Yankeetorial: Whatever happened to our next wave of pitchers?

To the Yankiverse:

Three years ago, we gushed over the wave of pitching talent that would be cresting right about now.

It wasn't just Joba, Ian and Hughes -- aka Pulsipher, Isrighausen and Wilson -- but we celebrated an endless supply of young arms -- Humberto, Garcia, Horne, Hoover, Marquez, et al.

They would end our free agent habit and launch a great homegrown period, simultaneous to the opening of the new stadium.

Folks, we just searched the dresser drawers and found our best pair of socks: Brett Tomko.

If not for signing washups from Alphonso's Mexico dirt leagues -- Aceves, Edwar, Veras -- we would barely be able to field a 10-man staff.

Folks, we've been living off a housing bubble for prospects, and it has burst.

The more we hyped young arms, the higher their expectations, the more stress everyone felt, and the more they've blown out shoulders, elbows and egos.

Take Andrew Brackman. Correct me if I'm wrong -- it's not worth looking up -- but I don't believe he has ever pitched a pro game -- not one -- and been lights out. But when he gets hammered, we hear how his velocity was fantastic and just missed a few calls on his incredible stuff.

Dellin Betances. Same deal.

Now, I wonder about Melancon. Is he just another dud?

Over the last four years, while our system has tanked, practically every other team in baseball has built a solid staff, even if it rose and fell.

Look at the Toronto Blue Jays. Yeesh -- if we could have traded our system for theirs, we'd be in first place right now by six games.

Folks, we have a system problem.

Cashman, Newman, Contreras -- aka Hughes, Ian, Joba -- have some explaining to do.