Yankees Early Favorites For Wilson

Even though the Texas Rangers are still playing the rumors on their ace pitcher, C.J. Wilson are picking up big time. It’s not really a surprise as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are out of the playoffs and looking for pitchers. The rumors are picking up so much steam lately that Jon Heyman has already labeled one team an early favorite.

@SI_JonHeyman: Some folks think cj wilson has keen interest as free agent in new york. Yankees probably early favorite to sign him.

First, as a Yankees fan this is the last thing I want to hear. Not that Wilson MIGHT want to come to New York but that they’re the early favorites. Normally when the Yankees are the early favorites they get their man but after what happened with Cliff Lee last offseason its something I don’t want to hear.

Now to the rumors, can we really be surprised. Wilson has turned into a bonafide ace since leaving the closer role and he just keeps getting better and better. What makes things even better is that he’s a left handed starter and when you can find an ace lefty you do whatever it takes to get him. Especially when you’re Boston or New York and have things like the pesky pole and short porch.

In two full seasons as a starter, Wilson has started 67 games and thrown 427.1 innings pitched. He has a 3.14 ERA with 376 strikeouts and a 31-15 record. Those are numbers you want out of an ace but to me are even more impressive due to him spending five years at the back end of the Rangers bullpen.

What impressed me the most this year is he didn’t have any setbacks like a lot of young starters did. What I mean by that is he didn’t have any setbacks after a huge innings increase. In 2009 he threw only 73.2 innings while in 2010 he threw in 204. That’s a HUGE spike and that’s not including the starts he had in the postseason. Some were worried he’d drop off but he didn’t and I say that’s because of Nolan Ryan.

Side Rant: I say this is all because of Nolan Ryan because of the new Rangers philosophy. Ryan was known for his high inning totals, he did nothing but throw throw and throw and never had arm issues. The new Rangers philosophy is for their pitchers to throw the ball. There are no pitch counts, there are no limits on side sessions, he wants his pitchers throwing the ball and building up strength. AND ITS WORKED!!! His team is in the ALCS two years in a row and you know what have you heard of any arm issues?

Ok back to Wilson… He’s going to be the biggest prize in free agency and we know this. I think he’ll be a bigger prize then C.C. Sabathia if he opts-out. He’ll be 31 at the start of the 2012 season but he’s had minimal wear and tear on that body. He’ll be good for another four or five years, easily.

Are the Yankees an early favorite? I don’t think so at all, it’s too early for a favorite. I think it’s something the media wants to throw out there to get the Hot Stove ramped up nice and early. We can expect the Yankees and Red Sox to be in there heavy. We can expect the Rangers to do what they can to keep their pitcher, they’ve got the money now.

I’d so the only early favorite is Wilson’s bank account. It’s going to be getting loaded with a lot of zeros and what I expect to be a nine-figure contract.

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Tags: Boston Red Sox, CC Sabathia, CJ Wilson, MLB, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers