Scott Proctor to be the 5th man in the rotation?

[The Kid]

I hope you have Proctor as your #5 starter. He's horrible against the sox. :waving

[Mattingly]

It's either an ingenius move or one seemingly borne from the same thought pattern that figured that perhaps Bubba Crosby could've been our next CFer. Very unlikely in Bubba's case, as his bat hadn't grown along with his glove, but some still may wonder anyway.

As to Proctor, he seemed about as much the Yankee MVP as Derek Jeter was. He kept out there, he turned down teams trying to rally, even when they had lots of momentum on their side. Though he wasn't as stellar when he's tired, at least he definitely contributed many innings for us, to the point people wondered if Torre was greatly overusing him.

Like Crosby, this is a time when the free agents' prices are skyrocketing, as well as a thin bunch to pick from. The Yanks don't have as many solid guys in that spot as desired. Could Scott Proctor really pitch well every 5th day, going from #5 pitcher to later on #3 pitcher? If so, more power to him, more great Yankee moments for all the rest of us.

Article (from Monday, 11/20):

Proctor could be headed to rotation
Right-hander might make move from bullpen to starter on 2007 (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061120&content_id=1744247&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy)
NEW YORK -- With a less-than-plentiful crop of pitchers on the free-agent market, the Yankees may look within their own organization to fill some spots on the pitching staff in 2007.
One of those could be the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation. One of the leading internal candidates? Scott Proctor.

Proctor was an integral piece of the Yankees bullpen in 2006, appearing in 83 games, tops in the American League. The right-hander posted a 6-4 record and 3.52 ERA, recording one save in his breakout season, but more importantly, he showed the Yankees that he had no fear when it comes to attacking the opposition.

Although the Yankees have not officially told Proctor to train as a starter this winter, he had a conversation with general manager Brian Cashman a few weeks ago in which they discussed the possibility.

"If I come into camp prepared to be a starter, it's much easier to go back to be a reliever," Proctor said. "You need to be in better shape to be a starter, because you're throwing more innings. Going back to the bullpen is an easier adjustment."

Last spring, New York had actually planned to convert Proctor back into a starter and insert him into the rotation at Triple-A Columbus, but an injury to Aaron Small led to Proctor making the Opening Day roster in the bullpen, where he went from being the last man on the staff to one of the most important arms on the team.

[DoubleX]

There have been rumors of this for a while now and using him as a starter was the original plan for last season as he was starting in Spring Training and was to start the season as a starter at Columbus - the injury to Aaron Small opened up a spot in the bullpen.

I believe he was originally a starter in the minor leagues and has mixed success and seemed to become more consistent when he was put in the bullpen full time.

I'm curious to see how this goes, though I think I'd prefer to have Proctor stay in the pen given that he was successful in the pen and was able to eat a lot of innings out of the pen. The Yankees have other questionable options that they can go with in the rotation, such as Rasner or Karstens.

[Mariano_Rivera]

It's either an ingenius move or one seemingly borne from the same thought pattern that figured that perhaps Bubba Crosby could've been our next CFer. Very unlikely in Bubba's case, as his bat hadn't grown along with his glove, but some still may wonder anyway.

As to Proctor, he seemed about as much the Yankee MVP as Derek Jeter was. He kept out there, he turned down teams trying to rally, even when they had lots of momentum on their side. Though he wasn't as stellar when he's tired, at least he definitely contributed many innings for us, to the point people wondered if Torre was greatly overusing him.

Like Crosby, this is a time when the free agents' prices are skyrocketing, as well as a thin bunch to pick from. The Yanks don't have as many solid guys in that spot as desired. Could Scott Proctor really pitch well every 5th day, going from #5 pitcher to later on #3 pitcher? If so, more power to him, more great Yankee moments for all the rest of us.

Article (from Monday, 11/20):

Proctor could be headed to rotation
Right-hander might make move from bullpen to starter on 2007 (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061120&content_id=1744247&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy)

I`d prefer him in the bullpen and their are a few other options for the rotation but it's all right.

[Tinyballer]

I think he can be a good starter. He's got great stuff and had the stamina of a starter when in minor. I could see him being a solid five man with a 3-4 era.

