Whether it has been poor player evaluation or just plain bad luck, finding enough competent relief pitchers has been very difficult. In some cases, it has been nearly impossible to find.
This season has been a much different story. Good relief pitching has made its long awaited return to The Bronx and the results have been an unmitigated success.
In the years that have passed since the last World Series championship back in 2000, finding good relievers like the Yankees had back during the mid to late 1990’s has been like a revolving door at a store with pitchers coming in, staying for a period, and then leaving out. Only two pitchers since 2002 have lasted at least three seasons with the club and logged a representative amount of innings.
Some have been better than others have over most of this decade.
Tanyon Sturtze, Paul Quantrill, Ron Villone, Scott Proctor and most recent Luis Vizcaino, all overachieved in single years for the Yankees. However, all would eventually fall victim to either overuse or a simple market correction. One lasting image of these relievers was a stick figure caricature of them with their right (or left) arm dangling from their socket all the way to floor, as it appeared they were nearing their expiration dates as pitchers.
Tom Gordon was a fighter who mostly had a successful run with the team. However, even he had his down moments. Not being able to preserve a two-run lead in Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS I still contend, was one of the main reasons the Red Sox were able to complete the 0-3 comeback.
Some have just been dreadful.
Who can forget the (not so) memorable appearances by the likes of Felix Rodriguez, Juan Acevedo and Buddy Groom?
Sprinkle in a T.J Beam and Sean Henn here and there.
I would be remising if I did not mention memorable “cup of coffee” appearances by Alan Embree, Scott Erickson and Donovan Osborne.
Oh, and who can forget the Felix “The Run Fairy” Heredia era, which appeared to last longer than your normal Energizer battery.
Most games that should have been agita free, now took on an “edge of your seat”, “vomit inducing” feel.
It never used to be that way. Consider that back in what has to (looking back) be “the good old days”, getting the last six to nine outs were not filled with such tension. The championship teams had an indomitable core featuring Jeff Nelson, Ramiro Mendoza and Mike Stanton. The opposing team knew that if did not have the lead after six innings, it was essentially “game over” or “season over”, and look ahead to the next day (assuming their was one).
Could those days be reappearing? The performance of the bullpen over the course of this 2008 season has been nothing short of an unexpected surprise. A once mapped out two-headed monster before the season was broken up in June and has been replaced by a quartet that has not only been good, but at times overpowering and dominant.
The original game plan was for the pitching staff to get the ball into the hands of Joba Chamberlain to pitch the eighth inning and Rivera to close it out in the ninth. Plans were altered when both Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes were not only ineffective (zero wins), but also injured. Neither man has pitched for the team since early May. This forced the hands of the organization to move up their (then secret) timetable for converting Chamberlain into a starting pitcher. While this was going on, the questions began to be asked as to who would be able to replace his dominance in the bullpen.
As it has turned out, a collection of relievers have stepped up and together have turned the relief pitching of the Yankees into the unquestionable strength of the team as its offense struggles along and two-fifths of the starting rotation is being held by chewing gum.
The combination of Jose Veras (2.97 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 8.3 K/9), Edwar Ramirez (2.48 ERA, 0.96 WHIP,
10.66 K/9) along with the resurgence (aka – Walk Year) of Kyle Farnsworth (3.35 ERA, opponents are 0 for their last 27), have quality and dependability.Last month, the Yankees called up David Robertson to its relief core. Since his arrival, he has been very impressive. In just over 11 innings, he is yielding a WHIP of less than 1.00 and striking out a remarkable 11.15 batters per nine innings. Most of strikeouts come from his beautiful “nose to toes” breaking ball that freezes hitters.
The ability for the bullpen to lock down these late innings has lessened the burden that is placed on the golden right arm of Rivera, who is enjoying the best season of his career. In prior years, the inability of the pen to get outs in the eighth forced Joe Torre and (for a time) Joe Girardi to call on him for a save of more than three outs. Not having Mo to get those extra outs are going to be invaluable if the Yankees are to push forward in their chase for the playoffs down the stretch of the season.
How good has the bullpen been? Over the last 22 games (through Wednesday against the Twins), they have thrown 22 innings and has an ERA of 1.60.
Domination.
To add depth to the pen, on Friday night the Yankees acquired left hander Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over his career, he has shown the ability to lockdown left handed hitters. He who can be called upon to get out David Ortiz and J.D Drew of the Red Sox and Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena of the Rays. An interesting thing about him is that he is more than a left handed "specialist". This season, right handed hitters are doing worse against him than lefties. While currently stacked with good relievers, you can never have enough. The fluctuating nature of the position alerts you that success and failure is very small, and that any one of these pitchers can have a sudden downfall in performance. Having insurance is always a good thing and Marte is an excellent addition.
