Vizcaino seeks his fortune
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- December
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It was minor as transactions go. Luis Vizcaino declined the offer of arbitration from the Yankees yesterday. Instead of haggling over a one-year deal with the Yankees, he elected to remain a free agent.
The Viz is represented by Bean Stringfellow and if you’re an agent who represents relief pitchers, this is your lucky winter.
If Scott Linebrink (71 games, 70.1 innings, 68 hits, 25 walks, 50 strikeouts) got four years and $19 million. Vizcaino (77 games, 75.3 innings, 66 hits, 43 walks, 62 strikeouts in the AL East) has to be worth at least $3.75 million a year.
But we all know The Viz was abused last season. The 77 appearances were a career high and he had was called a “tired shoulder” at one point. You want to give him three years and $11 million?
The Yankees almost certainly need to sign or trade for a veteran innings-eater for their bullpen. You can’t count on Kyle Farnsworth and assorted kids. If it’s not The Viz, it’ll be LaTroy Hawkins, Ron Mahay or somebody else.
Me? I let the Viz get his money elsewhere.
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on Saturday, December 8th, 2007 at 11:33 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
Damnit Viz.
Well. I have been calling for this since last season. Why not Mike Mussina as a bullpen/long reliever/spot starter????
Peace, Viz!
Plus the Yankees will get a supplemental round pick for him if he signs elsewhere.
Bean Stringfellow?
Oh man. Why is the Jolly Green Giant laughing at me right now?!
sean k
December 8th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Plus the Yankees will get a supplemental round pick for him if he signs elsewhere.
___________________________________________________
Yes, and that usually ends up being what should have been a high to mid first round pick that falls through and NYY picks up by paying over slot. Sounds good to me. A left handed starter or a first baseman with a big bat and great glove would be great.
Peter,
You shouldn’t be so close-minded when it comes to Farnsworth. Yes, he hasn’t done well for the Yankees, but I expect him to have a comeback season in 2008. Most of these relievers are a strange bunch with their Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type seasons.
“Why not Mike Mussina as a bullpen/long reliever/spot starter????”
Because he is unlikely to succeed in that role. He’s a feel pitcher. Feel pitchers rarely respond well to erratic work and short outings. It’s true that he’s stepped up a few high-profile times in relief (2003 ALCS game 7!), but I doubt he’d work well in that role long-term
Yeah, Vizcaino was so abused. It was one game higher than his career high and 6 innings less than his career high. Those numbers are right in line with his average numbers over thye last 5 years. I can’t believe a writer would swallow the old “Torre abuses pitchers” crap, but, I guess it helps to sell papers.
Well apparently it will go from Everybody beats the Viz back to Nobody beats the Viz now that he is no longer a Yankee.
Shelley Duncan update:
http://weblogs.newsday.com/spo.....pdate.html
“Yeah, Vizcaino was so abused. It was one game higher than his career high and 6 innings less than his career high. ”
Go look at the pattern of usage. The reason the totals wound up about average for him was due to a couple of LOOONG layoffs. He got used 5 of 6 days one week…that’s abuse!
There was a stretch in april where he got used 6 times in 13 days…except that is was 6 times in the first 8 days, and then five days off.
This was not isolated.
Green Beret:
Abuse has little to do with innings or appearances. It’s more how often a guy was used on consecutive days, how many dry humps he had in the bullpen (warming up multiple times) or how often he pitched in low-need situations.
To me, if a reliever pitches so often that his shoulder shuts down on him, that’s abuse.
I don’t blame Torre, a manager has to do what he has to do and relievers are an expendable bunch.
Interesting. Viz did not look good at the beginning of the year, when he shouldn’t have had a ‘tired arm.’ Then he came on strong after Mo started tutoring him (great advisor wrt relief pitching, and also about both being in ‘contract years’), and then he seemed to lose his edge when Joba arrived and took all of the headlines away.
Not sure what all that means, but as many on this blog far smarter than me have pointed out, the mind of the relief pitcher is uncharted territory.
