Rivera: “We need help in the bullpen.”
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- July
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Mariano Rivera was interviewed by Michael Kay today on ESPN Radio at his restaurant in New Rochelle, Mo’s New York Grill.
Get a load of what he said:
“Velocity doesn’t mean that you’re going to do the job. Throwing hard doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get it done. We have big guys like Farnsworth, Proctor and Bruney. And those guys they want to do the job.
I would never say they don’t want to do the job. Sometimes it doesn’t go our way. Definitely it seems like it doesn’t go their way when they’re pitching.”
Rivera is exactly right. Those three guys try and throw the ball through a brick wall every time instead of mixing pitches and getting ahead. They throw instead of pitch.
The Yankees need to make a move. If Rivera feels that way, you can be sure that is how the core of the team feels.
This entry was posted
on Monday, July 30th, 2007 at 9:31 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
Hey Peter,
I just saw this on OFF THE FACADE (the blog)….
“I’ve heard two versions:
Eric Gagne to the Yankees for Tyler Clippard, Jeff Karstens, and a C-level prospect
Eric Gagne to the Yankees for Tyler Clippard, Jeff Marquez, and a C-level prospect
Either way, Eric Gagne is on his way to New York to set up for The Sandman. I will update this post when the exact information is announced.
He’s going to be unrecognizable without that billygoat beard.”
Hopefully, this is true… I liked Clippard and Karstens, but we need to shore up the pen.
You know I heard that interview and it definitely struck me as odd that Mo said outright they needed help in the pen. He usually defends his pen strongly. Of course he’s right, that’s obvious to anyone. I just hope Farnsworth doesn’t turn out to be one of those guys that leaves NY and gets amazing and comes back to haunt us. I think we are probably safe in this case.
Mariano Rivera: “Our bullpen sucks.”
Ouch! (But true…)
If YOU ewere cashman and Daniels offered YOU GAGNE and C.J. WILSON for IAN KENNEDY: would YOU do it?
I would do it. Kennedy is going to be a pretty good #2 or #3 stater but he is expandable. His stuff IS NOT DOMINANT. He caould be like Brad Radke or he could be like say Brandon McCarthy(this year). I beieve the future rotation will be this:
Santana
Wang
Hughes
Pettite
Chamberlain
Plus guys like Marquez,Clippard,Horne,Kontos,Belatances, if we don’t get Johan or if someone disapoints, or if Andy Retires.
WE DON’T NEED KENNEDY. WE NEED A DOMANANT SU MAN FOR THIS YEAR IN GAGNE(we then get the Draft picks when he leaves via FA) AND WE NEED A DOMINANT LEFTY THAT WE HAVEN’T HAD SINCE MIKE STANTON version 1.0. WILSON GIVES US THAT FOR THIS YEAR AND THE NEXT 4-10 YEARS
CHEA SON,
LINK PLEASE
Thats about as close as you are going to get to Mo saying that those guys suck.
Mike,
Look to the right under “Other Yankees Blogs”.
^Haha..
Here’s a link to that blog if anyone was interested in my earlier post.
http://mvn.com/mlb-yankees/
I wouldn’t trade Ian Kennedy under any circumstances.
The Yankees have enough pitching depth to do a Gagne deal unless Daniels gets greedy.
No way do I trade Kennedy.
For Mo to say that, speaks volumes.
FWIW, Joba hit 99 four times in his 13 pitches tonight. The difference is, they were all strikes, and he threw 4 89 MPH sliders that were nasty.
You can’t teach that kind of stuff. More importantly, you can’t teach the type of makeup he has on the mound. This kid really is special.
If they can add Gagne, callup Joba, and combine them with Vizcaino and Mo, they have a bullpen that can get outs for two months.
If their starters can go deeper, and more effectively in games, Torre won’t have to panic and blowout the bullpen.
Will be interesting to see who blinks first with this Gagne stuff. Clippard, Marquez and a “C” prospect, is not a lot to get a guy of Gagne’s pedigree.
