Garcia open to relief role
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 19, 2011 
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Just 24 hours after a series of injuries left some mild concerns about the state of the Yankees bullpen, the Yankees relievers came through with flying colors today. And Freddy Garcia said he wouldn’t be opposed to joining them.
“If I can pitch in the bullpen, I pitch in the bullpen,” Garcia said. “The goal is to make the team, but that’s not in my hands. Try to do my best. I don’t pitch the way I want to pitch (today), but that’s the way it is.”
Whether the Yankees would be willing to put Garcia in the bullpen might be a different story. He’s made just one relief appearance in his career, and that was in 2000. If he’s not good enough to make the rotation, the Yankees might not want him in the pen.
While he’s not opposed to the bullpen, Garcia made it clear he will not go to Triple-A.
“If I don’t make the team, what am I supposed to do in Triple-A?” he said. “I’m 34 years old. I’ve been in the big leagues a long time. There’s nothing to go to Triple-A and prove. I make the team or not.”
In other bullpen news, three pitchers showed injury progress today.
Joba Chamberlain
Strained oblique
Threw a full bullpen this morning, giving maximum effort on the last few pitches. Chamberlain said the oblique never bothered him and he thinks he’ll be ready for a game in the next few days.
“I feel great, and I’d rather have this happen at this time instead of this time next week,” he said. “There would be no question (if it happened next week) that I wouldn’t be able to make the season. I want to head north with these guys.”
Pedro Feliciano
Sore left triceps
Threw a light bullpen this morning — 15 or so pitches at about 80 percent effort — and reported no problems. He said the injury is “normal spring training tightness” and he has no doubt he’ll be ready for Opening Day. Probably one more bullpen, this one at 100 percent effort, then he’ll be back in a game.
“I don’t want to rush it and take a step back,” he said. “I’ve been pitching good. I have to get back on my rhythm and be fine again.”
Boone Logan
Back spasms
Yesterday Joe Girardi said Logan could miss four or five days, but Logan said it won’t be nearly that long. In fact, he’s scheduled to make tomorrow’s trip to Clearwater and Logan think he’ll pitch in the game. He had some extra time off to let his arm regain some strength, and while that worked, it might have upset his upper back.
“It was the regular spot where I get sore,” Logan said. “It was just like a knot, really. I think it was from not being in a game for 10 days or however long it was. The intensity of the game kind of triggered a little spasm by my shoulder blade… I feel fine.”
Associated Press photo of Garcia, head shot of Chamberlain
I think Freddy can help us as the #4……….I hope he makes the team. If not, then I don’t blame him for not wanting to go to AAA
Colon should open in the pen.
Mitre hasn’t shown much other than an ability to pitch in relief or the rotation, and should be the first against the wall. Nova should open in the rotation, worse case you can make him the long man. Colon should open as the long man.
Can you get anything in a trade for Mitre? I was never a hater, and I agree with JF, but can we get something for Mitre? I read he’s owed $900K this year. Maybe the Mets?
How about a 7-man rotation?
If Nova can repeat his cutter/slider, he’s really the #4. Does he have innings restrictions?
I never thought they’d seriously let Mitre go, but without any DL pitchers, and if they like Freddie and Bartolo what else can they do? Besides send Niva to AAA.
I guess one of Colon/Garcia doesn’t make it. Neither one has been lights out, though Colon has been better.
“Mitre hasn’t shown much other than an ability to pitch in relief or the rotation, and should be the first against the wall.”
Huh? It sounds like you described a long man.
Mitre is about 200 innings away from Tommy John. I think the Yankees would be very happy with his 2010 numbers–from this years long man.
Nova has to be the #4, if facts matter.
Lol, Rich. We all know that facts don’t matter.
Seriously, what a good problem to have.
I’ll wait for the smart baseball guys to make the decision when the time is right. I don’t believe they have figured it completely out yet, irregardless of how people may feel it is a foregone conclusion that Nova is #4 and Garcia is #5.
Injuries can occur, things can still happen. I have always believed in the management philosophy that you make decisions when you have to, not a second before.
One factor I am interested in seeing is if Nova can repeat his performance and control over his culider (cutter/slider) for two more outings….Also interested in seeing how the big 3 perform for 7 innings…
A lot of time is left in ST to make the contest interesting.
“If I don’t make the team, what am I supposed to do in Triple-A?” he said. “I’m 34 years old. I’ve been in the big leagues a long time. There’s nothing to go to Triple-A and prove. I make the team or not.”
Mark Prior was probably in a corner burning a picture of Dusty Baker after hearing the AAA comments.
Tar,
Thanks for that recipe. I added the bananas and it was good with the nuts.
It wasn’t as fluffy (the elusive fluffiness I’ve been seeking) as I’d like but it tasted like banana nut bread when you put the syrup on.
Going to play with it some more, but thanks for the master recipe.
Huh? It sounds like you described a long man.
Mitre is about 200 innings away from Tommy John. I think the Yankees would be very happy with his 2010 numbers–from this years long man.
