Ross is the boss
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Sep 12, 2007 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Ross Ohlendorf became the 28th pitcher the Yankees have used this season, tying a team record set in 2005. He is the 10th to make his debut. Whoever imagined that would happen this season?
He retired the side in order, fanning Lyle Overbay with a nasty slider. Ohlendorf was converted to the bullpen about a month and a half ago. He dropped his curveball then and now throws only a fastball, slider and change. He’s also throwing his four-seam fastball more often.
“It’s a swing-and-miss pitch and you want to be aggressive when you come out of the bullpen,” he said.
Nobody was happier to see Ohlendorf than Joba Chamberlain. As the pitcher with the least service time, Joba had been required to haul the pink Yankees backpack full of candy, gum and tobacco to the bullpen before games. Now that duty falls to Ohlendorf.
Never mind that Joba is 21 and Ross is 25.
Ohlendorf didn’t seem to mind. After four years in the minors, he was with the Yankees.
“This is great, getting this chance,” he said. “I like coming out of the bullpen. My arm has responded pretty well. Maybe this is what my role should be.”
Joe Torre has said several times in the last few days how “interesting” Ohlendorf is. You have to wonder if they’ll try him in a pressure situation or two before the season is over.
“I told him to pound the strike zone and he did that,” Ron Guidry told me. “That was good. We have guys who don’t do that.”
He looked great!
Ron Guidry is the master of understatement. Really? We don’t have guys who pound the strike zone?
Bruney and Farnsworth having been “pounding” something, but it ain’t the strike zone!
Ohlendorf’s stuff looked great. He’ll definitley be in the mix down the stretch.
Where are all the folks who were hating on Cash for the RJ trade now?
Looks like the Yanks got at least three useful parts (Viz, Alberto Gonzalex and Ross) for one broken down, sourpuss Unit.
now DFA Brunney & bring up Brett Gardner
“I told him to pound the strike zone and he did that,� Ron Guidry told me. “That was good. We have guys who don’t do that.�
Heh. We have guys Bruney who don’t do that. Truer words have never been spoken.
I liked Ross’s stuff. He had a lot of movement and threw hard down in the zone. That is usually a formula for success. However, I would like to see him perform this way a couple more times before we pronounce him ready for the post-season roster.
Always good to have good news of another possible arm out of the bullpen mix. Recent history proves the Yankees can’t have enough good arms and Ross Ohlendorf will be highly evaluated next spring.
Like I’ve said before farm raised players = motivated”Baby Bombers oozing Yankees pride.”
meanwhile, Randy Johnson was spotted at Rite-Aid buying a box of Depends yesterday….
How much do you want to bet that Guidry was thinking of Bruney when he said that “we have guys that don’t (pound the strike zone).”
Ohly did well. He kinds looks like he could be Lew Ford’s taller brother…
it’s starting to amaze me how much we got for Johnson, who seems like he should just retire at this point. 3 guys on the team now, and contributing.