I completely agree with Rosenthal. Like I've been saying for a few days now, the Yankees pen has been as bad as they are because they're overworked. You can't expect a bullpen to pitch four innings a game and still remain sharp. Most team's bullpens will struggle if their pitchers are only throwing five innings a start.First things first: Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain is not returning to the bullpen — at least not yet."I can revisit that at any point," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday. "But right now, he is needed even more in the rotation than ever."Chien-Ming Wang is on the disabled list. His replacement, Phil Hughes, remains largely unproven. The Yankees' current setup man, Brian Bruney might come off the disabled list in two weeks.
No, the Yankees are not panicking about their bullpen, not even after their weekend debacle in Boston. Cashman is always looking to upgrade, but says that he is not being "uber-aggressive" about looking for relief help, and that none of the available relievers interest him.
The Yankees' bullpen, featuring most of the same relievers, last season ranked second in the majors in strikeout rate, fourth in opponents' OPS and seventh in ERA. Cashman refers to the group as "talented and gifted and probably undersold."
"Nobody wants to hear it," another Yankees official said, "but you just have to let 'em pitch."
Actually, the best thing would be for the relievers to pitch less, and to that end CC Sabathia's complete game Monday night, even in a 4-2 loss to the Tigers, was a start.
Only two American League rotations — the Orioles' and A's — had averaged fewer innings than the Yankees' entering Monday's play. Wang, who worked only six innings in his three starts, was the primary culprit, but not the only one.
The Yankees believe that relievers such as right-handers Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez will return to form as their starters pitch deeper into games.
Lefty Damaso Marte allowed Kevin Youkilis' game-winning homer on Friday night, but manager Joe Girardi said it was the best Marte has thrown all season — and he made a point of repeating that several times to Marte.
For now, the Yankees have little choice but to stay the course, but the calls for Chamberlain to return to his original role only will grow louder if the team's relievers continue to struggle.
That was one of the things that I did like about CC's performance yesterday, he gave the bullpen the night off. Once we see more of that from the Yankees staff, the better the bullpen will be too.
As Rosenthal also points out, there are other issues with moving Joba to the pen; Brian Bruney and Chien-Ming Wang, and someone he didn't mention, Mark Melancon.
Until Chien-Ming Wang proves he can pitch again the Yankees only have five starters including Hughes. So there is no way they can move Joba out of the rotation now.
If Bruney can come back in two weeks and pitch like he was - and there's no reason to believe he can't - the Yankees don't need an 8th inning guy because they already have one. Also, Mark Melancon looks like the real deal, not based on the two innings in Boston, but on everything he's done in the minors as well. After getting his feet wet for a week or two, he could slide right into the seventh inning role, which would leave Jose Veras, Phil Coke, Jonathan Albaladejo, Edwar Ramirez and Damaso Marte to handle the sixth. I think that should work out just fine.
The bottom line is that the Yankees need to see where they're at with Bruney, Melancon, and Wang, before doing anything drastic.
Now, what happens if Melancon is as good as advertised, Bruney and Wang come back at full strength, and Hughes is successful as a starter? Well that's a unbelievably great problem to have for the Yanks and it will give them two choices:
1) Keep Joba and Hughes in the rotation and have something of a six-man rotation to limit the innings for the two youngsters, and if the Yankees have a lead after six the game will be over.
2) Move Joba to the pen and if the Yankees have the lead after five the games will be over.
Again, that would be a great problem to have, sadly I don't think it's very likely that things will work out that perfectly. They never do.
17 Comments:
If Hughes does well and Wang gets hard again(pun intended) Joba should become the 8th inning guy. Bruney then becomes the 7th. If Albaladejo devlops nicely we have someone for the 6th. All IFS but be nice to have workout.
The problem with a 6 man rotation, is that it will limit the innings of the others guys like CC and AJ.
A friend and I were trying to come up with a solution for when Wang comes back, and Hughes is pitching well. It's a good problem to have, but maybe alternating Joba and Hughes to limit their innings only.
Of course, I'm getting way ahead for now.
-Nyyfn
"It's a good problem to have, but maybe alternating Joba and Hughes to limit their innings only."
That's pretty much what I was thinking too. There's no way I would want to limit the other guys from making their starts.
I hate when this happens, I was on the yes boards and saw a thread "Kennedy Hurt" but when I went back to find it, it was gone, anyone have news?
-Cartman
He's got a blister.
Alright, I got worried for a second there after I couldnt find it, I thought it was major, but hey a blister will go away.
-Cartman
Maybe if Joba the starter got through the sixth occasionally the bullpen wouldn't be so overworked.
Yes, that is part of the problem.
Doesn't it just make you sick that things seem to work out so well for the Red Sox? I mean they have their injuries too (losing their 2 starter and their starting shortstop) yet they're winning 11 games in a row and we're whining about how our team is going to be good "soon enough".
Yea that does suck. They gotta turn things around.
I dont think anyone can argue that Joba has good stuff. The problem is his command. It's very early in the season and he has a lot of time to sharpen that fastball to make the curve and slider work better for him. Everyone gives Girardi such a hard time but where is the blame on Eiland for having a pitching staff that can't get out of the 6th inning. There has to be better mechanics coach out there.
Starts tonight, I guess. You really don't wanna be any further than 4 games back if the Red Sox keep winning. Too bad it's Hughes vs. Jackson who already looks good.
On that 6-man rotation-- in Japan, they literally assign a 'day' to each pitcher. Then they allow their pitchers to throw a high amount of pitches, like 150 or so. The thinking is that then they have 1 full week to recover, and that in the long run it evens out. That thinking hasn't made it to the US.
While the Yankees look flat, I am just as optimistic about this team as ever. The injuries plus the ineffectiveness of several relievers has allowed two guys to be called up that I think will play a huge role in the Yankees' fortunes this season-- Melancon & Hughes. I'm actually glad they are up before April is over.
To me, the only things I am worried about are Bruney & Wang. But Bruney doesn't think this is a big deal, and I strongly suspect Wang's problem is conditioning. Both should recover & be back to normal in May. Meanwhile that gives Melancon & Hughes time to make an impression. If things go as I think they will, the Yankees will get hot in June & go on from there. Here's hoping.
I bet Girardi is regretting not having that long man in the pen since they broke camp. They needed someone to eat up innings instead of marching a new guy out there every 1-2 innings. Tomko?
Cashman talks a great game. Shame none of his winter acquisitions have yet to play one yet. With A-Rod and Nady out injured, we need our pitchers to perform NOW, not when we're ten games out of first place. I'm sick and tired of listening to Girardi waxing lyrical about the opposition pitcher. The Yankees signed CC and AJ to throw like Justin Verlander did against last night. We need someone to produce a stellar pitching performance to turn this bad run around. CC couldn't do it and it's a big ask expecting Phil Hughes to do it tonight. A little early run support would help.
yankspdx,
That was the biggest mistake they made. By far.
Bruce,
Totally agree. Although I do think CC is coming around, he had great stuff last night.
The problem with the Yankees starters right now is they're not limiting the damage when they get in trouble. Every time they get in trouble it's three or four runs on the board. That's what's been killing them.
And yes, throwing a four spot on the board in the top of the first would do wonders for Hughes tonight.
Early support would most definitely help. That's something the Yankees have not been doing at all. A laugher would be nice, it would take all the pressure off the pitcher for a pleasant change.
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