HAHA….
Opps!!! my bad
I think Mariano’s ticked at what’s going on between Krazy Kyel and Mo’s buddy Jorge.
And here we are once again, hours away from another deadline, waiting for the general manager to make a move. I say deal all Kyle and Scott. Please.
Mo knows the deal… The bullpen as it stands now hurts Mo contractually too… He’s probably tired of inheriting runners and bailing the pen out of jams. Also, their inability to hold any leads (especially earlier in the year) probably effected his save opportunities too.
Its got to be tough for Mo to watch the crap he has seen from the bullpen this year.
On the one hand, he has taken Vizcaino under his wing, the guy worked his butt off to fix things, and he has turned into a very effective pitcher.
On the other hand, you have Bruney, Proctor and Farnsworth. Three guys who seem only to listen to themselves because they pitch the EXACT same way. Can’t throw strikes, give up too many walks, bad counts, and home runs, never use their breaking pitches, and never make adjustments.
At some point, you just have to move on from those guys. You aren’t winning with them and its not going to change. Its why getting Gagne may be turning into a priority and bringing up Joba seems to be a given at this point.
Cash must be a busy man right about now. In addition to working on the Gagne deal, he must make deals for Krazy Kyle (to make room for Gagne, hopefully); move people, presumably pitchers, to make room for Hughes, and what’s looks like a Joba callup. I don’t think he would just waive guys like Kyle, Meyers (always a market for a LOOGY), and whomever else. I’m guessing they hold onto Henn because he’s cheaper than above, and has minor league options.
SJ44 how do you know about what he was tossing, the radio?
Oh, how I wish they could get Gagne and Chad Cordero of the Nats. What a bullpen that would be! Add Gagne, Cordero, Chamberlain, subtract Proctor, Myers and Farnsworth.
Hahaha I love this. Mo saying “Farnsworth sucks” in that classy Mo way that only he could accomplish!!
BTW for the record. I have never defended Farnsworth’s crappy pitching before but I have defended him as a person saying he’s a decent/stand-up guy, etc etc. Well after what happened with Jorge yesterday that all goes out the window. Farns and his arrow straight fastball can now officially bite me!
Let’s just all hope that Gagne and Chamberlain are added and Farnsworth is substracted. Pretty much an early christmas present to Yankee fans everywhere!
I wish I could actually find video of it. I doubt Yes would show it, unless of course Kyle is gone before tomorrows game. I’ll be tuned into sports radio tomorrow at work, waiting to hear Kyle is traded!
Not that this means anything necessarily, but Alan Horne and Jeff Marquez are no longer listed as members of the Trenton Thunder on milb.com. I really hope it’s not both of them for Gagné.
Could be a promotion, or nothing at all.
Did you check Scranton’s site?
I still see them there…
oh come now BBB — you were gushing all over farnsworth yesterday and his man arms.
Peter,
1) Honestly, how realistic is Gagne?
2) What is Theo working on?
Please answer if you can!
I would guess that Horne got promoted to Scranton, but you never know.
I heard a portion of the interview with Mariano on 1050AM as I posted earlier. The context in which I heard his comments about the bullpen is as follows: (Michael Kay): “Do you think the bullpen needs help?” (Mariano): “Yes, I do.” He quietly expanded on that a little bit, but he did not bring up the subject himself and didn’t make a big deal about it. The Yankees have already treated him disgracefully and they deserve to have him walk out the door. It won’t bother me a bit, and I wish he wouldn’t keep saying he wants to be with the team. I’ll be laughing for years watching their 18 inning games that nobody can end.
Look at Horne
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.....=0&y=0
and Marquez
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.....=0&y=0
compared to Clippard
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.....=0&y=0
I really hope it’s nothing or a promotion, but I’m worried.
Horne is still on the trenton roster, i am looking at it now
so is marquez
How have the Yankees treated Mariano disgracefully? By not negotiating a contract extension before or during the season? While this is not to Mo’s liking, I wouldn’t call it “disgraceful.” If anything, he will get a better contract because of it.
