42 replies to this topic

[jon abbey]

David Robertson with a bit of a freak injury to his foot yesterday, tests still ongoing:

http://espn.go.com/n...rains-foot-home

[Brianish]

Good, my deal with Jaqen H'ghar is bearing fruit...

[Sampo Gida]

My first reaction when I heard there was no swelling was it was a fracture, and sounds like that is what they are thinking (Lisfranc). At best, he may be ready sometime in May, but it could be considerably longer if surgery is needed. Have to wait I guess. Yankees have not had much luck with relievers and injuries ( aside from the immortal Rivera who plans to ascend after this year).

[jon abbey]

So what are we looking at?

Garcia or Hughes
Wade
Logan
Soriano
Rivera

Two open spots, Robertson/Joba/Aardsma should all be ready at some point during the season.

So who are the frontrunners for the other two spots? Cabral? Kontos? Manny Delcarmen (is he actually in camp?)? Burawa? Rapada? I really have no idea.

[jon abbey]

Delcarmen was supposed to be out 4-5 days with a strained lat as of March 1.

[crow216]

Good, my deal with Jaqen H'ghar is bearing fruit...

Like Arya, you waste your kills. Go after Granderson, Cano, or CC.

[Brianish]

Like Arya, you waste your kills. Go after Granderson, Cano, or CC.

http://www.baseballt...owel_hurts_neck

Your move.

[derekson]

Does the Robertson injury increase the chance the Hughes gets put back into the bullpen as a setup guy? Otherwise you're looking at Wade -> Soriano -> Rivera as your big 3 bullpen arms until Robertson is back, right?

[jon abbey]

Does the Robertson injury increase the chance the Hughes gets put back into the bullpen as a setup guy? Otherwise you're looking at Wade -> Soriano -> Rivera as your big 3 bullpen arms until Robertson is back, right?

That's a good question, but that would seem a little shortsighted unless Robertson is really hurt badly. They could also decide Betances is better off in the pen, where a fair amount of observers seem to think he'll end up anyway.

[jtn46]

Does the Robertson injury increase the chance the Hughes gets put back into the bullpen as a setup guy? Otherwise you're looking at Wade -> Soriano -> Rivera as your big 3 bullpen arms until Robertson is back, right?

Isn't this why they brought in Soriano? I don't think jerking Hughes around is wise, and Girardi had pretty good luck giving high leverage innings to nobodies last season. Barring an absolute disaster, the Yankees are making the playoffs with the new format, they can survive a month or two without Robertson.

[jon abbey]

Mike Gonzalez and Arthur Rhodes are free agents too, although all of this is jumping the gun a bit.

[Sampo Gida]

Unless the Yankees go with a 6 man rotation, either Hughes or Garcia is in the pen. I could see Garcia being a middle relief/ long guy, but if they need a guy to pitch tough nnings in the 7th or 8th, you really want someone who can strike guys out. If Hughes can get back to his 2009/2010 form (his FB is at 93 MPH to start ST), he would be the guy you would want to replace Robertson, so in that sense, it does make him more likely to go to the pen.

[Wingack]

Don't forget that Joba is expected back.

[jon abbey]

Don't forget that Joba is expected back.

I said that up top, Aardsma too, but probably neither for at least a few months.

[derekson]

That's a good question, but that would seem a little shortsighted unless Robertson is really hurt badly. They could also decide Betances is better off in the pen, where a fair amount of observers seem to think he'll end up anyway.

Personally I think Hughes is best utilized as a setup guy anyway (and if I were in charge of the Yankees I'd be basically putting him in place to take over for Rivera if he is in fact retiring after this season). But if the Yankees wanted Hughes in the rotation before Robertson's injury, moving him now would indeed be a bit of an overreaction for short term gains. I just think that between the great year Hughes had in the bullpen in 2009, his struggles at sustaining success as a starter, and the fact that I think Robertson walks more guys than I'd be comfortable with from my closer, I'd want Hughes to be my next closer if I were Girardi anyway.

