By Chris Ruddick
After missing the postseason for the first time since 1993, you knew major changes were in store for the New York Yankees in 2009.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that starting pitching was the team's downfall in 2008, as injuries and inconsistency led to a 59-53 mark from a Yankees' starting rotation that pitched to a 4.58 earned run average - 19th best in the league.
Youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy failed miserably, combining to go 0-8, while Chien-Ming Wang was able to make only 15 starts because of a foot injury which sidelined him for the final 3 1/2 months of the season.
To make matters worse, Mike Mussina, the only bright spot on the staff after winning 20 games for the first time in his career, announced his retirement shortly after the season, leaving the Yankees' rotation in even more disarray.
So general manager Brian Cashman acted swiftly, reeling in the biggest free agent on the market when he signed ace left-hander CC Sabathia to a monstrous seven-year, $161 million deal. Then he secured who many felt was the second-best pitcher on the market, locking in A.J. Burnett with a five- year, $82.5 million offer.
As if those two signings were not enough, the Yankees seemingly came out of nowhere to land first baseman Mark Teixeira with an eight-year, $180 million contract.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that starting pitching was the team's downfall in 2008, as injuries and inconsistency led to a 59-53 mark from a Yankees' starting rotation that pitched to a 4.58 earned run average - 19th best in the league.
Youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy failed miserably, combining to go 0-8, while Chien-Ming Wang was able to make only 15 starts because of a foot injury which sidelined him for the final 3 1/2 months of the season.
To make matters worse, Mike Mussina, the only bright spot on the staff after winning 20 games for the first time in his career, announced his retirement shortly after the season, leaving the Yankees' rotation in even more disarray.
So general manager Brian Cashman acted swiftly, reeling in the biggest free agent on the market when he signed ace left-hander CC Sabathia to a monstrous seven-year, $161 million deal. Then he secured who many felt was the second-best pitcher on the market, locking in A.J. Burnett with a five- year, $82.5 million offer.
As if those two signings were not enough, the Yankees seemingly came out of nowhere to land first baseman Mark Teixeira with an eight-year, $180 million contract.
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