Robertson: “It’s an honor to be in the conversation”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 21, 2012 
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Dave Robertson isn’t a very big guy, and he doesn’t have an over-the-top personality. He’s friendly and soft-spoken, as easy to get along with as he is hard to hit. He takes the blame when he messes up, and he deflects credit when he does his job.
In that way, he’s pretty similar to the guy sitting just five lockers away in the Yankees spring training clubhouse.
“You’re talking about replacing a guy like Mariano Rivera,” Robertson said this morning, looking — as always — stunned that a massive group of reporters wanted to interview him. “I don’t know if it can ever be done. I really don’t think so.”
Robertson was never as hyped as Joba Chamberlain, and for a while he generated less prospect buzz than Mark Melancon, but if there’s a long-term Rivera successor in the current Yankees clubhouse, it just might be the escape artist from Alabama. Although Robertson said he refuses to believe that this is Rivera’s final season, it’s impossible to deny Robertson’s place on the short list of pitchers who could eventually replace Rivera in the ninth.
“It’s something I would want to do,” Robertson said. “But I’m not going to focus on that right now. I’m not really worried about it at all. All I’m worried about is the season that’s upcoming, being able to get my outs and get the ball to Mo. I’m not going to worry about it if he leaves… Those are shoes that I don’t think anybody is really going to be able to fill. You just have to hope you can step in there and hold your ground, do the best you can and hope for the best.”
One thing Robertson has noticed about Rivera: “He doesn’t chase perfection,” Robertson said. “He’s not out there always trying to get a strikeout. He can throw two pitches and have an out, maybe one pitch. I’ve seen him throw six- or seven-pitch innings. You don’t see a lot of those from me. He can go in there, make his one pitch, break a bat and get a ground ball. He doesn’t chase perfection, he just finds a way to get the outs.”
Even if he doesn’t take Rivera’s job, Robertson would like to take some of that control and composure.
“I’m going to try to throw more strikes, really cut down on my walks,” he said. “If I can do that, I can shorten my pitches in outings and not be out there throwing with runners on first and second because I walked them. Hopefully speed up the game a little bit.”
“… It’s an honor to even be in the conversation with (Rivera). It’s a long season. Last year was last year. This upcoming season could change. Anyone could possibly move into that role if he does leave. For me, I can’t worry about that. I’ve just got to focus on me and do what I can do, hope that the season turns out the way I want it to.”
Associated Press photo
It will be interesting to see what type of season Robertson will have in 2012 after a dominating 2011 season.
jnorris427 Josh Norris
@ @JonHeymanCBS Isn’t his best negotiating tactic just: “I’m Mariano Rivera”?
If the Yankees have depth anywhere, it’s in the pen.
That aside…
Curiously,
randyJoel Sherman, on that YES show tonight, mentioned Pineda (if he doesn’t develop a third pitch) as possibility for the future closer role (which would make me sick no matter what Montero becomes), along with Robertson, Betances, and maybe some others (I kind of spaced after he said that).Now, people can say: “But Sherman is an idiot,” or whatever, but he is a very good reporter. So I just hope that that thought wasn’t suggested to him by some Yankee source, clued in or otherwise.
Rich, only then would we have to bring back Joba as a starter.
GB, we could have re-signed Garcia to a minor league deal though…
But Sherman is an idiot.
@JonHeymanCBS
Yankees agree with chavez, pending physical
yf
It’s the Yankee way™.
Sherman has good sources, but that’s a throw-it-out there and watch what happens suggestion.
Can’t imagine that scenario.
Matthews says GoTo So.
It’s the logical thing to do. That’s what he was signed for. But right now he’s the 7th inning guy. Awkward.
JF, will he pass the physical?
jeerkface,
MLB or mil deal?
Pineda would have to really struggle….and for multiple years before they’d put him in the pen after trading Montero for him IMO.
Major league, 900k with incentives.
I don’t know if CHris Garcia was offered a minor league contract or not. Nothing was written one way or the other.
Chavez and Ibanez must have secured some of those compromising photos that Todd Zeile once used so effectively.
got Chavez for less than a mil.
not bad.
doesn’t hurt if he gets injured, they can just bring Laird or Jazquez up.
Is Chavez hurt yet? Welcome aboard Eric….we wish you well and good health
* Vazquez
vChavez and Ibanez must have secured some of those compromising photos that Todd Zeile once used so effectively
__
two people, 2 mil combined….. think that works for us!
blake
Definitely, blake. It just shocked me that anyone besides randy (who I like, btw) would even speculate about that now.
yankeefeminista February 21st, 2012 at 4:37 pm
“Rosy, any guesses about 4-5-6 in the order?”
~
Sorry, YF (just got out of that half-day meeting)
Considering how many different line-ups Wedge used last season, not sure that anything will be set in stone (so was even surprised about the 1-2-3 “announcement”). But, I guess I’d say: Smoak-Montero-Carp (or some combination thereof)
Ibanez and Chevy for 2 million…..deep bench
It kind of seems like that with both Ibanez and Chavez on MLB deals, it is going to be very hard for either Branyan or Hall to come north after ST.
