Posts tagged ‘David Robertson’

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May 18, 2011

David Robertson is starting to look like Scott Proctor

by Jamie Insalaco

I had such high hopes for Scott Proctor – maybe Joe Torre did, too; he certainly must have had a lot of confidence in him. Way back in 2006, Torre would run Proctor out there almost every other day. I kid you not; check this out:

G: 83
IP: 102.1
H: 89
BB: 33
SO: 89
ERA: 3.52

Pitching over 100 innings out of the bullpen is totally insane, but that’s how Joe Torre managed his bullpen. Hell, he made Mike Myers the long man for a while – his lefty specialist! I still believe that Torre’s bullpen management (or rather mismanagement) was a direct contributor to his departure from the Yankees.

In 2007, the Yankees traded Procter to the Dodgers, and he must have sighed with relief on some level. Sure, the Dodgers weren’t the greatest team in the world, but at least he was free from Torre’s abuse… until Torre took over as manager of the Dodgers. That had to have been one of the worst days of Procter’s life. Procter finally broke down and was left off the Dodgers’ 2008 playoff roster. (I speculate that the famed Joba Rules were put in place as a reaction to the Scott Proctor experience.)

So far this season, David Robertson has pitched in 19 games for 16.2 innings. Last year, he threw 61.1 innings in 64 games, and my feeling is that’s probably about the ceiling for a relief pitcher’s work load – or at least it should be if you care about not blowing the guy’s arm out.

While I’m not the biggest fan of Joe Girardi’s bullpen management, he does NOT ride his guys into the ground, which is good news for Fireman D-Rob. Still, I think D-Rob is an extraordinary talent of rare mental makeup, and he should be carefully applied to games so he’s healthy when we need him. So far, so good.

The Yankees finally put Rafael Soriano on the disabled list. What the hell took so long?

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April 11, 2011

Yankees pitching and or bats falter against Red Sox

by Jamie Insalaco

Ah the stench from the first series lost of the year. Can you smell it? You can smell it.

SATURDAY
What can you say about pitching like this? Ivan Nova had a bad outing, but Clay Buchholz had a TERRIBLE trip to the mound. That’s all there is to it. Kudos to David Robertson for getting the job done in relief. Nobody puts a fire out like D-Rob!

To anybody who didn’t want Russell Martin – now would be a good time to admit you were wrong. The guy is obviously a fine catcher, and he can actually frame a pitch (take that, Jorge Posada!), but also has a variety of offensive tools, including power and base stealing. Assuming he stays healthy, we’re pretty lucky to have Martin.

Luis Ayala pitched two scoreless innings in relief – who knew he had it in him? Given Ayala’s many-stopped history, I’m sure he was the last person to know, but good for him!

SUNDAY
Sunday night’s top of the 9th strike outs to Brett Gardner and Mark Teixeira… wow. Those last called looking strikes were not strikes. I appreciate that it was getting late and it was raining and it’s only April, but come on – don’t give Jonathan Paplebon any help, Blue.

That being said, Mark Teixeira looked awful at the plate during this series, going 0-15 with 7 Ks and 2 BB. Of course, Derek Jeter looked infinitely worse swinging wildly at those fastballs against Josh Beckett. Beckett looked, for the most part, like he’s returned to prime form after a few off seasons – the velocity was especially impressive, but can he stay healthy? That’s the question.

Dustin Pedroia was a beast the entire series: 9-13 in the series, 4 XBH, 4 R, 5 RBI. Not saying I’d trade Robinson Cano for him, but still, a good performance. Is it just me, or does he play back on the ball or is never in the right position to field a play, because he is always running all over the place out there. Granted, he always makes it, which is a testament to he is speed, but maybe if he was positioned better, he wouldn’t have to wear himself out every game. I feel like he has to sprint 5 yards to every routine ground ball, and it just looks weird.

CC Sabathia has an 0-1 record. What the shiz is that? He battled all night long last night and got zero run support. It’s ridiculous! Why can’t the Yankees score any runs for him?

Going into Friday afternoon’s game, I caught myself pitying the Red Sox fans. Their team was coming home with an 0-6 record, facing a Yankee team that was finding ways to win (mostly via the home run and pitching) on a 40 degree opening day. That sucks for anybody. Of course, the Red Sox fans made me regret any compassion I felt for them over and over throughout the weekend. Do you really need to let Fenway Park ring with chants of “Yankees suck!” when you’re winning a game 1-0? In April? I’m not saying Yankees fans don’t chant ‘Boston sucks!’ because we totally do, but the whole stadium doesn’t vibrate from the hollering of drunk morons – at a Yankee game, it’s just a few hundred people, not every single person in the building. I know this sounds crazy, but the behavior of Red Sox fans is so far outside the norm of what I see during other games (granted, the Yankees almost never head into Philadelphia) that I’m always shocked by it, no matter how many times I see it. Stay classy, Boston fans. (Keep in mind that I love the city of Boston and in my experience, people have always been very kind to me in and around the city. But I have been to a game at Fenway and yeah, it was scary. That building does something to those folks. Yankee fans might be hardcore, but Red Sox fans are in a cult or something.)

