Sorting out the bullpen
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jan 17, 2007 
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Based on what Brian Cashman and Joe Torre have said since the end of the season, the Yankees plan to carry seven relief pitchers.
Mariano Rivera, Scott Proctor, Mike Myers, Kyle Farnsworth and Luis Vizcaino are locks barring injury. That leaves two spots open.
The major competitors figure to be:
RHP Brian Bruney
RHP Chris Britton
LHP Sean Henn
RHP T.J. Beam
RHP Jose Veras
RHP Jeff Karstens
RHP Darrell Rasner
If Henn looks good in the spring, he could nail down a spot simply by being left-handed. But if he’s not, the Yankees could want a power arm like Bruney, Britton or Beam.
The final spot, I believe, would go to somebody who could give them multiple innings or a spot start, somebody like Karstens or Rasner.
The good news for Torre and Cash is that all of these guys have options and the Yankees can pick and choose. When last season started, contractually they were committed to Sturtze and Small almost regardless of what they did.
That is what Brian Cashman means when he talks about flexibility.
Peter:
I read your blog everyday, it is hands–down the best news source for the Yankees. Thanks for all the work you put into it. Also, the new look is great, I like it.
Regarding relievers, have you heard any rumors about J.B. Cox being injured? He lit up AA last year, then got injured/shut-down after playing for team USA. Do you know if he recovered. He isn’t invited to spring training and he isn’t on the 40-man…?
Thanks.
Britton isn’t a “power arm.”
Huuz: Working on a Cox update. Brian Cashman is on vacation this week but I should know something soon and will post it here once I do.
I could have sworn I heard mention of Britton being a power arm but I could be mistaken. Nevertheless, I’m betting on Britton/Bruney and Rasner. Anything could happen though, I see potential for many of them to have a good spring training.
Based upon his September performance, I would surmise that Bruney is penciled in to on of those two open positions and it will be his to lose in the Spring.
With all those bullpen right arms, a deal involving one or two of them is almost a certainty!
Pete, I thought I read that Sean Henn was out of options so that he had to be traded or released if he did not make the team.
I do think you are right that the 7th reliever needs to be capable of long relief or an emergency start. Even though the 5th starter won’t be used much until May the team should always have one more available starter as a safety measure.
I believe it is Rasner who is out of options. I can see him being the one who makes it as the long man. I believe Henn still has options, Id be curious to know his exact status on options, as well as that of Britton and Bruney. Scouting report on Britton is he can hit 93 pretty consistently with location.
My guess is that at least of one of the above mentioned arms (except Mo of course) would be moved for the right price, i.e. a legit young backup catcher or another minor league prospect of importance.
Mark my words: Karstens will win 10 or more games in 2007 for the Yanks!
Rasner and Henn are out of options, since Henn is left handed and throws gas I expect him to get every shot possible to make the team. As for Rasner the difference between him and Karstens is not worth losing Rasner.
I just don’t see anything in TJ Beam – did I miss something last season?
Just wanted to post some proof from mlb.com transactions that Henn was optioned for the first time in 2004
3/11/04 Optioned INF Ferdin Tejeda to Double-A Trenton; optioned LHP Sean Henn and RHP Edwardo Sierra to Single-A Tampa.
So his 3 option years would be 2004, 2005, 2006. In 2007 he wouldn’t be able to be optioned back. I remember reading when we picked up Rasner that he still had one option year left, 2006.
In A ball in 2005, Britton K’d 110 in 78.2 IP.
Last year with Baltimore, he K’d 41 in 53.2 IP.
Not a power arm???
Henn does not throw smoke anymore,he sits at 91-93.And if you look at his splits then you’ll see he is not a very good reliever,Rasner was actually better against lefties last year.I don’t think Cashman is going to hand it to him by virtue of being a lefty if Rasner performs as well or better,the Yankees do need a long man after all.
Britton vs Bruney is what it looks like for the last spot,and the Yankees will probably give it to Bruney because of how he played last year for them.Never mind that Britton is the better pitcher of the two.When you look at Bruney’s FIP it resembles his years in Arizona and his BB rate is not becoming of a reliever.I’d go as far as to call him a fluke last year.The guy has a great fastball but he can’t control it.
Whoever said Britton isnt a power arm needs their head checked
I would ike to see Bruney. The guy has serious heat, and played great for us last year. 0.87 ERA! He had 25 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. Although he did have 15 walks, which is a bit worrysome. However, he was great for us last year, and I’d like to see him get more chances.
This is still speculation that MGonzo will be spun to another team. With a docket full of righties, is Cash still in play?
Who cares if the pen is stocked full of righties. I think Peter mentioned that Vizcanio killed lefties last year and Farns was good on them too.
PooNani:
good to see you over here…i always enjoy your comments at the scout site…
ryan:
i’d check Vizcanio’s splits for more than just last year, he wasn’t so hot vs. lefties in other years…
About time we had some options in the pen and multiple power arms.
I care beacuse first and foremost, Vizcaino’s opponents consisted primarily of NL West teams which can be easily mistaken for AAA farm teams in the AL. His numbers are bound to be inflated on that fact alone. And Farns has a bad back. Those are some big IF’s.
Beam was lights-out in the AFL. Rassner had a number of great starts and a couple of implosions. Henn was awful.
Why isn’t Sanchez on the list? He’s coming in with a half-season of AAA experience.
Hughes, Clippard and Olendorf haven’t pitched in AAA yet, but they could all be in the mix by mid-May.
I see absolutely no future in Veras. He should be the first man out when a slot is needed on the 40-man roster.
You complain about being saddled with Sturtze and Small? The 2006 bullpen was a model of flexibility in comparison to the 2005 version: Karsay, Stanton and Quantrill.
Ryan:Bruney’s ERA was very deflated on account of good D.In 2004 his FIP was 3.81,in 05 it was 4.94,and in 06 it was 3.79.He also has a 6.4 BB/G but a 10.7 K/G.So he was kind of fluky.Britton had a better FIP and a better walk rate,in more innings.