and Yankee Stadium with an electricity not seen in years. Now, he’s a question mark, leaving everyone in Yankeeland with another pitching issue to address.   For this organization, it’s essential to know that their ace can last not 162 games, but 173- the minimal amount it takes to win a World Series.