Monday is an off day before the Baltimore Orioles come to town with their AL East leading record, which I assure you, will not last. Brian Roberts is apparently not ill anymore and is cleared to play. We’ll have to wait and see what the Os truly have to offer on Tuesday.

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April 5, 2011

Soriano, Bullpen Blow 4 Run Lead

by Jamie Insalaco

I read that in the Asian leagues, they leave the pitchers in the game when they’re doing poorly, to shame him.  The concept of shaming can be difficult to understand for a westerner like my self, but I think I’m starting to get it.  And after the game, it’s easy to see why the team lost.  Sometimes, it’s just that simple; one guy blew it.

Which brings us to tonight’s game and judging from this post’s  title, I bet you’re expecting me to go after Rafael Soriano, or maybe David Robertson for blowing a 4 run lead in the 8th inning…  but no.  I’m pointing the finger squarely at Joe Girardi tonight.

Girardi could easily argue that he needed to see how Soriano would pitch two days in a row, he only threw 18 pitches yesterday, blah blah blah.  Me, I’m for leaving the bullets in the gun:  it’s April, it’s a 4 run lead (not3 or 2 runs), the Twins haven’t shown any offensive life at all, as C.C. Sabathia dominated them despite not having his best stuff (I heard a pretty loud F-word come out his mouth after a change up didn’t go where he wanted it to), and there is the series coming up with an actual division rival (the Red Sox at Fenway this weekend), so I would have had Robertson start the inning, and I was shocked when Soriano came out.

I also feel that when you bring in a bigger pitcher into a lesser situation, you kick start the other team’s adrenaline – imagine your team has been shut out for 7 innings and it’s the top of the eighth inning.  You’re freezing and you’re probably ready for dinner, but then Girardi sends in Soriano, and maybe you start thinking, “Huh.  The Yankees must be taking these at bats pretty seriously to use Soriano again tonight.”  It’s the sort of move that gets a sleepy team’s attention, and I don’t like it one bit.

I think it’s that simple; Girardi blew one decision, and it cost the Yankees the game.  It’s certainly not the end of the world, but when you have a four run lead in the 8th inning and your ace was on the mound, that’s a game you really ought to win.  Sometimes you draw up a great game plan, but your players don’t execute, but this time, it’s the game plan I  disagree with.

quick note: Again, the Yankees scored early and couldn’t tack on any more runs later in the game.  What’s the deal with that?  Hope this isn’t an emerging pattern…

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January 14, 2011

Yanks Sign Rafael Soriano

by Jamie Insalaco

The Yankees have signed former Rays closer Rafael Soriano to a three year, $35 million dollar deal. I didn’t see that coming.

Apparently, nobody else did either. I don’t know why; the Yankees could use a setup man – not that I don’t like David Robertson, because I do, but any time you can bring in a quality reliever for the back of your pen like Rafael Soriano, well, that’s not a bad thing. Now you could argue that 3 years is too long for a player this injury prone, and the Damaso Marte deal immediately springs to mind as a prime example of why this is not a good deal, but I digress – Rafael Soriano is a really good pitcher.

So I envision Rafael Soriano to function as the Yankees primary setup man as well as to be the closer should Mariano Rivera not be available, but more to the point, Rafael Soriano is Mariano Rivera insurance. Sure, Mo is still great, but he’s over 40 and could go down at any time. If Mo goes down at some point, Soriano is a fine replacement – although I weep for whoever has to ultimately take over for Mo – it’ll be like replacing Jesus with some guy named Steve. "Uhm, I know we used to have Jesus Christ take care of that, but now we have Steve. Now granted, he’s not as good as Jesus, but then, who is? Ha! Am I right? But yeah, Steve’ll do OK." I’m sure Soriano will do fine when he has to close, but I don’t expect him to be an immortal like Mo.

So while I would say that 3 for $35 is a bit much for a reliever, even one as good a Rafael Soriano, it’s not like this is an A-Rod deal that’ll choke the Yankees to death – not that A-Rod deal does, because they’re the Yankees and aren’t afraid of spending money. I’m glad Rafael Soriano is on the team – he makes the Yankees better immediately.