[jon abbey]

Also there's the factor that Hughes can be a FA after 2013, and when you combine that with NY trying to get under $189M in 2014, it seems to me almost certain that Hughes will pitch elsewhere in 2014. Either he pitches great and prices himself out of what they're willing to spend, or he pitches badly and they let him go. But either way, I'd guess this is his next to last year in the Bronx and given that, the bullpen might make more sense, but that didn't seem to be NY's plan before the Robertson injury.

[jon abbey]

The more I think about it, the more I'm betting on Betances being moved to the pen if the Robertson injury is serious.

[Wingack]

The more I think about it, the more I'm betting on Betances being moved to the pen if the Robertson injury is serious.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though. We don't even really know what the nature of the injury is.

I actually think that the Yankee bullpen is pretty solid even without Robertson and would get stronger over the course of the year.

Let's not start monkeying around with Betances (or even Hughes) long term plans yet.

[Sampo Gida]

I think it's likely that the best case for Robertson is he is probably not going to pitch for the Yankee till the end of April/May since they did not like what they saw on the MRI. Obviously, if he is out of the boot and off crutches tommorow with a mild sprain this discussion is moot.,

15 of the Yankees first 23 games are against Boston, Rays, Texas, LAA and Det. I don't think Hughes to the pen, or Betances is an over reaction. In hindsight, the Red Sox 2-10 start was almost as much to blame for missing the playoffs as their 7-20 September.

I guess if Soriano is lights out in ST that alleviates some fears, but you don't want Girardi overworking Mo and Soriano in April because he does not have a 7th inning guy.

Edited by Sampo Gida, 09 March 2012 - 03:02 AM.

[jon abbey]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though. We don't even really know what the nature of the injury is.

I actually think that the Yankee bullpen is pretty solid even without Robertson and would get stronger over the course of the year.

Let's not start monkeying around with Betances (or even Hughes) long term plans yet.

Well, Betances turns 24 in a few weeks, and like I said, many talent evaluators think his future is in the bullpen anyway.

Jack Curry just tweeted a bunch of posts from the clubhouse on the Robertson situation, too much to cut and paste but sounds optimistic overall:

https://twitter.com/#!/JackCurryYES

[jon abbey]

Good news, sounds like he should be OK for Opening Day:

Jack Curry ‏ @JackCurryYES

Robertson has bone bruise. Will stay in walking boot until Mon. Then boot will be removed and he will work his way back. Good news for Yanks

[crow216]

That's great news. Now we can go back to wondering if Pineda is gonna get past 93mph this year.

Edited by crow216, 09 March 2012 - 03:48 PM.

[jon abbey]

Heh, yeah. I am still curious what NY would do if one of Soriano/Robertson/Rivera went down for an extended period before Joba or Aardsma is ready to come back, but hopefully we won't have to find out.

So any ideas as to who gets the last spot in the bullpen? Rapada?

[Sampo Gida]

Obviously, this is better news than a fracture, but bone bruises can take as long as fractures to fully heal and be pain free. Pitchers risk arm injury if trying to pitch through foot pain (eg. Chien-Ming Wang).

Lets see how he is when they remove the boot.

[Sampo Gida]

Cashmans take on Robertson injury

http://yankees.lhblo...e-for-teixeira/

Speaking of injuries, Brian Cashman said today that the Yankees really have no frame of reference to determine how long Dave Robertson might be out with his bruised foot. “Since I’ve been with the Yankees in the late-80s, I don’t recall having bruised metatarsals,” Cashman said. “Although they articulated it as a good thing and he’s going to go through Monday and have the boot off, he’s still a pitcher. He’s a reliever, so you don’t have to stretch him out much, but how long will it take for him to be weight-bearing and pain-free? That’s still a grey area for me, so we have to be extra cautious. It sounds like the time frame is encouraging, but I don’t have a history that my amateur doctor side of experience from prior people can guide me on this one.”