–
The long man eventually pitches though, and while I think Mitre has upside (and have described at length why I think that) I don’t think he has much of a future with the Yankees. I think Nova has to start to the rotation, simply because of any of the candidates he has the most ‘future potential’ with the Yankees. Then of Mitre, Garcia, and Colon I think Garcia should start in the rotation based on his success last year and the stuff he is showing in spring. That leaves Mitre vs Colon for the long spot, and I think Colon should take over because he has shown good stuff and the Yankees have no ties to him.
We have so many pitching prospects that they need spots to break into, and so far for 2 years Mitre has been eating up a 25/40 man spot to pitch mostly ineffectively. He was ignored for the last 2 months of the season last year so I don’t know what the Yankees are doing with him. They really should have been starting him in AAA to fully knock the rust off his injury but they had to bring him up due to his contract.
Mitre wasn’t any good before Tommy John either.
And for my $$$ worth I would say Nova #4, Garcia #5, and Mitre long man. Colon is the odd man out.
If Mitre is cut, he should go straight to the Cardinals and let Duncan coach him to 15 wins.
Mitre wasn’t any good before Tommy John either.
—
He was having a good season before he got injured.
“Mitre wasn’t any good before Tommy John either.”
He’s adequate and experienced with the role he’d have. It’s not like he couldn’t be released if he stinks.
If we cut Mitre, he could end up on the Sox. Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?
“If we cut Mitre, he could end up on the Sox. Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?”
Not sure he fits there cause they still have Wakefield as a long man. Good/bad thing? He’d be a long man which is a nothing. 23 man on the roster. You only matter if you’re killing or getting killed.
A No. 5 starter won’t be needed for much of April anyway. Whoever is kept between Garcia, Colon, or Mitre will need to get some relief duty to stay sharp.
Meanwhile, Mark Prior will be at AAA getting work in himself.
“the #2 has a lot more responsibility than the #3 has.”
Is that the Miss America runner-up? Does the #2 carry the football with the nuclear launch codes?
Keep that tiara close by, AJ!
I think the Yanks will find a way to keep both Colon and Garcia.
Having as many options as possible is a strategy that Cashman and Girardi both like very much.
Who knows how long these guys are going to hold up over the course of a season – or at least until teams start falling out of the race in June and July.
Giuseppe Franco March 19th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
I think the Yanks will find a way to keep both Colon and Garcia.
___________
Agreed
Nick in SF March 19th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
“the #2 has a lot more responsibility than the #3 has.”
Is that the Miss America runner-up? Does the #2 carry the football with the nuclear launch codes?
Keep that tiara close by, AJ!
________________
You never know when Penthouse might publish revealing photos of CC….
GF,
Count me in as well. You can never have enough pitching.
“You never know when Penthouse might publish revealing photos of CC….”
I never heard of a double C.
(sorry)
I believe the pitching rotation also dictates the pecking order for choice of road trip grouping skanks.
groupy…
damn.
Not that is was funny either way.
AJ is the 2 for one reason: CC and Hughes look to use less of the bullpen in their starts. You don’t want AJ next to Garcia/Colon/Nova or else the bullpen may get worn out if used 3 days in a row.
Anyway, off to a family gathering. Or in other words, a group of people who like me even less than this one.
Nighty all.
Joe Girardi will be like any other manager in the next 10 days. They’ll have to call certain players to their office to give either good or bad news and it’s the time of year they dislike the most.
Any one of Garcia, Colon or Mitre released will no doubt be immediately contacted by the LAAs, TX, etc.
Cashman’s experiments this off season have held up well thus far, and others’, not so much.
Colon and Garcia have both said they’d be willing to pitch out of the pen. In that case, at this moment Im keeping both of them over Mitre if it comes to that because while I like Mitre ok as a long man, I like both Colon and Garcia better as starters…..so they give more depth to the rotation situation.
As for AJ, I think it was the right decision as to me there ate more advantages to going the route they chose. #2 vs #3 really makes no difference and it might help AJ confidence in addition to splitting up your two most reliable arms.
It was because of Miss America rules? Hmm. Rumor was AJ got to be #2 because he volunteered to sit in the emergency exit row on team flights.
Mitre will find his way to the DL, imo.
Fl Gov Scott got a nice reception today
http://www2.tbo.com/video/2011.....tch-21344/
Tampayank
I hate Rick Scott. I’d like to throw a few of my Joe Maddon reserved tomatoes at him.
m
Tyler’s ultimate is usually good stuff. I have made those pancakes and they were delicious. Glad I could hep.
I think it’s kind of cool that Freddy is willing to do whatever, in order to make the team. I also don’t blame him one bit for nixing AAA.
Jerk
We are on the same page for the rotation. Where we differ slightly is I would leave Mitre as the long man. I would offer Colon the chance for an extended Spring training “IF” nobody hits the DL before then. I suspect somebody will have some ailment that is going to require a DL stint before the year starts.
For you astronmy buffs the Moon is the closest to Earth than it has been in 18 years. The ‘supermoon’ is the biggest and brightest of 2011. Time to break out the telescope.
I have a telescope that my father got me for my birthday, but for 2 years it’s sat in our basement……..I have no clue how to program it, lol.