Okay I just checked myself. If you go to The Thunders website you’ll see his name listed. but if you go by last name there is no team listed next to it. very strange. Could just be a computer glitch.
Even if we get Gagne AMD assuming the whole Chamberlain experiment turns out to be a success, we’re still stuck with Farnsy, Bruney, Proctor, Meyers and Villone. Gagne and Chamberlain can’t pitch every night…or am I missing something in this equation? I’m just not sure that Gagne and Chamberlain will fix all the many holes that exist in our pen…
Personally, I think it’s just as important, if not more so, that Pettitte, Clemens and Mussina step it up a notch or two at this point. If those guys aren’t sharp/effective in the majority of their remaining starts, I don’t think it will matter if our bullpen is improved.
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....p;sid=milb
If paying somebody millions of dollars is treating them disgracefully then I am very confused.
Seriously, Mo never said he felt disrespected. He respects the Yankees and it is not shameful for him to want to stay here. On the other hand, I understand Jorge wanting to test free agency, as uneasy as that will make all of us. I can’t imagine the Yankees without either one.
Chicago Dave,
The Yankees won’t be stuck with some of those guys. Proctor will go back to L.A. for Betemit and Farnsworth will be traded for a couple of fungo bats, probably to Detroit.
If Gagne can stay healthy (and he gets traded to the Yanks – both huge IFs) the Yanks would be well set up with Wang, Pettite, Clemens, Hughes and Mussina going 6 innings and then Vizcaino/Chamberlain/Villone/Myers pitching the 7th and Gagne/Rivera closing things out in 8 and 9. You bring up Karstens and Chamberlain, lose Proctor and Farnsworth and Karstens becomes the long man (Henn goes back to AAA, where he should focus on starting, in my opinion).
How about Clippard, Farnsworth and Bruney (or Proctor) for Gagne? Come on, Mr. Daniels, wouldn’t that be enough? Give us a break, will ‘ya?!
Please don’t take our “good” kids…
Albany Yankee – You make some good suggestions…However, how are you going to convince Joe (”I just love those vets!”) Torre to go along with those moves?
I personally find it hard to believe that anyone would give us anything for Farnsworth or Proctor at this point… Seriously, they’re both such huge duds… Even Betemit would be highway robbery for one of those bums!
Just got back from seeing the SWB Yanks play here in Rochester. Joba pitched the seventh inning and was lights out–regularly between 96-99 on the gun, with good movement on his pitches. He looks like the real deal.
Interestingly, saw Scott Williamson pitch, who they just signed. He threw in the high 80s, but had nice movement on his pitches. He may be a decent September callup, but still doesn’t look like he did a few years ago with the Reds.
Was kind of funny to see Igawa take turns with Karstens coaching 1B. Anyplace that keeps Igawa away from the mound is a good place for him….
See, the Yankees are desperate for bullpen help because they can’t get by with Proctor and Farnsworth. So two guys in detroit and L.A. think it would be a great idea to take on the guys that they Yankees are desperate to find replacements for, is that about right?
I think we should bounce Myers from the pen. Villone, Proctor, Vizcaino, Joba, Gagne, Mo, and maybe… Henn?
Jennifer saw what I’m talking about. When you search them, the search results have no team next to their names. Me no likee.
Susan,
To even suggest that the yankees did wrong by Rivera is ridiculous. The yankees as a franchise are much larger than Rivera or even Babe Ruth. They might not be AS great a franchise as they are now without any one of them but they would still be a great franchise. But most of the players and Rivera in particular wouldn’t have half as much opportunity to become what he has become if he was not with the yankees. So to suggest that the yankees should do what they never do is just putting a player beyond a team. It would be an insult to the franchise if they did that. The yankees are not the giants to put one player above the team and franchise.
Joba Chamberlain just made his bullpen debut here in Rochester.