[jon abbey]

Robertson says he should be fine for Opening Day.

Rapada seems like the frontrunner for the last spot, he's struck out 4 of the 5 lefties he's faced this spring (the other one got thrown out trying to bunt his way on):

http://riveraveblues...a-option-65256/

[crow216]

The dummy in my head is terrified of an 87mph fastball against any lefty with power.

[derekson]

Rapada was always the guy I figured would win that spot. He's just death on lefties, and would be an amazing weapon for Girardi against the likes of Ellsbury, Gonzalez, Ortiz, Peña, Scott, Joyce, etc. He's the kind of guy that Girardi could use really successfully I think, because he'd probably almost never face a RHH.

[jon abbey]

OK, so let's update where we stand for Opening Day:

Garcia (presumably)
Wade
Logan
Soriano
Robertson
Rivera

One spot left, Rapada and Cabral both looking pretty good. They can't send either of them to AAA (Rapada has an out, Cabral wouldn't clear waivers), does Wade have options left?

[jon abbey]

The back half of the pen definitely looks like a weak spot, I have to think one of the many starters will move there at some point, maybe once Pettitte is back.

[jon abbey]

I'm pretty worried about the back half of the pen, I like Rapada as a LOOGY, but Wade looks like he may have turned back into a pumpkin and I don't trust Logan. I would feel a lot better with Betances in Wade's spot.

[jon abbey]

Phelps with a sweet outing today, 2.1 perfect in 31 pitches, 4 Ks.

If Girardi is going to use this many relievers, it's hard to see how they can keep Rapada, who is gasoline and a lit match against pretty much any RHB. They need another multi-inning guy, maybe the plan is for that to be Hughes once Pettitte and Pineda are in the rotation, but I'm not sure they can wait that long (mid-May?).

[crow216]

Another great night for the pen.

4ip 2h

[jon abbey]

I actually just did the numbers for the three game series, just Baltimore but still quite impressive from the collective bullpen:

13.1 7 0 0 4 19

[crow216]

I actually just did the numbers for the three game series, just Baltimore but still quite impressive from the collective bullpen:

13.1 7 0 0 4 19

Out of those 7 hits, 5 singles and 2 doubles and only D-rob allowed two hits in an inning.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Robertson blew his first save in a game where the NYY led 1 to 0 going into the 9th. 3 run homerun by Matt Joyce was the worst of it.

[jon abbey]

David Aardsma ‏@TheDA53

Great bullpen today, I'm facing some hitters Friday for the first time in over a year #keepworking

[jon abbey]

"Via George King, right-hander Joba Chamberlain (elbow, ankle) will face hitters in nine days for the first time since having Tommy John surgery last June. He’s been throwing bullpen sessions and the next step is live batting practice. Meanwhile, David Aardsma (elbow) is likely to appear in his first minor league rehab game with the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Yankees sometimes next week. That will start his 30-day rehab clock and put him on track to return in mid-July."

http://riveraveblues...o-return-70401/

[jon abbey]

Phelps up for Igarashi, so the pen now:

Phelps
Wade
Eppley
Rapada
Logan
Robertson
Soriano

[ThePrideofShiner]

Joba threw off a bullpen mound Wednesday, and will throw a simulated game Friday according to the AP.

[jon abbey]

Phelps has been perfect in three appearances since his latest recall, a ridiculous combined 5.1 0 0 0 0 9.

[ThePrideofShiner]

Joel Sherman ‏@Joelsherman1
And Aardsma is on the batting order sheet with the pitchers and Thomas is not #Yankees

Joel Sherman ‏@Joelsherman1
Justin Thomas just consulted with travelling secretary and left, so I assume he is gone to make 40-man room for Aardsma #Yankees

[jon abbey]

Cory Wade DFAd so NY could activate Betances off the 60 day DL for the Arizona League, wouldn't be surprised to see Wade back in spring training next year but he really lost it this year.