Yankees About to Introduce Big “Bad” Wolf into their ‘Pen

Everything has been going right for the Yankee bullpen since June 1, and the formally much-maligned group has produced nothing but key outs in the biggest of spots.

In fact, the Yankee bullpen leads all of MLB in strikeouts, batting average against, saves, and WHIP since that date.

The old adage warns that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but GM Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi seem reluctant to heed that caveat.

Damaso Marte is set to return from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre any day now, and it is possible he could be pitching during the Boston series in Fenway (*gulp*).

As hard as the Yankee “pig ‘pen” has worked to build a weakness into a reliable foundation, it appears Marte and the Yankee brass will attempt to “blow their house down.”

The Yankees and their fans better hope that Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera have built their house out of brick as opposed to straw and sticks, because no one with a pulse wants Marte inside.

It is not simply a matter of performance and replacing a weak link with a once dependable commodity. It is not about a glaring need for another lefty in the ‘pen, or that they have been hurt time and time again by hard-hitting left-handed hitters.

This, my friends, is solely about money. The irresponsible three-year contract they re-signed Marte to in the offseason is valued at $12 million.

They cannot allow their second highest paid reliever to waste away in the minors—though I’m sure Kei Igawa felt like he wasn’t alone for the first time.

No, the Yankees have to give him a chance. The same chance they continually extended to Cody Ransom when young players had already proved their ability to outperform him.

Unfortunately, this is not a matter of “if” New York makes a move. It is going to happen, and David Robertson is going to be the most undeserving of demotions.

Robertson is currently pitching to a 3.06 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 35.1 IP. He has allowed just 27 hits while collecting a remarkable 52 strikeouts—leading all relievers in MLB with a 13.33 K/9 ratio.

To make matters “worse,” the young man’s confidence is about to reach a new apex. His August ERA is 0.00 in eight appearances, and he has struck out 13 hitters over that span. This includes a Houdini-like escape of a bases-loaded, one out jam to preserve an important Yankee victory.

Some readers may be asking, “Why on Earth would the Yankees ever send him down? Won’t they choose someone less productive?”

Welcome to the harsh world of “minor league options.”

Due to the presence of Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin to offset the necessary extra days of rest in the “Joba Rules,” the Yankees are essentially one man short in the bullpen. Both will need to make starts over the next month, which makes it impossible to release either of them.

It’s safe to say that Phil Coke, Phil Hughes, Mariano Rivera, and Alfredo Aceves are going nowhere. If you’re not counting in your head, then Marte, Gaudin, and these four add up to six Yankee relievers.

Most teams, including the Yankees, implement a 12-man pitching staff with five starters and seven relievers. This allows for more bench flexibility for a manager to have at his disposal—especially with Alex Rodriguez’s rest schedule and Hideki Matsui’s balky knees.

This leaves the final battle between Brian Bruney and Robertson. Again, welcome to the harsh reality of minor league options.

Although Robertson has been vital to the bullpen’s success and has vastly outperformed Bruney, his ability to be sent down to Triple-A without first having to clear waivers makes him the odd man out.

To his credit, Bruney has performed much better of late. The problem is, Robertson is better than him, and Marte couldn’t carry Robertson’s jockstrap.

If you remember, it was the combination of Marte and Bruney that got the Yankees into this bullpen mess in the first place—forcing inexperienced youngsters like Robertson to blossom into trusted weaponry.

The days of Marte, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and Jonathan Albaladejo seem like centuries ago. The Yankee bullpen puzzle is now complete, and it is firing on all cylinders.

The Yankees, nevertheless, are about to try to force Marte’s square peg into the gaping round hole that Robertson’s impact will be leaving behind.

Robertson will be back in pinstripes on September 1, as the 25-man rosters quickly expand to 40.

As the Yankees proved in turning a 3.5 game deficit into a 7 game lead, however, a lot can happen in a few weeks.

Yankees, Girardi Ensure that Their Bullpen Gets Plenty of “Relief”

The Yankees have surged to first place in the American League standings, and currently have a two game advantage for the best record in the American League.

The names that are most responsible are not quite the first that would roll off of fans’ tongues when asked to highlight impact players.