Repost
Viz was abused like a gov’t mule.
Will this “Torre abused his relief pitchers” ever end!!!!! Get over it!! Torre is gone and most of this blog who disrespected him the last year and in October should be ashamed. Just because you become Yankee fans in 96 doesnt give you the right to a playoff birth every year. Oh wait! That is exactly what Joe did!!!
All you Torre haters-Sturtze and Proctor did nothing with their careers until Jo trusted them. Blame the GM for giving the manager a crap pen for the last 7 yrs.
test
If Torre had had more than two starters a year that could reach the 6-7th innings in every year or more than two relief pitchers a year that could actually pitch over he last 6 years, they would have used differently. He used what was provided.
Vizcaino is another that fell in line with the Linebrink factor. There’s no real reason why the Yankees need to jump on that bandwagon. It will all get sorted out in spring training with the righthanders currently in the organization.
Cashman is better served to go hard after Damaso Marte in a deal with Pittsburgh and sign free agent Ron Mahay seeing as the system lacks in available lefthanded relievers.
I agree with Mark McCray re Mike Mussina. There’s nothing to lose in giving him a chance in long relief. He faced adjustments last season and dealt with them. Whatever he’s been in the past, he’s something different now. Aside from that, nothing is available in the market. Mussina might even extend his career going this route if he wanted to. I remember him smiling after that 2003 ALCS performance–he actually looked happy about what he accomplished. There were several key contributors in that excruciating game, and he was one of them.
Everybody talks about Sturtz, but, Sturtz was a starter before coming to NYY and was a last resort. He became a cult hero in NY, not because he could pitch, but, because he took on 3 Red Sox in Boston. Proctor, for all of his supposed abuse turned into very good back to back seasons with almost identical numbers. His numbers would have been much better had he not had to pitch against Boston. LA was actually using him with more frequency after the got him than Torre did, and it didn’t’ seem to affect him.
Okay, I know it’s juvenile, but I cannot possibly the only one here amused with the name of Viz’s agent…?
(I am sure he is an excellent agent)
Speaking of abused pitchers… when are we getting Scott Proctor and Mike Stanton back? Oh wait, that is a terrible idea too. I say let “The Viz” walk.
Mussina in relief?? Please stop. Like Pete said, the Yanks need a veteran relief pitcher to eat innings and if possible a lefty reliever. This Matsui talk is ridiculous. Just don’t see the Yanks saying no to the Santana trade and then shipping off a very clutch and popular player who is still in his prime for a lefty reliever and a 4th outfielder. The Yanks will get Santana. Hank isn’t gonna spend the whole winter without making a splash especially when Santana makes so much sense
Glad to see him go. When you look over his season, he was very inconsistent–not what you want when you send a guy out there.
How many of you thought that game 2 of the ALDS was over when he came in? Be honest.
A one year, $3-4 million deal? OK. Multiyear, more than that? No f-ing way. Vaya con dios, amigo.
Mussina will get about the same amount of starts and innings as Chamberlain and Hughes. Somewhere around 150-160 innings. Bullpen around 250 innings, Wang and Pettitte about 420 total and Kennedy around 180-190. The team should total around 1250-1300 innings for the year.
Bryan, look at Proctor’s numbers for the last 2 years and see what’s bad about them. He was better than anything NYY had and better than most. This year he blew the Great Shields out of the water.
Rebecca, no no that name jumped out at me too..
It’s like a kids movie.. “The adventures of The Viz and The Bean”
R–OP:
His real name is Thornton Stringfellow.
Imagine the fun we’d have that as an agent’s name.
Sorry to anyone here named Thornton!