He came in to pitch the seventh inning and struck out the side. He hit 100 mph twice on both the stadium radar and the Yankees gun. He hit 99 at least three times maybe more, depending on the actual speeds of pitches that didn’t register on the stadium gun. (I’m pretty sure he never threw a fastball 37 mph in his life).
Chamberlain threw 13 pitches, 10 of them for strikes. All three balls came to the first batter he faced.
Gil Velazquez struck out looking at a slider, a pitch that was setup by a 99 mph fastball.
Denard Span took two straight 99 mph strikes, then fouled off a pitch and finally struck out swinging at a breaking ball in the dirt. Looked like a curveball to me.
Matt Tolbert struck out on three straight fastballs, the fastest of which hit 97.
Chamberlain is scheduled to take a day off Tuesday, then pitch another inning Wednesday.
“This really wasn’t the test right now,� he said. “The test will come Wednesday when I come out and see how I feel. So this is a good start, and understand I’ve got a day off in between, but we’ll see how my body reacts and my arm reacts Wednesday.�
http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.....ected.aspx
mtb3967,
Did Joba throw any changeups or curves? Or was it strictly fastballs and sliders?
Man, someone needs to pay me 4 million dollars a year to coach first base. I would be damn good at it and well worth the expenditure. Plus, I wouldn’t give up nearly as many taters as Igawa.
Giambi Watch: 2 for 5 with two strikeouts, no RBIs, No x-bases.
Kennedy may not have dominate stuff but I will take a pitcher that knows how to pitch over someone with “stuff: any day. Pitchers like Pettitte, Key, Cone, Duque and Maddux have had great careers without super stuff. Kennedy is often called Mini-Moose. In his prime, Moose was a stud.
IMO we can’t trade off all our pitching depth. And there may be a bidding war for Santana next year. Trading Kennedy now might kill our chances at Santana.
Kennedy may not be the top stud, but he could pan out to be a better pitcher than Joba. Who knows? And even if he doesn’t, he is a valueable trade chip not worth trading for just anybody, especially not Gagne.
“Clippard, Marquez and a “Câ€? prospect, is not a lot to get a guy of Gagne’s pedigree.”
SJ44, who else would you include? Kyle? another lower level prospect?
Eric, Jennifer
about Horne and Marquez not showing up on the trenton site: it may be a promotion, Same thing happened 8 days ago (on a Saturday) with Kennedy. He pitched the next day and then was promoted.
Relief help is likely on its way.
Chamberlain made his triple A debut tonight and put on an absolute show. He was overwhelming in his one inning of work.
He pitched the seventh and struck out the side (hitters #9, 1,2)
He threw 13 pitches – 10 for strikes.
Hitter 1:
Pitch 1 – 95 mph fastball – Ball 1
Pitch 2 – 99 mph fastball – Strike 1
Pitch 3 – 99 mph fastball – Strike 2
Pitch 4 – 100 mph fastball – Ball 2
Pitch 5 – 99 mph fastball – Ball 3
Pitch 6 – 90 mph slider – strike 3
Hitter 2:
Pitch 1 – 99 mph fastball – Strike 1
Pitch 2 – 99 mph fastball – ball 1
Pitch 3 – 96 mph fastball – Strike 2 (fouled off)
Pitch 4 – ? velocity/ breaking pitch – Strike 3 (swinging)
Hitter 3:
Pitch 1 – 97 mph fastball – strike 1
Pitch 2 – ? mph ?pitch – strike 2
Pitch 3 – – strike 3 (swinging)
These were all off the stadium gun and given by the annoucer but they weren’t inflated. The yankees scouts gun evidently had him at 100 mph twice (so that second pitch at 100 must have been a pitch the announcer didn’t give a speed for).
As far as I know Joba’s only been documented to hit 100 mph once before – at the Futures Game though that stadium gun was supposed to be reading high.
Listening to the game the Scranton announcer (who saw the 10K/ 5 inning debut of Joba’s) sounded astonished with how dominant Joba was.
