We recently did an interview with author Richard Bradley who wrote a book about the ‘78 playoff game between the Red Sox and Yankees. That was the Bucky Dent homerun game for those who are unfamiliar. Anyway, we’re really excited about it, and hope some of yall will take a look.

http://respectjetersgangster.blogspot.com

…Shameless self promotion over.”

I’m so late getting back to this thread, I know no one will see this. But that was enjoyable interview, and it sounds like an interesting book: a very in-depth take on a single memorable game.

Anyway, I agree with your take on Bondy, and enjoy reading your posts generally. Your eye-opening perspective on McNamee was especially memorable. Cheers.

Heh, Heh, that statement could be meant for every other Yankee relief pitcher other than Mo Rivera this Spring.
Aren’t you being a little hasty in judging Bruney, SJ? Aren’t you the one who castigated those Yankee fans on this blog for being too judgemental of Mussina and Cano and others after 9 Baseball games?
Now Bruney has one bad outing after the 14th Game in April …and its time to get rid of him?
He’s 26 years old, has very very good stuff and still has time to learn where to locate it. If the Yankee coaches (you speak so highly of) have enough confidence to keep him on the 25-man roster, then he must have some upside, don’t you think??

A 40% failure rate for a relief pitcher isn’t good. That’s his rate so far this year.

What has Bruney done in his career as a Yankee to engender such loyalty? For his career, he averages 7 walks and 8 hits per 9 innings of work. His career numbers are worse than Farnsworth’s.

Girardi also said Farnsworth had a “clean slate”. Until, of course, Farnsworth imploded several times.

Now he is relegated to pitching games in which they are trailing.

The guy isn’t a good pitcher. If Girardi wants to give him more chances, no skin off my back.

I will tell you though, if he pitches like he has his last two outings another 2 or 3 more times, let’s see how many chances he gets in games after that.

If he continues his stuggles in non-soft landing games, he won’t be around much longer.

Just because Girardi supports him publicly, doesn’t mean he has a long leash. Just look at Farnsworth for proof of that.

Bruney has pitched well for the Yankees thus far and whether you like it or not Girardi will give him a chance to prove it hasn’t been a fluke.

Shelley took a bullet for the team and did just that and he was much more impressive as a player than Bruney was last year and this spring.

Bruney really hasn’t though, at least pitching-wise, has he? In the last two games, his only non-soft landing games of the year, he went right back to his bad habits with poor results.

I commend him for losing weight. That doesn’t mean he earned a roster spot.

He’s on the team because he has a guaranteed contract. Not because he outperformed Scott Patterson, for example, this spring.

I’d like to see 30 innings of solid AAA work from him before I’m convinced he can be a contributor.

I certainly don’t want him blowing games for the Yankees, which, at least 40% of the time this year, he has been in a position to do.

Just not the kind of odds I want from relief pitchers.

Howard has a career .107 IsoD. I do not understand this question at all. Ryan Howard is a perfect TTO Guy(three true outcomes), he will either walk, strike out, or homer.

With my comment of “if he didn’t give up 2 HR’s last night, you wouldn’t want him gone” I was referring to CB’s argument that Bruney has been bad this year even before last night. Also you misquoted me, it’s fair that you guys want him gone but if you brought it up before last night nobody would buy into it.

Bruney has no doubt changed his approach as a pitcher. Obviously he lost a ton of weight, he isn’t throwing as hard, throwing more sliders and more strikes. Obviously last night he lapsed into his prior habit of being a “thrower” rather than a “pitcher”. Up until last night though he has looked like a drastically different pitcher than the rest of his career. Considering the work and effort he has put into changing himself I say we should give him another chance. So far the results have been mixed but encouraging. Give it another month before you start preaching he should be in AAA or DFA’d.

Priceless.

Yeah, I know Thome was who was blocking him Phils were in a similar spot with Polanco/Utley, causing Utley to not get regular at bats for a little while. I’m merely suggesting that could have been managed a little better.