“Bean” Stringfellow went to VaTech, made it to AAA ball. (Was drafted by the Yanks!) I’m sure he’s had that nickname since he was about 12.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com.....llow.shtml
Drafted – Selected by New York Yankees in 17th Round (440th overall) of 1984 amateur entry draft (June-Reg) … Selected by Atlanta Braves in 24th Round (614th overall) of 1985 amateur entry draft (June-Reg)
Nud :
Trust is an earned thing, Joe Torre or otherwise. If any manager clearly defines a reliever’s role and uses him almost exclusively for that role, the reliever will likely have a good outing. It’s when they’re flip-flopped that they get out of synch. Very few can be used on consecutive days. Some of the reason is because the Yankees haven’t had what could be called a long reliever since the days of Ramiro Mendoza.
people also have to remember that Farnsworth could be a new pitcher this season. It will be his first season with a real pitching coach who can help him
Mitch, that’s been the problem since 2002. No Mendoza, Stanton, Nelson to Rivera connection. I really think the ideal one for this job could be Karstens. Nice easy motion. With a regular spot and some tutoring by Rivera and Eiland, he would be ideal.
“I can’t believe a writer would swallow the old “Torre abuses pitchers†crap, but, I guess it helps to sell papers.”
Has any market research been done on that? I’d like to know what demographic will plunk down money for a newspaper to read about Torre abusing pitchers.
Shelley Duncan update from Newsday’s Kat O’Brien:
Shelley Duncan health update
I just got off the phone with Shelley Duncan, a rookie infielder/outfielder for the Yankees this season, who was able to fill me in on his recent health scare. He had a blood clot in his arm, but information has been scarce. Due to HIPAA laws, the Yankees were not able to comment on his health, since it was a non-baseball-related medical issue.
Shelley told me that his arm had felt weird for a couple days, but not hurting. One day he woke up, and his armpit was swollen. So he called the doctor and got it checked out and it turned out he had a blood clot in his arm and spent five days in the hospital prior to Thanksgiving. He saw Dr. George Todd, a vascular surgeon who operated on David Cone after he developed blood clots. Duncan won’t need surgery, but is on blood-thinning medication, he said, and can do limited upper-body activity until January.
The good news, Duncan said, is “Everything’s going to be perfectly fine. … The doctor’s confident that it won’t happen again.”
The worst part for Duncan, he said, is “The scariest thing is not knowing what’s going on.”
The blood clot should not affect Duncan’s readiness for spring training. He said that at this point in the winter, he isn’t normally doing baseball activities, just staying in shape. “Where I’m at healthwise is where I’m at every single offseason.”
The scare, though, “makes you really feel fortunate to be healthy.”
I said it the other day and I still think using Joba and Phil in tandem with some of the other kids might be a good way to start the year. For example; Joba for 5, DeSalvo, Karstens etc….. for 4. By pairing some of these guys up to go nine, you keep their innings down, they all remain on regular rest and the traditional bullpen relievers have a more defined and less abusive role. It also gives some of the guys that might otherwise be blocked regular use to see if they have what it takes to make it in the Majors.
I thought if a player declined arbitration, he could not re-sign with that team until like May or something. I guess I am wrong on that.
P Chris
That rule changed this year
“Due to HIPAA laws, the Yankees were not able to comment on his health, since it was a non-baseball-related medical issue.”
That’s comforting. Their silence was starting to make me feel like things were so severe that they felt it wasn’t their place to speak about it. Like…he was maybe in a life threatening scenario and the team felt it was up to his family to decide what to say and when. I’m glad it wasn’t anything like that.
I like Shelley. If the team winds up giving him a shot this season, I hope it works out. I’m skeptical, given his swing, but here’s hoping!
pat,
I’ve advocated the idea of tandem pitching with the rookies. I’d go Hughes for 5, then Joba for 4. On those days the bullpen gets a rest and Joba would be essentially setting up and closing. We have to remember that the bullpen was also getting hammered when the veterans would have the inevitable game where they came out early. That way Mussina stays in the rotation, too.
Dan,
I agree with you. I’m not saying this is the case, but sometimes you don’t want to teach those who think they know it all. Joe G. is making Farnsworth a priority this season, so someting good should come about.
