2012 Bullpen Performance Thread

[aeromac76]

Funny, I don't hear anyone calling for Soriano to be traded now.

Hopefully Aardsma is close to a return also,

I know I'll get killed for this but I'll say it.

Hughes cannot win as a starter, he has shown brilliance in the pen.
Suddenly, that is needed..

[Yankee Tripper]

As for the Yankee pen - I actually think this is one of the few times in Mo's career where they can actually withstand his loss.

Robertson is the real deal and should get a chance to close.
Soriano looks like he did in Tampa with his FB moving and his slider diving.
Wade - doesn't really look pretty but all he does is get people out. He seems like he has the kind of stuff that batters shake their head going back to the dugout wondering why they aren't on base.
Hughes who has been a disaster in the rotation should be fine in the pen where he doesn't have to throw much if any off speed stuff that he never seems to have mastered. This should happen next week when Pettitte joins the team.
Logan has been a solid lefty for some time now.

I'm not saying the GOAT won't be missed, but I think the Yanks can piece together some pretty good coverage for his absense this year.

But man this still sucks.

[K-W]

I know it will never happen but they shouldn't replace him. A closer pitching to the saves rule prevents the team from using the best relievers in the highest leverage situations.

I like the idea of making Soriano closer instead of Robertson for just that reason.

It isn't necessary to rush Hughes to the bullpen and he hasn't pitched as poorly as he has looked. Wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in the BP but we need help in the rotation too and he isn't a lost cause.

[Eldee5]

I'm not completely against keeping D-Rob in the set-up role and having Soriano close but I'm truly wondering if Girardi hasn't already told Robertson that the closer job is his. In his post game interview last night, he sure sounded as if he knew the job was his.

[hardrain]

props to Logan....he's been effective 4 times out of 5....including tonight.

[hardrain]

yes, Logan 25 Ks in 15 IP...

[EvanJ]

Our bullpen has the fewest innings in the AL and the fewest decisions in MLB.

[Yankees1962]

Our bullpen has the fewest innings in the AL and the fewest decisions in MLB.

Our starting staff has come on since April. Early in the season, the Yankees starting pitchers were dead last in some catagories like quality starts and such. Not any longer is that true.

[Yankee Tripper]

from injury thread

Is it just me or does it seem like we only have 4 relievers on this team (Soriano, Wade, Logan, Rapada)? (For the record, Eppley is a garbage-time reliever, so he doesn't count.) Even though our pitchers have pitched into the 7th consistently for the past 2 weeks, it still seems like we're scrambling to find guys to finish games.

yeah pretty much but give Joe credit considering he lost his top 2 relievers.

Be nice to get D-rob back

Joba and/or Aardsma in August would just be icing on the cake.

[just-blaze]

from injury thread

yeah pretty much but give Joe credit considering he lost his top 2 relievers.

Be nice to get D-rob back

Joba and/or Aardsma in August would just be icing on the cake.

Unfortunately it's probably top 3 seeing as Joba used to be the setup man.

[Yankee Tripper]

Unfortunately it's probably top 3 seeing as Joba used to be the setup man.

can't really count him though as he was lost last year and not expected back before teh asb this year.

[Jax Teller]

Phelps demoted to make room for Robertson. Don't agree with Phelps going out. Why not cut bait with Garcia?

[snapple]

Phelps demoted to make room for Robertson. Don't agree with Phelps going out. Why not cut bait with Garcia?

Well, Phelps could still develop as a pitcher. If Garcia can't do the long-man job, then Phelps can come right back up.

[Mr Coffee]

Well, Phelps could still develop as a pitcher. If Garcia can't do the long-man job, then Phelps can come right back up.

That's true-- maybe they're going to stretch him out down there in case the need arises for a starter in the big club.

[sweet_lou_14]

That's true-- maybe they're going to stretch him out down there in case the need arises for a starter in the big club.

That seems to be exactly it.

