It’s been widely known in baseball, that the name of the game is pitching.

For some teams, pitching is an area that requires improvement. For others, it’s in an abundance. One thing is certain: teams will always look for ways to improve their starting rotation or bullpen. Whether it’s the free agent route or a trade, pitching is always in demand and comes at a substantial price.

In past years, we have seen teams such as the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and now, with the signing of CJ Wilson, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, boast teams that consist of too much pitching. However, it is no surprise that this abundance of pitching is what has led to regular season and postseason success for these franchises.

Is having too much pitching a problem? If it is, it is surely seems like a nice problem to have.

Just ask the New York Yankees.

Last week, the Yankees shocked the baseball world. For one, they came out of their dormant winter hibernation like an angrily woken bear and actually made a game-changing transaction, and two, they signed one of the most reliable and consistent starting pitchers remaining on the free agent market to a team-friendly deal, in the same day (about an hour apart to be more specific). In one day, the Yankees went from having a questionable pitching staff that would have trouble repeating last year’s success, to becoming the favorites in the American League East.

Pineda projects to be staple in the Yankees' rotation for the foreseeable future. (Photo Credit to Zimbio.com)

These moves of course, were the trade with the Seattle Mariners for RHP Michael Pineda, and the signing of former Los Angeles Dodgers’ workhorse, RHP Hiroki Kuroda. One could even consider the re-signing of ace LHP CC Sabathia (even though he never publicly opted out of his current contract), as another free agent addition. Either way, a rotation that was once Sabathia and who else, now becomes one of baseball’s most formidable.

The Yankees acquired Pineda and minor league pitcher Jose Campos for top hitting prospect, C Jesus Montero, and relief pitcher Hector Noesi. While the move was at first disliked when it broke by many heartbroken Yankees and Mariners fans, who had waited years to see these young phenoms finally debut, as it started settle, the realization that it was a fair trade that fixed needs for both teams started to take form. For the Yankees, they acquired a pitcher who would be cheap and effective for the foreseeable future, and for the Mariners, they acquired a young hitter with enormous upside who, while he may not have a true defensive position, will help to improve their offense. Because of his youth, cost, and potential, he is the most intriguing new addition to the Yankees’ rotation.

Pineda, 23, is fresh-off of his rookie season with Seattle, posting a 9-10 record with a 3.74 ERA in 28 starts while also making the American League All-Star team. While his record may seem unimpressive, he was backed by an anemic Mariners’ offense that ranked last in every offense category last season, costing him wins. At 6’7, 260 lbs he is an intimidating presence on the mound, and is only projected to get better as he matures.

While in the minor leagues, Pineda was ranked as high as 16th on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects list, and projects to be an eventual ace by the time he hits his prime years. The hard-throwing righty should slide into the Yankees’ rotation behind Sabathia and provide enough durability to man the spot for the next five years that he is under team control. Pineda and that other guy should help to lead the Yankees to the playoffs.

Kuroda will provide veteran insurance (Photo Credit to Zimbio.com)

That other guy, of course, is referring to Hiroki Kuroda. At 38 years young, Kuroda just completed his fourth season in the MLB since coming over from Japan and provided the Dodgers with another solid season, going 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA in 32 starts. Long coveted by New York, they waited out the off-season until Kuroda’s original price tag came down, and shortly after the trade for Pineda, signed the veteran to a one-year, $10 million contract in the effort to stay on pace for a strict team budget. Kuroda, who posted a career 3.45 ERA with the Dodgers, is viable veteran insurance, and should look to fit in comfortably with his former Dodgers’ teammate, Yankees catcher Russell Martin.

The Yankees rotation now projects to be Sabathia, Pineda, last year’s stand-out rookie Ivan Nova, Kuroda and a spring training battle for the fifth spot between veteran Freddy Garcia, the consistently inconsistent and over-paid A.J. Burnett, and bounce-back candidate Phil Hughes. If the rotation were to include Garcia, the Yankees would boast a rotation in which every pitcher posted a ERA below 3.80. New York’s team ERA last season was 3.73, ranking 11th in the AL, and winning 97 games along the way.

That’s right, 97 wins for a team that entered the 2011 season with a questionable rotation that had serious doubts. Now the Yankees boast a rotation that is a powerhouse force. 97 wins should not be a problem for the upcoming season.

Seven men for five spots is a problem that some teams would love to have, especially with the ability and potential that all of these pitchers provide. While only one of Garcia, Burnett or Hughes is going to crack the Opening Day rotation, the other two will ultimately be transitioned to the bullpen, which, backed by closer Mariano Rivera and All-Star David Robertson, was arguably one of the best in baseball last season. A common baseball phrase “the best relievers are failed starters,” is a term that fits snugly into the Yankees’ situation. Of course, a trade could always be in the works as well.

By trading Montero, the Yankees’ lost the player who was destined to take over the now-vacated Designated Hitter spot in the lineup. While rumors have swirled that the Yankees could go out and make a signing for a veteran at a discounted price, a trade of either Burnett or Hughes could be more likely, and provide the Yankees with a better return than any of the other available options.

Whether the Bronx Bombers choose to either trade one of their arms for some offense help, or move them to the bullpen (where all three have excelled at some point in their respective careers) they can do no wrong. If one pitcher is to fail, there will always be insurance, be it one of those who didn’t make the starting rotation or one of the many young arms in the Yankees’ stacked minor league pitching system.

In a day, the Yankees now boast a rotation with five candidates who could all easily log 200 innings, all have tremendous upside, and, knock on wood, have never had serious injury issues. They also have intriguing trade chips that could provide them with offense.

Trading pitching could help the Yankees. Keeping pitching could help the Yankees.

Where’s the problem?

(featured image photo credit to bomberbanter.com)