Pat
Saw your post on the ‘Tandem idea.’ Seems like one of those ‘out of the box’ solutions that ought to be tried (I’m sure one of the smarter folks on the blog will disabuse me of that notion fast). For one, it seems like the Yankees are in position with so many good young arms that this is the first team to be able to try it.
The last pitcher that I want to see toein’ the slab in DeSalvo, unless he’s pitching for Boston.
Oooh, ok…I thought his actual name was Bean!
Actually, there’s a kid in one of my classes named Thorsten, so it’s not too uncommon a name, I think!
Ron Mahay- 6/28/71 6′2″ 190 lb.
Looking up his situational stats last year on cbssportsline.com noticed these interesting facts:
1. Lefties batted .189 righties .242
2. ERA against KC and Toronto 20.25 and 18.00 but only 1 inning against each
3. No runners on base ERA .088 However RISP ERA 6.16, Bases loaded ERA 10.80
Based on what I looked at, he pitched very well against the Red Sox and Yankees with ERA 0.00 and not so well against the Angels and Indians.
He wants a 3 year deal, Yankees might be willing to go 2 years, considering no other viable lefty options, as Sean Henn wasn’t succesful and we would probably need to sacrifice a pretty good pitcher or Cabrera for Marte.
If they sign Mahay, based on the stats, he would be best used at night, with the bases empty, and not with RISP. Thats when Rivera comes in and is stuck trying to get 4 outs! Farnsworth is not the answer as setup reliever. I don’t care that we have a new manager and pitching coach. Farnsworth has a bad back, and can’t even be relied on to pitch consecutive days let alone the entire season.
Here’s a blurb about Pettitte wanting to pitch in 2009, scroll to the middle of the article.
http://www.nj.com/sports/ledge.....thispage=2
Yankee Trader-
Yankees are offering 3/$9M & he may bite later in the week, unless the Royals overpay which they could, but why would they?
I predict that the Viz will come crawling back to the Yanks after he is unable to find a multi-year deal elsewhere. No team in their right mind will give him that deal after his tired arm episode. Feel free to use what happened to Ron Villone as an example.
Enough wasted time on the Viz…lets get to some interesting issues…
Now that the Santana circus has left town (at least the first round) I have come to the conclusion that if the Yankees do get Santana the trade package will NEVER include Hughes.
The Yankees came to the brink of deviating from their master plan but Minny got greedy and tried to get more. They should have taken the offer on Saturday – Sunday.
Cashman has convinced the Yankee hierachy that keeping the Jewels is THE ONLY WAY to a dynasty. They are willing to risk Santana going to the Sox and helping them to win a WS in ‘08 since they feel it means they are one step closer to their dynasty.
Dynasty’s are not easy matters…it takes dealing with pain…one could argue that the Yankees have done an excellent job of preparing for a new dynasty…We have still made the playoffs while other teams like the Mets and Indians were absolutely horrible for many years before they were even able to compete let alone make the playoffs.
I want to take fans back to 2004. The Yankees let Pettite walk out the door (a huge mistake…Rule #1 NEVER, EVER let homegrown Yankee stars walk out the door…they are not replaceable by stars from other teams), The Yankees were trying to trade for Randy Johnson before the trading deadline and the DBs were still pissed at us about signing Wells out from under them after the 2002 season. The Yankees were offering CANO and Wang. The GM of the DBs said they sucked (he was fired after the ‘04 season for being so spiteful). We did not get Johnson until the start of the ‘05 season. Arguably if we had Johnson (he was having a phenomenal season in ‘04) we would have found a way to close out the Sox when we were up 3-0.
But here is the question, we likely would have won the series but we would have absolutely sucked in the future. For that matter, if we had Pettite in ‘04 we would have won the ALCS in ‘04 as well, but we would not have drafted Hughes (he is the draft pick we got from Houston after Andy left)
I want to go on record and say knowing what I know now I wouldn’t change a thing. We would have beat Boston in ‘04 and would have been favorites to beat St. Louis in the ‘04 series…but our future would have sucked…no chance at a dynasty…which is what the Yankees want…The RED SOX want it too…Thats why they are NOT Going to gut their farm system for Santana.
