Wang Out; Yanks in Search for 19 Wins

Just when it looked like the Yankees were starting to come out of their funk, the baseball Gods send the boys in pinstripes reeling again. This time, Yankee starter Chien Ming Wang is headed to the disabled list after damaging his tendons a ligaments in his right foot.

Wang will be out for at least six weeks, while some are reporting that Wang could be shelved for the remainder of the 2008 season.

The Yanks are in need of a starter, now more than ever. After losing out on the Santana sweepstakes in the offseason, Cashman will almost certainly exhaust every option he has in a search to replace Wang.

Pickings are slim:

C.C. Sabathia: started off poorly, and will be a free agent at the end of the season. If Cleveland falls any farther out of the playoff race, they might be willing to deal their ace. Its a long shot for the Yankees, especially this early in the season. Cleveland knows that teams will be more desperate around the trading deadline, and would be more likely make to make a bonehead move.

Joe Blanton: A's pitcher is having a statistical nightmare of a season; he's 3-9 with a 4.23 era, but has a relatively low WHIP (1.36). Blanton is a tough cookie, he's thrown over 200 innings twice in the past three seasons (194 in 2006) and has started over 30 games when he's been on the roster for a full season. He might come cheaper than Sabathia, but do the Yanks really need another right hander?

Dan Giese: Yanks could promote from within the organization. Giese has done a pretty good job in long relief as Joba transitions into the starting role. Yanks would hope to catch lighting in a bottle with Giese, like they did with Joba a year ago.