High-priced free agent acquisitions Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and AJ Burnett have provided exactly the spark New York had hoped for upon signing some of the largest checks in MLB history.

Some of the smallest contracts on the Yankee roster, however, are paving the road to consistent success.

Bullpen staples like Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke, and the newly “armed” and dangerous Phil Hughes have transformed a lamb into a lion.

The Yankee bullpen has as low an ERA as any in the league since June 1, and their 2.52 ERA since the All-Star break has helped to preserve victories in nine of ten games played.

This stellar ERA is bloated by the first shaky outing of Aceves’ bullpen tenure on Saturday, and he and his mates have been otherwise dominant.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi has been under the microscope since missing the playoffs for the franchise’s first time in a full season since 1993, and has taken heat for any mistake worth criticizing.

Girardi also deserves credit where credit is due, and his handling of the bullpen’s innings and appearances has been fantastic.

Under the Joe Torre era, the Yankees would annually have three relievers in the top-5 or top-10 of MLB in appearances.

Pitchers like Scott Proctor, Tom Gordon, Luis Vizcaino, and Paul Quantrill were overused and abused—leading to dead-arm periods, injuries, and a downturn in performance over the stretch run.

The 2009 Yankees, however, do not have even one relief pitcher in the top-10 in appearances or innings pitched.

The first name found on the list is Phil Coke, who is tied for 14th with 47 trots out of the bullpen. There are 20 relievers with the same or more appearances than Coke, and he currently sits 24th out of the top-40 appearance leaders in innings pitched at 42.2.

Who is next on the Yankee list? One would have to scroll all the way down to a tie at 49th in MLB with Mariano Rivera’s 42 games. An amazing 60 relievers have the same or more IP than Rivera.

Injuries and inconsistencies have helped to force Girardi’s hand, as formerly reliable pitchers like Jose Veras, Damaso Marte, Edwar Ramirez, and Brian Bruney have been sent to Triple-A, the waiver wire, or a doctor multiple times in 2009.

Either way, Girardi’s Yankees have had a more consistent and rested bullpen than in previous years.

He has been known to leave veteran starters in games at times when everyone knows they have nothing left, but he has handled the bullpen very well considering the sweeping turnover in personnel.

New York is about to embark on a very difficult stretch of games in which it plays 19 of its next 26 on the road, as well as currently being in the midst of playing 33 games in 34 days.

The next month will be a true test of the bullpen’s freshness and durability, and Girardi will have to find a way to find enough arms to give quality innings in relief.

The easy road to this point should help to push them though, but it is up to Girardi to ensure that his bullpen does not suffer a September setback typical of the Torre years.

He will not be able to rest easy that his job is safe until the “Sandman” and his bullpen mates prove that the consistency will continue even in the face of extreme adversity.

Yankees Should Turn to Former Red Sox Hurler for Rotation Depth

Reports out of New York have been anything but positive in regards to the health and comeback status of former ace Chien-Ming Wang.

Wang himself appears openly troubled and pessimistic about toeing a rubber before the 2010 season, and the Yankees should not be leaving the lights on in anticipation of his return.

While the front end of the rotation has been nothing short of electric over the last month, the back end has a fray in its stitching that could eventually lead to a gaping hole.

The old adage states that a “stitch in time saves nine,” implying that an early fix always prevents problems from escalating into an unstoppable avalanche.

Much like the threat of Global Warming, the Yankees rotation is experiencing some setbacks and changes, but the issues have not yet begun sounding the alarms.

Contingency plans should already be in effect, but the recent surge of success in the Bronx has clouded the eventual need for rotation depth.

Whether or not you are a devoted fan and supporter of Joba Chamberlain’s position as the fourth starter, the impending issue is one for you to be concerned with.

Chamberlain’s unwavering innings limit has once again come under discussion within the Yankees organization, and GM Brian Cashman has admitted it is a concern moving forward.

Once Chamberlain reaches 130-140 innings pitched, he will be forced to vacate his spot in the starting rotation in favor of the bullpen—as he is capped at around 150 innings.

Cashman made it clear that this philosophy has not changed whatsoever since the preseason, and that “no new wrinkle” has been added into the dreaded “Joba Rules.”