I saw on espn.com that Ichiro is batting 3rd.
He always said he could hit more HR if he wanted.
sammiejohnson February 21st, 2012 at 8:08 pm
But Sherman is an idiot.
//
Yes but he does have a higher pedigree of stupid than most of his colleagues. At some point, Sherman was smart enough to start paying attention to the farm system (before anyone else covering the team did) and he does occasionally go against the conventional wisdom, which most writers (or posters, for that matter) are loathe to do.
I heard him on the radio on my ride over the George Washington Bridge in 2009, where he smugly predicted we’d finish third. Now that was his idiot side, since it was clear we were in for “that kind ofyear” at a certain point, and we had reached that point where I knew the team was a special one.
So I don’t expect him or writers in general to get that kind of stuff right, but I do appreciate that he appears to work harder than his colleagues and get information I’m interested in.
GB, unfortunately, Garcia was not offered one. But I understand why and it’s water under the bridge, but I would still like to see Garcia stay healthy and get a shot at the majors.
I called Sherman an idiot several years ago for citing Yankee sources to the effect that Hughes was out of shape. At this point, it seems like I was the idiot.
I don’t think Pineda will end up in the bullpen, but to my knowledge Sherman has never been the type to just throw something out there.
He was criticized a lot on this board for questioning Hughes’ work ethic with what seemed like nothing to support it. He turned out to be right.
So who does Bill Hall have to schtump to get a job around here?
LOL, Rich and I thinking on the same wave length.
Yup, LGY…
Rich in NJ February 21st, 2012 at 8:19 pm
it seems like I was the idiot.
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You’ll get no argument from me on this. I’ve been saying tat for years.
Rich in NJ February 21st, 2012 at 8:15 pm
blake
Definitely, blake. It just shocked me that anyone besides randy (who I like, btw) would even speculate about that now.
____
Agree, even considering Pineda as an RP would be ludicrous/premature for quite a few years and only if he failed miserably. Sherman must just be talking out of the side of his mouth, thinking with that power arm, Pineda to closer would obviously translate well. But do think it is odd that we keep talking up how Pineda needs the 3rd pitch (duh); I understand trying to temper expectations, but we talk waaay too much lately…
Sherman is a good reporter….my guess is he meant way down the road if Pineda doesn’t progress….its really premature at this point and I highly doubt the Yanks have even thought about that.
I still think questioning a player’s work ethic is overrated b/c it is hard to quantify. Should we now question Pineda’s because he said he is learning what it takes to succeed?
I’m touched, GB. Thank you.
Rich in NJ February 21st, 2012 at 8:19 pm
I called Sherman an idiot several years ago for citing Yankee sources to the effect that Hughes was out of shape. At this point, it seems like I was the idiot.
////
Well, he probably earned your skepticism. He seems to have matured as a writer. He’s less of a sh!t disturber for it’s own sake than he once was. Maybe the priorities have shifted, maybe due to the general accessibility of baseball information available on the internet.
Worse comes to worst situation, he’s already got the skills to do that job. That’s how Im rationalizing it.
Damned, people. Why don’t you let Pineda make a spring training start before putting him in the pen?
Pruf, true, Sherman has become pretty informed re: the prospects, although I think that is a general trend. Sherman probably better than most mainstreamers on that front though. Matthews’ articles for BA are nothing to write home about.
Thankfully, we’ll have live games in less than two weeks, and then people can fret over fake games.
It’s the Randy effect.
Buy the ticket, take the ride.
yankeefem, for what it’s worth, I’ll read links to Sherman articles, but don’t even bother for the DN guys.
yankeefeminista February 21st, 2012 at 8:30 pm
Thankfully, we’ll have live games in less than two weeks, and then people can fret over fake games.
————————————————————————————————————————-
God forbid that they lose 2 ST games in a row.
yankeefeminista February 21st, 2012 at 8:30 pm
Thankfully, we’ll have live games in less than two weeks, and then people can fret over fake games.
////
LOL. It will be nice to have even fake games to react to. Very exciting early when you get to see the kids before they assign them.
New Post—>
BTW Bronx it’s shtup not schtump. LOL
“One thing Robertson has noticed about Rivera: “He doesn’t chase perfection,” Robertson said. “He’s not out there always trying to get a strikeout. He can throw two pitches and have an out, maybe one pitch. I’ve seen him throw six- or seven-pitch innings. You don’t see a lot of those from me. He can go in there, make his one pitch, break a bat and get a ground ball. He doesn’t chase perfection, he just finds a way to get the outs.”” Great observation.
David could definitely be the replacement, but if he continues to be Houdini, I’d rather pay him just as well to do that. Bob Klapisch said the 9th takes something more special, and he’s speaking as a former pitcher, so maybe he knows better, but I cannot believe the pressure is greater than 2 or 3 on with one out.