[cmaff05]

Proctor has one plus pitch.. his fastball.. and the rest of his pitches are either inconsistent and/or suck. In no way would I put him in the rotation. If he was in the rotation, I would predict him to be a 5-6 inning pitcher at around a 5 ERA.

[Disgruntaledmarinerfan]

Scott Procter could be a very decent #4 or #5 starter, he has the stamina to be a starter. I feel however, that he would a better fit in the bulpen.

[Yankee Legend]

Although I wouldn't mind experimenting with it, I would have to agree with the previous post and say that he is better off in the bullpen. Honestly, I still think he has to prove if he's reliable.

[EvanAparra]

The 100+ innings out of the bullpen last year didn't prove it to you?

[Yankee Legend]

The 100+ innings out of the bullpen last year didn't prove it to you?

I watched Proctor all season and to be honest, there were many times where he was very shaky. Just can't trust him to go 6+ innings.

[EvanAparra]

I watched Proctor all season and to be honest, there were many times where he was very shaky. Just can't trust him to go 6+ innings.

Yeah, I saw him a lot too, but arent all pitchers going to be shaky at points?

Maybe spring training would help clear up some trust issues?

[Yankee Legend]

Yeah, I saw him a lot too, but arent all pitchers going to be shaky at points?

Maybe spring training would help clear up some trust issues?

That's true. Once again I'm not ruling out the possibility. I just thinking it's safer for now to leave him in the bullpen and look elsewhere (i.e. farm system).

[cmaff05]

Yeah, I saw him a lot too, but arent all pitchers going to be shaky at points?

Maybe spring training would help clear up some trust issues?

This is really the same thing as Cashman saying that Bubba was going to be our 2006 centerfielder. Proctor has close to zero chance of being a starter on the Yankees.

[EvanAparra]

This is really the same thing as Cashman saying that Bubba was going to be our 2006 centerfielder. Proctor has close to zero chance of being a starter on the Yankees.

That's why they asked him to be ready to be a starter, instead of naming him a starter. We know this.

[Mattingly]

This is really the same thing as Cashman saying that Bubba was going to be our 2006 centerfielder. Proctor has close to zero chance of being a starter on the Yankees.
Yeah, that's what I'd mentioned in the opening post. Pretty much a negotiation tactic. Back then, Johnny Damon was on Cashman's crosshairs as a target. Right now, it's Zito and Schmidt. It's like a cheesy way of saying, "Well, we don't need to overpay, since we have Scott Proctor".

It's nice, but we still overpaid for Damon anyway. Then again, that was the price to get him away from a team that placed a far lower value on him than did the Yanks.

As to Zito or Schmidt, they're proven starters whom I'm presuming will be very reliable over the course of the next 4-5 years of their contracts, regardless of teams they've signed with. If the Yanks pick Proctor to be the #5, we'll have:

Wang (ace)
Moose (#2)
Unit (#3)
Proctor (#4)
Karsten (or Rasner) (#5)

If the Yanks decide to get Zito or Schmidt, then I still think that Wang would be our ace, but the new pitcher would seek a very overpriced contract in the $14m range. I think it would be to the Yanks' benefit to get one of them, as an extra quality starter isn't anything to complain about. It also puts Proctor back into the pen where he's been effective (when not overused), rather than him trying to get used to going 7 innings every 5th day.

It's my feeling that if Proctor has to get used to starting, then the pen will suffer because of his loss. If others will step up, then they can do so as mid-relievers and excel, given that Torre gives them his trust.

[Mike27]

I really don't think this is that bad of an idea. The Yanks are counting on Pavano to start for them this year... Obviously they are getting desperate, and I don't think this is that bad of an experiment. He originally came up as a starter and then because of injuries was moved to the pen. Hes got a great fastball but needs to work on curve and have another go to pitch. The Yanks have many other inside options to go to if Proctor doesnt work, so I think they should try him out. Karstens, Henn, Rasner, Hughes, and Sanchez are all guys they could fall back on.

[Mariano_Rivera]

Just thought I`d mention that because they won the bidding for igawa and should sign him easily the Proctor thing is almost definitely not going to happen unless either Pavano is traded or their are injuries. Even if one or both of these things happen i would rather have Rasner start and if the hole opens up midseason than Hughes.

[ChrisLDuncan]

No we need him in the pen, we can't weaken the pen to moderately strengthen our rotation