This is what Joba said after the game:
““This really wasn’t the test right now,â€? he said. “The test will come Wednesday when I come out and see how I feel. So this is a good start, and understand I’ve got a day off in between, but we’ll see how my body reacts and my arm reacts Wednesday.â€?
http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.....fault.aspx
As noted in an earlier post, he was throwing mostly fastballs. As for registering 100mph on the stadium gun, the gun is a bit quirky. I was sitting about 7 rows up directly behind homeplate, and while he was definitely in the high 90s, 100 seems like a bit of a stretch (even though the gun said he hit 100.
*Deadline Countdown*
14 Hours, 0 Minutes, 0 Seconds
tick, tick, tick, tick
mtb3967,
Chad Jennings the Scranton reporter wrote that the 100mph readings were not only on the Rochester stadium gun but also were measured by yankee scouts:
“Joba Chamberlain just made his bullpen debut here in Rochester.
He came in to pitch the seventh inning and struck out the side. He hit 100 mph twice on both the stadium radar and the Yankees gun. He hit 99 at least three times maybe more, depending on the actual speeds of pitches that didn’t register on the stadium gun.”
http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.....fault.aspx
OK EVERYONE, WE KNOW WHAT JOBA DID TONIGHT. THANKS.
according to the Daily News, Joba broke the sound barrier warming up in the bull pen. Wow. sounds like he had good stuff.
The Post is reporting, that after the game, Joba climbed the flag poll and shouted, “I’M KING OF THE WORLD” Well, nice to see he has confidence.
Why do the Yankees have two players with names that aren’t pronounced how they’re spelled?!
Wang = Wong?
Joba = Jaba?
Think about the kids!
To my knowledge Mariano hasn’t said he felt disrespected. I’ve written a lot about the subject elsewhere. Those who don’t recognize this are not aware of what he’s been to this team. Mike Francesa spoke about it a lot when Cashman humiliated Rivera earlier this year. Rivera has a weak agent to start with. The situation had been left where Rivera’s agent had asked for a call from Cashman before spring training and didn’t receive one. A phone call–common courtesy, and he didn’t get it. Rivera should never have come out publicly begging for a meeting anyway, but I guess that’s what you do when you have a weak agent. Cashman ignored a simple request from Rivera which could’ve been handled in a phone call, such as Mo, I’m sorry but I can’t do a deal now, etc. Instead, after all these years, Cashman goes straight for the TV cameras saying in effect he didn’t think Rivera deserved the respect of a private phone call, he has nothing to say and that we’ll see after the season. With all the negativity about the Yankees in the media, this was the last subject I needed to hear more bad news about. To think anything else about this subject proves what even Curt Schilling said on his blog about Mo a few months ago–that he is still incredibly underrated. Mike Lupica, who I believe is a Mets fan, is quite familiar with Mo. Last year he wrote that “Rivera is possibly the greatest Yankee of all time.” Joel Sherman said he’s deserved the Cy Young and MVP every year. If you disagree, you aren’t aware of exactly what he’s done. The idea of no player being more important than the team is not the point. It’s the way in which it was done and continues to be done. As Lupica said a couple months ago, who exactly is Cashman’s backup plan when Mo leaves? Farnsworth? If anyone would like to discuss this further with me, I’d be happy to do so but it would be better by email.
Lupica said he was the greatest yank of all time? wow, don’t even know what to say about that. He certainly is ONE of the greastest yanks of all time, but the greatest? For a team that had Ruth, Gherig, Mantle, Maris, Bera and so on I’d say it is a bit of a stretch to call him the greatest yankee ever.
guys, don’t reply to susan mullen. all she does is post about rivera. she blogs about him, shows up on BTF, RLYW, and posts the same exact arguments over and over. she has been doing this for years. the same thing, over and over. she is either a very clever web-bot or she is legitimately disturbed.
he arguments are insane and borderline pathological.
ignore.
i hope the yanks dont give up kennedy . that being said , there are other teams out there that will give up better prospects than clippard or karstens .