Dynasties involve pain…would you give up Wang and Cano in ‘04 if you knew you’d win the series but you would suck (no contention for 3-5 years ) afterward?
Maybe we wouldn’t have won anyway even if we do trade Cano and Wang before the trading deadline in ‘04. maybe boston was a team of destiny.
Thats why they won’t trade Hughes. We can argue but it is clear they Yankees strongly believe that he is an ace. They are no longer in the business of trading Yankee stars…they now know they are hard to find
“they all remain on regular rest and the traditional bullpen relievers have a more defined and less abusive role.”
Unless these other guys get shelled, that is.
I think the important thing is to have enough guys to whom you can distribute innings. Multiple guys that can come in in the 6th and take the ball to the 8th, for example. So that you don’t have to blow four guys every time your starter only pitches into the sixth. The other important thing is getting starters into the 7th more often.
Even if you only have one guy you _really_ trust in the 8th…if you have several you can trust in the 6th/7th, you can get by.
And, also, someone _else_ who can get you into the 6th if your starter only goes three. The worst was when a 6th inning guy had to come in to pitch the 4th. And then another to pitch the 5th. And then another to pitch the 6th. I think part of that was the issues a lot of our relievers had with efficiency. It’d take them 30 pitches to go 1 1/3 because they didn’t throw strikes.
testing
Looks like other people are having issues posting like me.
The trouble with using them in tandem would be if one or the other gets blown out of the box. If Hughes gets hammered, are you going to waste Chamberlain? Let them go through rhe rotation 2, then put Mussina in for two starts. Each of the two kids miss one start every three times with Mussina getting the two starts, doing long work from the pen. Karstens, and after about May, hopefully, Horne will be ready to go. They’ve got Ohlendorf, who was pretty solid in his games. Unless Marte/Mahay comes on, Henn/Igawa’s going to be the lefty specialist. Albaladejo should be the other pitcher. He was outstanding in Washington.
Too bad, but they could not go three years.
J. Torre definitely overused this guy. As good as Torre was in many ways, Girardi should be a beeter manager of the pitching staff.
Rebecca, who are the 3 Musketeers?
“Rebecca, who are the 3 Musketeers?”
The Yankee Big Three
I predict that the Viz will come back to the Yanks after he is unable to secure a multi-year k elsewhere. I cannot see a team giving him a three year k after his tired arm episode.
A more interesting topic of debate is as follows:
Whats more important developing a dynasty or winning a WS every couple of years? I ask since it seems to me that while we may debate among ourselves what Hughes will become the Yankee hierachy is absolutely convinced that he will be an ace. This is why I also feel that they will never offer Hughes to the Twins again in a package to obtain Santana. Minny had their chance and got greedy.
Lets go back to the 2004 season. We let Pettitte go to Houston (Rule #1- Don’t let homegrown Yankee stars walk…they are not replaceable.) but we were still going to win the division. We were trying to get Randy J. before the trade deadline and offered the DBs Wang, Cano or anyone else in our sysytem they wanted. The DBs were still pissed off about our signing Wells after the ‘02 season and refused to trade Johnson out of spite (they said all our prospects stank). The GM of the Diamondbacks was later fired for his foolishness.
Its likely that we would have closed out the ‘04 ALCS after being up 3-0 if we had Johnson but who knows, maybe the Sox were just destined to win the series and giving up Wang and Cano would have been a waste. I do know our future would be terrible and we would not be any good now. Also remember that when Pettitte left we got Houston’s pick in the draeft and used it to get Philip Hughes.
I think Cashman is thinking dynasty and to get there he needs Hughes. It looks like he has convinced Hank and Hal of the same.
Green Beret
I wasn’t advocating using Joba in tandem with Hughes. I would give them each their own start with some of the lesser gods pitching the back end.
