Yanks Overlooked Potential Help

While New York scrambles to replace Joba Chamberlain and plans to demote Darrell Rasner to the bullpen, the Yanks starting pitching depth, already a question at the trade deadline, had moved into a state of emergency. Meanwhile, quiety, in the forgotten baseball world of Pittsburgh, ex-Yankee Jeff Karstens has tossed 16 shutout innings, including a two-hit shutout.

Traded to Pittsburgh along with prospects prior to the deadline for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady, Karstens early performance makes you wonder why the Yanks did not give him a chance earlier this year. The trade was great for the Yanks, filling two holes with solid, proven major-leaguers at a small cost. Including Karstens is not the problem, it’s the four months before the trade that’s curious. Karstens has struggled since May, Sidney Ponson benefits from immense run-support before two solid outings in August, and we know the Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes stories by now. Why didn’t Karstens get a shot this season?

Even with Marte struggling since the trade, you can’t question the move, in fact it looks like a great move for the Yanks. But Karstens pitched well in 2006, was injured last year, and performed good enough in AAA to warrant a look this season. Two-hit shutouts are unreasonable to expect. A few wins and possibly some momentum is not too hard to imagine.