With the uncertainties surrounding Wang, Chamberlain, and Sergio Mitre’s statuses, manager Joe Girardi has expressed his own valid worries about the back end of the rotation.

This of course does not even include any resurfacing of the arm injuries that derailed the second half of Andy Pettitte’s 2008 season—almost forcing him into an early retirement.

So the burning question remains…what is the ultimate solution? Cashman offered the possibility of Alfredo Aceves permanently thrust into the rotation, as well as one other startling conclusion.

After hearing the words, “Kei Igawa has been pitching very well in Triple-A, so I can’t say you won’t be seeing him this year,” my ears inevitably began to emit a stream of blood reminiscent of Niagara Falls.

While Aceves would likely perform admirably in a permanent role as a starter, he has been far too valuable to the resurrected Yankee bullpen. The ‘pen has been as reliable and important as any facet of the team, and this option should be of the “last resort” variety.

The more prudent solution lies in a pitcher New York is rather familiar with—a pitcher who once stood on the other side of baseball’s most storied and passionate rivalry.

The Yankees should look to acquire Cincinnati Reds hurler Bronson Arroyo.

Arroyo has pitched well in the AL East, is an innings eater (even when he is beaten up early), has playoff experience out of the bullpen, and already has 10 wins on a bad team in 2009.

Do not let his bloated ERA fool you, as he allowed 18 earned runs over 6.2 IP in two deplorable starts. When removing these performances from the equation, Arroyo is an impressive 10-7 with a 4.13 ERA.

The Yankees need a dependable veteran presence in the fifth starter role, and someone they know can provide length.

Arroyo is on pace for his fifth straight 200 plus inning season, and he has pitched seven or more innings in 45 percent of his starts (9-for-20). He is exactly the kind of pitcher New York needs, and can be had for a package of mid-level prospects.

The Reds would be happy to get his salary off of the payroll and open the spot to another talented young arm, and Arroyo is the kind of pitcher that misses throwing meaningful games.

The move will not cost Cashman and the Yankees the likes of Austin Jackson, Jesus Montero, Phil Hughes, Chamberlain, Austin Romine, or Zach McAllister.

It is a proposition that creates a win-win scenario, and provides Cashman with a “nothing to lose” opportunity.

While other teams battle for the services of Erik Bedard, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Jarrod Washburn, it is time for New York to fly under the radar and snatch up Arroyo.

The Yankees cannot wait until Chamberlain’s limit is reached and Mitre hits a rough patch before analyzing their pitching status, and Arroyo is just the man to ease their concerns.

The Yankee Bullpen: When a Glaring Weakness Becomes a Reliable Strength

The 2009 season began with promise and high expectations for a young but talented Yankee bullpen cast.

Damaso Marte was re-signed in the offseason, and would team with Mariano Rivera, Jose Veras, Phil Coke, Edwar Ramirez, and Brian Bruney to create a formidable fireman’s squad—ready to put out flames during the final third of games.

Not far off into the horizon waited Mark Melancon, a much-advertised minor league clone of Joba Chamberlain, who was expected to contribute nothing but swings and misses by the All-Star break.

Some fans remained skeptic regardless of their stellar 2008 campaigns, but most were at worst “cautiously optimistic” that the bridge to Rivera would hold up against the freely flowing winds of the new Yankee Stadium.

Weeks into the season, however, hope rapidly began shifting toward fear and uncertainty.

Marte had injured his throwing shoulder, and Bruney would soon follow with elbow pain. Veras and Ramirez would require a GPS system to get within miles of home plate.

Coke was offering up souvenir balls to fans in right field like it was pregame batting practice. Melancon looked as overmatched as a tadpole wrestling an alligator, and went running back to Triple-A like he had just hopped the fence near the Mexico-US border.

Even the immortalized Rivera had struggled over the early months of the season, appearing oddly human like a werewolf staring at a crescent moon.

Fans rightly attacked Brian Cashman’s $423.5 million offseason expenditure—not a dollar of which was spent acquiring a reliever outside of the Yankee organization.

Suddenly, Queens had the unflappable bullpen—a team torn down like the Berlin Wall the past two seasons by a bullpen as heartless as a storefront manikin.