It is outside the box thinking as someone else said but it’s a way to have a 7 man rotation with everyone geting regular work. It’s actually a 5 man rotation with 2 long guys who know when they will be working rather than letting them sit for 2 weeks without being used.
Pat, jump in here and tell me I missed your point, but it seems that the ‘tandem’ idea involves having a planned rotation with two pitchers getting ready for an opponent as a team. Many times the ‘talking heads’ reference stats about how a pitcher’s ERA varies with the number of times the opponents batters get to see the starter’s stuff. Coming up with ways to keep the hitters off balance becomes key.
So if you teamed a Hughes start with a plan to have Horne (just an example, please don’t kill me on that tandem)come in in the 6th for 2 or 3 innings, the pitchers could get together with Jorge/Jose and Eiland to map out how they would work the line up to keep the batters from getting into a comfort zone. If the starter ‘blows up,’ #2 comes in early. If they both do, you’re no worse off than we were in several games last year.
Pat, Is this what you menat?
I pass on all vet relief pitchers on the market..NONE of them are worth the money they will make, all there contracts will be too long, and none will handle NY..
the Yanks have + arms in the minors and that is the way to go.. whelan, cox, sanchez, beam, britton, the new guy, etc.. mix and match some will strive and some will fail……
they can pick up a guy during the yr. if the need to…….
I wouldn’t have wanted Viz back. While he pitched okay (and I use the word “okay” because I think we all have much lowered expectations of a middle reliever than we used to have) he never seemed to fool hitters.
I always felt like he was lucky to have gotten someone out in a big spot.
By the end of the season he looked shot and he looked scared. Torre throwing him on the funeral pyre in the ALDS in extra innings didn’t help that perception.
This guy just isn’t worth a 3 year deal. Anywhere.
The last best relief pitcher outside of Mo we had was Gordon (not counting Joba). You sign a guy like that. A former closer who can strike out the side if need be.
Viz could get out of innings, but I never felt he could put people away.
I honestly don’t think he’ll be missed.
I like the plan to let the farm duke it out for spots in the pen. I think, if anything, it’s going to add to enthusiasm and energy on this team having so many young hungry guys looking to make their mark.
Some will crumble like Edwar appeared to do at times, but some will rise out of the pack. It’s the smartest move the Yanks have made in years, instead of investing in retreads.
back bench
You got my gist.
I originally thought about it as a way to just limit innings without a 6 man rotation.
But, it also would serve the purpose that a hitter doesn’t get too familiar with their pitches. A hard thrower could be combined with a location type pitcher and that would also serve in keeping hitters a little more off balance.
By July, NY will have more relief pitchers than they can shake a rosin bag at. They get Sanchez, Melancon and Cox back. Other than one lefty, there’s not much reason to go out and load up on relief pitchers. It may actually be a chance to move Musina to the Mets. If all these kids do well out of ST, it may be a chance to do something then. It’s a contract yearm and, if he thinks he’s going to lose money, he may waive the no trade and go to the Mets for a new contract. May be a chance to stick a gun in Minaya’s ribs.
Green Beret :
I’m in full agreement with your take on Karstens. He could have been a viable long reliever / spot starter and was on his way to being so last March until getting whacked by an Alberto Gonzalez line drive in batting practice which set him back for months as a consequence. He has the makeup for it and showed well in Fall competition. Those bridge guys to Mo have been so spotty and a long reliever helps to take pressure off any overuse.
A six-man rotation may be the wave of the future with many teams talking about it already. This seems to be the age of babying arms so it’s no surprise that innings may be limited.
Pete, his name isn’t Bean Stringfellow, just stop it! What’s the matter, did Roast Rumpinski have a full client list?
“But, it also would serve the purpose that a hitter doesn’t get too familiar with their pitches. A hard thrower could be combined with a location type pitcher and that would also serve in keeping hitters a little more off balance.”