In addition, the Yankees today reinstated RHP David Robertson from the 15-day disabled list and optioned RHP David Phelps to Single-A Tampa. Once his arm strength builds towards the 5.0-inning mark, Phelps is scheduled to join Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2012/06/14/injury-updates-3/

[Yankee Tripper]

Phelps demoted to make room for Robertson. Don't agree with Phelps going out. Why not cut bait with Garcia?

It seems reasonable. Phelps was getting sporadic time as the long man why not hope Garcia shows some promise and see if you can deal him for a bag of batting practice balls or something?

[mbn007]

That's true-- maybe they're going to stretch him out down there in case the need arises for a starter in the big club.

You got it. He has thrown something like 10 pitches the past 3 weeks. Time to send him down and get stretched out again, so he can help as either a starter or a long man if needed later. No use to the Yankees, either now or in the future, to have him atrophy in the pen.

One way to look at this move is that Phelps joins Joba and Aardsma as guys who will be returning during the 2nd half of the season. Nice group to have coming in, if need be.

[Yankee Tripper]

Hughes cannot win as a starter, he has shown brilliance in the pen.

Hughes who has been a disaster in the rotation should be fine in the pen where he doesn't have to throw much if any off speed stuff that he never seems to have mastered. This should happen next week when Pettitte joins the team.

^my how things change quickly. Glad to have egg on my face over this.

It isn't necessary to rush Hughes to the bullpen and he hasn't pitched as poorly as he has looked. Wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in the BP but we need help in the rotation too and he isn't a lost cause.

^at least there was one voice of reason.

[Phinstripes]

TAMPA, Fla. -- David Aardsma had an impressive finish to his second minor-league rehab appearance.

The Yankees reliever, coming back from Tommy John surgery, struck out his final three batters in completing two scoreless innings in a Gulf Coast League game Saturday.

"I'm very happy with the second inning," Aardsma said. "That was going to be the big question for me, throwing that second inning. I felt the ball was still coming out good and I was able to control my pitches. That's all you want."

Aardsma threw a shutout inning during a GCL game Tuesday in his first outing since elbow ligament replacement surgery last July. On Saturday, the 30-year-old righthander threw 24 of 31 pitches for strikes, with his fastball reaching the low 90s.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseba...dule-1.3801197

Also:

Joba Chamberlain remains scheduled to throw live batting practice Monday for the first time since suffering an open dislocation of his right ankle March 22.

Chamberlain, who suffered the injury while bouncing on a trampoline with his son, also is set to have his second BP session Friday. He was coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery at the time of the ankle injury.

[BRNXBMRS]

Having Mo & Robertson get hurt may have been the best thing to happen to these guys. They are just oozing with confidence.

[NelsonMuntz]

Did Aardsma make any changes to his mechanics or repertoire when he went to Seattle? Because he was a pretty lousy pitcher prior to those two seasons.

[Yankees1962]

Did Aardsma make any changes to his mechanics or repertoire when he went to Seattle? Because he was a pretty lousy pitcher prior to those two seasons.

If you take a good look at his metrics, he always had great stuff with high strikeout rate, but high walk ratio. Furthermore, he allowed a lot of hits early in his career which suggest he had command issues then which caused him to fall behind hitters and probably get into situations in which he had to throw a strike which gave the batter a significant advantage.

[NelsonMuntz]

If you take a good look at his metrics, he always had great stuff with high strikeout rate, but high walk ratio. Furthermore, he allowed a lot of hits early in his career which suggest he had command issues then which caused him to fall behind hitters and probably get into situations in which he had to throw a strike which gave the batter a significant advantage.

What's interesting is that he still walked a lot of guys when he was with Seattle but he seemed to allow fewer hits for whatever reason. That's why I was wondering if he made some sort of adjustment.

[Yankees1962]

Aardsma pitched again today.


http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats...grrok_yanrok_1

[Yankee Tripper]

2IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Probably Aardsma's last GCL appreance. Have to figure they will move him up to face some better competition.