The currents then began to change direction without warning, and the Yankees were now free from attempting to swim upstream toward the ninth inning.

Alfredo Aceves arrived initially in long-relief duty, but was soon molded into Ramiro Mendoza circa 1998. Phil Coke re-emerged as the dominant lefthander of the final months of 2008, and Rivera became…well, Rivera.

A serviceable bullpen became a trustworthy one with the addition of David Robertson and Phil Hughes—unlikely late-inning heroes now counted on for some of the game’s biggest outs.

A crew that was once the butt of jokes across Major League Baseball now sports five relievers with an ERA under 3.00—including Hughes’ 1.23 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, and remarkable .120 BAA.

Hughes represents one of four Yankee relievers with a WHIP below 1.00—which could continue if the starting rotation stops putting them in so many precarious situations.

If New York is able to acquire a birth into the 2009 postseason, even more help will be on its way to the bullpen mix.

Due to innings limits and subsequently not needing a five-man rotation in October, Joba Chamberlain will be returning to short-relief.

There are concerns as to whether or not he can once again dominate like years past, but he will undoubtedly add a different dynamic and energy level than he displays in the starting rotation.

A postseason bullpen of Robertson, Aceves, Coke, Chamberlain, Hughes, Rivera, and a possibly resurrected Bruney would rival the best bullpens in MLB.

A bullpen nightmare has become a dream come true for Yankees Universe, and they will need every successful inning of relief they can get their hands on—considering only two of five starters are offering consistency every five days.

The bullpen crew has been eating plenty of spinach as part of the Popeye diet—let’s just hope none of their inventory has been stricken with E. coli.

Yankees Should Have Used LIFO Method When Handling Jonathan Albaladejo

Yankees reliever Jonathan Albaladejo was ultimately the last player added to New York’s 25-man roster coming out of spring training.

As fans and sports announcers scrambled to learn the correct pronunciation of his surname, others (like me) questioned his selection over a proven long man like Brett Tomko or Alfredo Aceves.

All that Aceves has done after finally being called up is win three games in just one week’s time.

His 1.32 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 12-to-3 K/BB ratio, and .200 BAA show how important he has become to a struggling Yankees bullpen.

Albaladejo never deserved to be on the roster, and perhaps there was a reason that he was the last man considered for the job.

He has pitched to a 6.00 ERA overall, and a startling 8.18 ERA over the entire month of April. Hitters are getting on base at a .379 clip against him, and are producing nearly a 1.000 OPS.

Like most relievers, his ERA is skewed to the low end, as he has allowed countless inherited runners to score when he enters an inning in progress.

Regardless of his struggles, manager Joe Girardi has developed an unhealthy obsession with him.

“Alby” always seems to find himself on the mound in key situations, although every knowledgeable fan knows the scoreboard is about to light up like MLB Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. on Nintendo 64.

In last night’s game against Baltimore, Alby took the ball after another masterful performance by Aceves.

Aceves had pitched three and one-third innings of scoreless baseball after an untimely injury to starter Joba Chamberlain.

Alby proceeded to turn a laugher into a pulsating drama, as a 7-0 lead quickly disintegrated to 7-4. Half of the runs scored via home run balls that still have not landed.

Mariano Rivera was forced to close out the game in the ninth inning due to Alby’s ineptitude, likely making him unavailable for the first game of a critical series with the World Champion Phillies.

A game that should have had Nick Swisher closing it out amidst chuckles and early celebration suddenly became a save situation.

If Rivera is indeed unable to go tonight, Yankees fans can anticipate watching Phil Coke attempt to retire Ryan Howard and Chase Utley in the ninth tonight.

For all readers not “privileged” enough to take accounting courses somewhere along their educational roads, I would like to give a quick lesson on managing inventory.

(Don’t worry, it applies to baseball)

Companies can take two general stances with regards to inventory calculations for tax purposes, one of which is referred to as LIFO (last in, first out).

This implies the assumption that assets produced or acquired last are the ones that are used, sold or disposed of first.

To make this example relevant to the New York Yankees, let’s focus on the “acquired” and “disposed of” terminology.

Albaladejo was the last man to be added to the Major League roster as spring training concluded, and his performance has been nothing short of a disaster.

