Here’s a little tip. Five-six shutout innings, or only giving up a run or two (which Clemens has done the last three seasons), is better than anybody the Yankees can put in his spot in the rotation.

Yeah, we don’t need him. Geez, I often wonder if some folks even watch the games.

and you are basing this on what exactly?

he went at least 6 IP in 13 of his 19 starts last year.

and in some of the games he went 5, he must have been lifted b/c his spot in the order was coming up, since his pitch count was only in the 70′s and he had only given up 1 ER.

Throughout this thread, there have been numerous examples put forth (the latest and greatest: Gordon’s use in Game 3 in ’04) that defies any logical explanation.

I understand injuries create problems. But, that’s why they pay the guy $7 million per year. He has to find solutions and, IMO, all too often, his decisionmaking re” pitching defies explanation.

You don’t have to spend 50 years in the game to question the moves. These aren’t personal, anger related tirades against Joe Torre. Its analyizing his actions throughout the first 18 games of the season and trying to find some logical reasoning behind some of his decisions.

If you needed innings in the blowouts, why not tap Kyle Fransworth? He was coming off of two poor outing and could have used low leverage work. Also, Myers can throw innings. If you are going to use and abuse someone, make it him. His delivery is more condusive to overwork. Finally, maybe Mo could have gotten an inning. Like Farns, Mo was one of the few who needed work. Who knows, one inning on Tues/Wednesday might have made him more sharp on Friday.

The point is that Torre did have options at the points in questions yet still went back to the usual suspects.

Here’s where I agree with you and Peter…today, tomorrow and for the next few games, Torre really is in a now win situation. Everyone is toast…but he’s the one who did the burning. If some semblance of normalcy returns, will Joe be more careful with the pen? It is vital that he is because the next rough stretch is always just around the corner.

i am amazed at the people who think they know more baseball than a guy who has been in the game—the professional game—for nearly 50 years.+

If we take your point to its logical extreme it would mean that we shouldn’t express an opinion because there is no way that anyone with that much experience could ever be wrong.

That’s just ridiculous, and would obviate the need for this blog.

No problem. Worth a try… worth another one.
I want another crack at it.

1) I think he did have that in mind. Each bullpen pitcher was used in both the MN and the CLE series; Moose pulled his hammy in one (4.11.07). The one they won 10-2, Pettitte threw 96 pitches in six complete innings.

In the CLE game where they won 9-2, Igawa had thrown 92 pitches in six complete innings.

These were both games that they had in-hand, so you put your bullpen in, and get the win. We all have seen that you never know what Iggy you’re going to get from one inning to the next, let alone one game to the next. Pettitte was still coming off his back issues… and it’s mid-April.

2) I would contend that Vizcaino wasn’t showing tiredness on that Thursday game; he was just showing that they were hitting off of him. Every pitcher – starter, reliever – gets knocked around every so often. And Torre put him back in on Friday to see if he had recovered. I would imagine, for a bullpen guy… especially for a veteran like Luis… he separates one day from the next. Forgets about failures and builds on successes.

Again, I think you have a point… but what else is he to do? It’s not like Joe has gone to the same three guys each time. They’ve ALL got innings in; they’ve all thrown a lot of pitches thus far. That has to do with the circumstances surrounding the starters and the games themselves.

really, you’re “sure”??

who, Andrew Miller?

just like you are “sure” about the Johnson deal?

you have NO IDEA what was offered.