Projo Sports Blog

By Mark McGuire
Albany Times Union

Remember back when the New York Yankees were struggling? OK, scratch that; not specific enough.

Remember when the Yankees were struggling back in April?

Just weeks into the Joe Girardi era, co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner called for Joba Chamberlain to be in the starting rotation at the expense of Mike Mussina.

Anybody who disagreed was, Steinbrenner said, an "idiot."

Mussina had lost it. He no longer had the velocity. Mussina came out of the gates 1-3 with a 5.75 ERA, averaging a shade more than five innings a start. At the time I dissed Steinbrenner's meddling, but said maybe time had indeed expired for the 39-year-old Mussina.

My bad. Since April 24, Mussina is 14-4. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the rotation has, like Chamberlain, gone to the DL, or the minors, or both.

Mussina is now 15-7 with a 3.27 ERA and averaging almost six innings an outing heading into his start this week against the Minnesota Twins at The Metrodome. He's won five of his past six decisions; in his previous outing, against the Texas Rangers, he pitched seven scoreless innings.

The Yankees remain on the periphery of the pennant race even though four key members of their rotation, including Chamberlain and Opening Day starter Chien-Ming Wang, have missed long stretches with injuries.

Mussina and Andy Pettitte have been the constants.

Where would the Yankees be without Mussina?

You would have to be an idiot to think they'd still be in the postseason race.

Better yet, where is Mike Mussina going?

Cooperstown?

Mike Mussina fails the Hall of Fame gut test (is-he-Cooperstown-worthy?) first blush without delving into stats.

You don't have to look up the numbers to know Derek Jeter is headed there. Pedro Martinez won't get within an offensive lineman's number of 300 wins, but he's a lock.

Moose? Never won 20 games in a season. Never won a Cy Young Award, or a World Series title. At least Don Sutton notched one 20-win season, and 324 wins for a career.

That 300-win plateau means more than ever in a sport where a lot of numbers (mostly hitting) have been diluted. It will become exceedingly rare that a pitcher reaches it, since going six innings these days is considered a quality start, and wins get lost to bullpens.

Ask Johan Santana, who could have six more Ws this season if not for shoddy relief work in his starts.

Randy Johnson is seven wins shy of 300; if he never throws another pitch, he's still guaranteed a spot in Cooperstown.

Mussina has to get to that magic number in order to be considered, right? Actually, that would make him a sure-thing. He's already close.

First, keep in mind that the 1994 strike potentially robbed Mussina of two 20-win seasons. In 1994, Mussina went 16-5; in 1995, he finished 19-9, despite losing several starts due to the shortened season.

He's a five-time All-Star and a six-time Gold Glove winner. He's 39th all-time in winning percentage at .637, 114 games over .500 (265-151). In addition, Mussina is 13th in walks-to-hits ratio.

Mussina, who turns 40 on Dec. 8, would have to win five of his eight projected starts remaining this season in order to get to 20 wins.

Let's say he gets three more Ws, leaving him with 268 wins. Two more 12-win seasons would leave Mussina perched at 292; could a 42-year Mussina then win another eight? Maybe.

Maybe he gets hurt, or suddenly loses it. But he's firmly in the conversation now.

Mussina became more adept at changing speeds and picking spots, in many ways changing his identity as a pitcher. Who knows? You'd think Hank Steinbrenner has changed his mind about Mussina being in the rotation this year. Maybe in a few years, we'll all change our minds about how we view Mike Mussina's career.

 Tags  Mike Mussina New York Yankees

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