Frankly, if you can get guys like Karstens or Rasner or Horne coming out of the pen, throwing strikes for 2-3 innings every couple days…you don’t need to “pair” anyone with anyone else. That’s useful across the board. It lets you be a bit more careful with your young starters, but it also lets you avoid burning three relievers every single game, even ones you’re running away with. That lessens the burden on everyone else.
“Pete, his name isn’t Bean Stringfellow, just stop it! What’s the matter, did Roast Rumpinski have a full client list?”
Nicknames are an occupational hazard of going into sports. With a name like Stringfellow, I bet he was 45 seconds into his first little league practice before someone starting calling him Bean.
Whozat
I agree with what you wrote but some of these young guys who have been starters might be better able to prepare if they knew when they were going to pitch.
“I cannot see a team giving him a three year k after his tired arm episode.”
Scott Linebrink has been on the downslope for the past couple of seasons and he got $19 million.
Here’s the yankees options – either overpay considerably for an average to slightly above average middle relief veteran or take a huge chance with a bunch of rookies/ young relievers.
The risk is significant with either approach.
One of the issues with using the kids – the most talented arms they’ve discussed using in the pen – Horne, McCutcheon, and Marquez – are all starters.
They could see how they do in Spring training, but by then it’ll be too late if they don’t work out. They won’t be able to get even a slightly below average veteran.
Relief pitching is not going to come cheaply at all this winter. And even a guy like the Viz will get a multi-year deal.
CB:
You may be right but I think the Viz will get the Ron Villone treament. Teams know what happens to Yankee relief pitchers.
MARTE!!!!!!!
“I agree with what you wrote but some of these young guys who have been starters might be better able to prepare if they knew when they were going to pitch.”
Yes. But, you’re talking about essentially reducing the “on demand” bullpen to 4 guys + Mo. And we’re talking about one of those guys being a “lefty specialist”? That just seems like too much of a burden on three dudes. Especially since I betcha you’re going to still wind up using a “setup guy” and Mo if those games are close at the end.
He was the worst pitcher in baseball early in the year…for a loooong time
Vizcaino will perform better in the National League where he can pitch 2 innings and face fewer batters. American League lineups offer no easy outs at the bottom of the order as in the NL. The Yankees will find a replacement for LV as they focus on the needs in the bullpen. I hold out hope that Farnsworth will have a better year with Girardi and have the endurance to pitch more than 1 inning every other day even if it isn’t in the setup role.
All bullpens get abused not just ones by Torre. You go with the hot hand in relief, and when it cools… NEXT. It is the nature of the beast. To single out Torre is simply ridiculous.
And I thought “NOBODY BEATS THE VIZ”. Well, somebody will and (as mentioned) we get a sup. pick from the team who beats the Viz!
LA TROY HAWKINS IS A BUM….The Yankees are better off with Pete on the mound in relief
“If I come back for one year, I’m coming back for two,” Pettitte told one friend, who asked not to be named because Pettitte did not authorize him to be a spokesman. “I’m opening up the new stadium.”
,
Amen to THAT !
I just think is strange when a latin player gets a big contract everybody explodes and protest, is funny that even though they get that amount of money they still deliver….but when a barry zito, jason gyambi,mike hampton, carl pavano, get the huge contract and under perform by a mile no body says anything. I really dont know what to think. Give me your opinion am white by the way. And sorry am bringing this up on this blog but some on the things you poeple say sometimes is weird.
“But we all know the Viz was abused last year”.. Really Pete? Who was the guy abusing him..Hank Steinbrenner? Randy Levine? Felix Lopez? NoNoNoNoNo..it was Joe Torre, the guy you wanted the Yankees give a multi year extension to.
The problem I see with planning on using 2 pitchers for one start (Hughes for the first 4 innings, Joba for the next 4 innings) is that if the first pitcher is doing well, it probably makes more sense to keep him in rather than risk bringing in another pitcher that might not be as effective. I also don’t know how it would affect their conditioning as eventually they will be expected to pitch 7 innings/start.