Give Girardi credit for his managerialization of the ‘pen this season. Critics of Joe Torre argued that this was one of his worst characteristics as a manager. Torre would rely on one or two relievers outside of Rivera and solely put his trust in those pitchers, to the extent where he would severely overwork tem over the course of the season, even when the team was leading games by non-save margins. The end result? Either a drop in performance later in the season, ineffectiveness upon returning the next year, or an eventual trip to the disabled list.
To that I pose the following question…if Torre had this many quality relief pitchers at his disposal, do you think he would have a need to overwork certain people? Go back and look at some of the sorry pitchers he had out there. Would you not go to Scott Proctor (2006 season) over anyone else? When Jose Veras was a Yankee in 2006 and 2007, he showed an inability to throw strikes and keep consistent mechanics. Rather than allow him to work his way out of it, he was used sparingly, then sent back to the minor leagues.
Ramirez showed very good talent as well when he came up with the team last season. His problem was that when hitters were not fooled by changeup when they were behind in the count. This year, he is throwing more consistently, which has lead to great success this season.
Farnsworth has always been an enigma. A right arm with a 100 MPH fastball, great slider and at times
a ten-cent head. Over the last two years, there has been about eight different times in which he stated that he was unavailable to pitch because of injuries (mainly a lock up in his back) and his ineffectiveness in pitching back-to-back games.You think if Torre had that many guys to work from that are as effective as this group so far this season, he would not have to overwork his best relievers?
The way baseball is played in this era, having a good bullpen most times is the difference between winning and losing. A football or basketball equivalent for this would be its special teams and/or free throw shooting. More games are won and lost now after the sixth inning. Not having pitchers who can get those outs can be demoralizing to a team that gets a well pitched game from its starter only to see it wasted as the team goes down to defeat with it.
High monetary investment, overprotection, pitch counts, persistent over managing and "specialization" has led to starting pitchers no longer completing games they would start 20 or 30 years ago. Pitching 250 to 270 innings as recent as ten years ago has dropped nearly 20 percent. If a pitcher gives you more then 220 innings, you praise the heavens.
Closers (back then, known as "fireman") in those days would record two and sometimes three inning saves. However, since the initialization of the "setup role" made famous by Tony LaRussa in the late 1980's with the Oakland Athletics, the role of bullpens have evolved into what you see today.
These days, a six or seven inning performance is (somehow) deemed acceptable as the "specialists" are called upon to nail down those precious final outs.
Having men that can get those outs are invaluable and rarely available for trade unless your willing to pay a hefty price. Going out and buying them in free agency (if they are good) come at steep price tag. The Yankees have found this out the hard way over the last seven years, but this season, things have changed for the better at a much cheaper cost.
One can only hope that the success continues.
Random Yankee Thoughts
I do NOT want to see Barry Bonds on my team. Period. End of sentence.
Robinson Cano has been on fire since the All Star break. Perhaps that will be his thing for his career. Essentially take off the first three months of the season and then turn into Ted Williams after game 80.
Hey, it worked for Ryne Sandberg.
Sad to see that Jorge Posada’s shoulder injury is possibly going to keep him out the rest of the season. I knew something was still wrong when even his power numbers were falling precipitously.
That being said, Jose Molina (the Latin Johnny Bench – minus the offense) is going to have to take on most of the catching duties.
All I ask is that you hit a fly ball with a man on third and get an occasional hit. Please avoid the double play at all costs.
Melky Cabrera is one more idiotic play away from finding a nice spot on the bench.
Playing that single into an error and man on second while acknowledging the Bleacher Creature denizens in right field is definitely making it way to the blooper reel.
Is Brett Gardner is different way of saying Willie Mays Hayes?
Richie Sexson is baseball’s version of (former NBA center) Chris Dudley. Both give you tough, gritty defense. However, neither is going to anything in terms of offense.
Mike Mussina is just continuing his amazing season. I do not know how he is getting hitters out with that 86 MPH gas, and frankly, I do not care.
He is seven wins away from 20 and currently sports a 3.26 ERA. There is no question he should get consideration for the Hall of Fame.
When you take into account his pitching the American League. Particularly the American League East. Then, take into account the steroid era and the fact that he is over 100 games over .500 for his career. He should not need 300 wins to be a lock.
Am I really gaining confidence in Kyle Farnsworth? Tell me the sky is not falling. Bring me back to reality please. Oh wait, I saw the eighth inning in Boston on Friday.
Alex Rodriguez is hitting less than .240 with runners in scoring position this year. Can Madonna fix that?
Jason Giambi slightly dyed his mustache brown. I, for one, am disappointed.
Nothing is better than seeing the Yankees play a road game at Fenway Park. It is the most hostile environment to be a Yankees fan.
Also the most fun.
I thought I was getting tired of The Rivalry. Something about it though always brings me back.
Nothing in any sport can top it.
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