Bludgeoned, Beaten Bomber Bullpen Bits

Unquestionably, the two biggest problems for the Yankees are the lack of bullpen production and the right field position. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the relief pitching pathetic, shaky and embarrassing. Joe Girardi has the resources at his disposal but the talent is not manifested on the field. Girardi seems to over-manage the bullpen. He is hesitant to infringe on the unwritten rule of pitting lefty against lefty and right against righty, etc. Relief pitching should not be rocket science. Professionals should know how to do their job.
Xavier Nady might be out for the season if he needs Tommy John surgery on his elbow, and the Yankees do not have an adequate replacement for his bat. Nady’s absence not only leaves a hole in right field, but lineup is deficient a right-handed power hitter. The injury affects the Yankee bench because they are not as deep with Nick Swisher playing everyday. Instead of Swisher being used as a fill-in, Nick will take over the role of right fielder. New York did not configure the outfield with Swisher as a regular to begin the year and it throws off Girardi’s strategy.
Swisher is experiencing the hottest start of any player in baseball. It’s only a matter of time before he cools off and comes back down to earth. He was a dispensable player less than a month ago, but now will have a starring role. I like having Nick on this team for his enthusiasm and charisma. Swisher is useful because he resembles a flea at the plate, running up the pitch count and making pitchers work hard. However, his peskiness and persistence render Nick more valuable as a bench player. One positive he brings is switching hitting ability. He has been historically more effective against left-handers than Nady.
Melky Cabrera is now the first reserve option on the roster. While Melky’s arm is spectacular, Cabrera is not going to suddenly morph into an exceptional offensive player. He sometimes looks like he’s daydreaming out there to me. It’s one thing to absorb the temporary loss of Alex Rodriguez (Arod’s bat should be back in May) It’s now a liability for New York because they take a hit from the right side of the plate. The Yankees, with Nady, had a solid right-handed hitter. Now, they have to rely on Jorge Posada being an everyday catcher instead of being relegated to occasional DH duties. In addition, the injury-prone Hideki Matsui has to stay healthy and in the lineup. First baseman, Mark Teixeira, cannot expect too many more off-days. If Mark’s wrist continues to nag him, Girardi will move Swisher to the infield and Melky will start in right. It’s a risk to have no surplus on the bench when facing one and two run ballgames. The Yankees did call up a player from Scranton who can play first base in a pinch today. Juan Miranda will replace Nady on the active roster. The move allows Teixeria some flexibility. Giradi said today Matsui will be limited to pinch hitting duties for a few more days. Also, Mark will only bat left handed instead of from both sides of the plate until he is recovered from a cortisone shot.
Stranding runners in scoring position and the lack of offensive power pales in comparision to the Yankee relief pitching. The definitive issue is the bullpen. The middlemen are already in shambles for Girardi. The more the relievers perform like they did Thursday at home against Cleveland, the more chants for Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen will be heard. On one level, it would be an effortless move to concede the late innings to Chamberlain. The Yankees could bring Phil Hughes up from the minors to fill his rotation spot if the kid continues to pitch well. It seems logical to have Joba shut down lineups if the other relievers can’t handle the grunt work.
Yesterday, Yankee reliever, Jose Veras couldn’t record a single out and Damaso Marte was responsible for the icing on the cake, a grand slam by Grady Sizemore. Both were lit up and Yankee fans can’t say with conviction they are confident in either guy. Everything went up in smoke as soon as Veras entered the game. He was brutal to say the least. Veras was more vulnerable than vicious, never a good thing. This is the second time Jose has single-handedly cost the Yankees a game. The first time, he walked a batter in Kansas City during the third game of the series that enabled the Royals to score and win.
Marte managed to let six earned runs cross home in a single inning of work. His command was entirely off and the lefty was as inconsistent as he was erratic.
If you aren’t utterly unconcerned at this point about the middle relief, you should be. There is no firm bridge to Brian Bruney and Mariano Rivera. The Yankees cannot pin their hopes on Marte being a damage-control reliever. Nothing about the bullpen arouses belief. Edwar Ramirez has a devastating change-up but Girardi doesn’t use him very often. Phil Coke recorded an out in relief yesterday and has been performing better than a week ago. The lefty has much more to prove though, including throwing to more than one batter in a game. Jonathan Albaladejo probably can handle a long relief role but he seems fragile to me. If the Yankees figure out how to ensure their relievers will not blow games, things will turn around. The good news is Bruney and Rivera seem to be nailing their pitches. The back end of the bullpen is not an issue because they haven’t been truly tested, but both pitchers at least have the respect factor working for them. Also on a positive note, the rotation is still reliable, despite a few ugly starts early.
C.C. Sabathia threw an unusually high amount of pitches in just over five innings Thursday. He fired 122 pitches overall. C.C.’s walk totals and pitch count woes so far are worrisome. He hasn’t been dominating, especially in two-strike or two-out situations. Last year, he did not seem to struggle under those pressurized conditions. He hasn’t been putting the pitches where he wants to and was behind on batters. He couldn’t allow a hiccup yesterday because the Yankee offense was non-existent. The Bombers were 1-11 with runners in scoring position, stranding 15 on the bases. The large lefty did lower his ERA to 3.57 and kept it a game in the Yankee opener. It is too early in the season to be overly concerned about the starting pitching. Sabathia’s standout season in 2008 and his driven desire to dominate will surface in time.

Parting points: “Under the boardwalk, down by the sea…”
Today is gorgeous. It’s 75 degrees and I am taking the bike out after the Yankee game.