By using a LIFO method of managing their assets, New York could have already “disposed” of Albaladejo long ago in favor of Aceves, Tomko, or anyone with a pulse.

It may be too late for proper accounting practices, but it is long since overdue for a replacement.

The Yankees already have enough vowels on their roster with Mark Teixeira, and Albaladejo’s services are no longer required.

If Girardi’s strange commitment to the derisory reliever is not resolved quickly, his accounting techniques will likely be audited.

It appears as though the Steinbrenners will soon have to call in the Inadequate Reliever Service (IRS) to handle the situation.

In a Weekend Filled with Heroic Yankees, Alfredo Aceves Goes Unnoticed

Amidst a sea of heroes and inspiration in the Bronx over the weekend, one quiet and unsung hero was left unnoticed.

Yankees pitcher Alfredo Aceves helped to stabilize a bullpen recently diagnosed as bi-polar, ensuring that a tie score would carry over into the bottom half of the inning.

Without Aceves, New York likely would have stepped to the plate with its tail between its legs, having just allowed a horde of base runners to score.

Aceves pitched a scoreless and uneventful inning in consecutive games, lowering his ERA to 2.16. He has collected 9 K while surrendering just 2 BB, and currently displays a 0.84 WHIP in 8 1/3 IP.

While Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira, Melky Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, and Johnny Damon allocated the role of hero over the weekend, Aceves quietly earned back-to-back victories on Sat. and Sun.

A.J. Burnett covered the faces of Cabrera, A-Rod, and Damon with a celebratory whipped cream pie, but it was Aceves who prevented New York from being left with the proverbial “pie in the face.”

Aceves has been the model of consistency is his time with the Yankees, holding hitters to a .214 BAA in 38 1/3 innings pitched. His 1.09 WHIP and 2.35 ERA help too further uncover the secret of his covert successes.

Though he is a rather unassuming man, do not be fooled by his lack of unbridled emotion.

Aceves uses his calm focus as a weapon, and is capable of handling pressure situations with poise. This is of course the most important section of the Yankees prospective player application.

Most importantly, he has the ability to—you might want to sit down for this—immediately throw strikes out of the bullpen. This is a skill the rest of his mound mates seem to purposely avoid.

Manager Joe Girardi seems to have finally granted Aceves the respect and trust that he deserved all along, and will look to place him into additional important situations down the road.

It is anyone’s guess why pitchers like Jonathan Albaladejo, Anthony Claggett, David Robertson, and Steven Jackson received shots on the 25-man roster before Aceves, but it is safe to say that he is here to stay.

New York has been waiting for six weeks to find a reliever not named Mariano Rivera willing to step up in clutch pitching scenarios.

Aceves has finally thrown his hat into the ring, and could provide a much needed emotional respite for a fan base steadily reaching for Xanax in the latter innings.

Continue to underestimate and disregard the inconspicuous Aceves, as it will further feed into his drive to succeed.

Don’t let his name confuse or mislead you…Alfredo is out to prove that he is anything but “chicken.”

Yankees Come to Their Senses: FINALLY Call up Long Reliever

Yankees reliever Anthony Claggett was embarrassed in his Major League debut a few weeks ago.

Claggett, however, was still somehow the first option to be recalled from AAA when Damaso Marte was placed onto the DL.

No one quite understood the move, as New York has been in desperate need of a long relief option. Another unproven rookie is not exactly a solution to the current bullpen crisis.

With the bullpen currently holding a 7.18 ERA (when excluding the injured Brian Bruney and Nick Swisher escapade), it was time for a change.

Former Yankees No. 5 starter Alfredo Aceves has been summoned to the big club, giving manager Joe Girardi additional options to consider.

If a starter is knocked out of the game early, or extra innings arrive, Aceves can save the tired and overused arms of the bullpen.

This should help to take pressure of of Phil Hughes in tonight's series opener with the Boston Red Sox.

Should Hughes begin to elevate his pitch count in early innings, he knows Aceves is available to back him up. He no longer has to fear trapping the bullpen in the same nightmare that Chien-Ming Wang did before he replaced him.

If the rain allows tonight's game to procede, it will be interesting to watch how Hughes responds to being thrown into the fire in just his second start of 2009.