NOTES: The ESPN Sunday Night Baseball schedule for the first half of the season season came out, and over course, the Yankees are all over it. I hate ESPN, I hate their announcers, and I friggin hate, I friggin HATE Sunday Night Baseball! It starts too late and ESPN is too busy running commercials or pimping their other shiz to give the game the proper attention it deserves.

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October 25, 2010

Yankees head for the golf course

by Jamie Insalaco

Today, I received the ‘Vote Yankees for the 2010 This Year in Baseball Awards’ email from MLB.com. Are they kidding? Sorry if I’m not in the mood to vote for anything for the Yankees right now.

Not after Friday night. I’m still a bit confused why Joe Girardi elected to flip flop Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte in the starting rotation. Sure, Hughes had better road numbers than home numbers in 2010, but I’d think you’d want the better pitcher – this case, Pettitte – to pitch before Hughes. At least that’s how I’d do it.

The Yankees tied the game at 1 in the top of the fourth and Texas immediately answered: Hughes pitched OK through the first four inngs, but when the tough got going (and by tough, I mean the Rangers), Hughes got shipped to the clubhouse for David Robertson, who promptly stunk up the place as bad as Hughes had or worse. After putting up a 4 spot, the game was over, and so was the Yankees season. Everybody knew it. You could smell it, feel it in the air - the air had gone out of the balloon. The Rangers didn’t pop champagne in the top of the sixth, but they may as well have. The Yankees only had 3 damn hits and scored their only run on a wild pitch. Like the rest of the series, the Yankees sucked in game 6. They lost to Cloby Lewis twice, for cryin’ out loud!

But don’t fret: this isn’t the end of BomberBanter.com until next spring, it’s just the last post of the 2010 Season. I still have a ton to do around here:

Not to mention blog the off season – after the World Series ends, the hunt for Cliff Lee begins!

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September 30, 2010

Projecting Yankees 25 Man Playoff Roster

by Jamie Insalaco

Now that the Yankees have clinched a playoff berth, I can have some fun and speculate on the Yankees 25 man playoff roster and talk about how I would use them if I were managing the Yankees.

Round 1 – best of 5 against the Minnesota Twins. I don’t feel the Yankees need to use 4 starting pitchers in this series, so I left AJ Burnett off the roster. For the best of 7 rounds, I dropped a backup outfielder (this could also be a relief pitcher in that 25th spot) and put Burnett back on there.

  1. CC Sabathia

    • game 1 starter
  2. Andy Pettitte
    • game 2 starter
  3. Phil Hughes
    • game 3 starter (AJ Burnett isn’t really giving me a choice here)
  4. Mariano Rivera
    • closer.  Mo saves: for he is the power, the kingdom, and the glory, forever and ever…
  5. Kerry Wood
    • primary setup man
  6. Joba Chamberlain
    • RH RP – comes into the game at the beginning of innings (preferably)
  7. David Robertson
    • RH RP – the fireman, comes into tough situations in the middle of innings to deliver us from evil with Ks
  8. Boone Logan
    • LH RP – primary lefty out of the pen to get the big bat out in the biggest match up situation
  9. Royce Ring
    • LH RP – extra match up lefty, used early in the game – especially useful against all those Twins left handed bats; if the Yankees don’t get the Twins at some point, maybe you fill this spot with another backup outfielder
  10. Sergio Mitre
    • emergency long man; Mitre has decent numbers out of the pen this year.  Javier Vazquez’s sample size for relief outings is too small and Chad Gaudin’s numbers stink.
  11. Jorge Posada
    • starting catcher
  12. Mark Teixeira
    • starting 1B
  13. Robinson Cano
    • starting 2B
  14. Derek Jeter
    • starting SS
  15. Alex Rodriguez
    • starting 3B
  16. Brett Gardner
    • starting LF
  17. Curtis Granderson
    • starting CF
  18. Nick Swisher
    • starting RF
  19. Austin Kearns
    • 4th outfielder
  20. Ramiro Pena
    • pinch runner/backup infielder for every position but 1B, unless absolutely necessary; haven’t seen him play there
  21. Francisco Cervelli
    • backup catcher, not an awful option for punch runner, but then we’re out of catchers, so only in a game ending situation
  22. Lance Berkman
    • DH/PH against right RHP, backup 1B
  23. Marcus Thames
    • DH/PH against LHP, emergency outfielder
  24. Eduardo Nunez
    • pinch runner, emergency middle infielder.  I went with Nunez over Juan Miranda because with Berkman and Thames, I feel like the Yankees bench has enough bats, and I don’t have a ton of faith in Miranda’s bat, anyway.  Besides, Nunez can play more than one position and has speed, which I’d like to have off the bench, say in the 8th inning after Posada walks…
  25. ALDC:  Colin Curtis/Greg Golson/Kevin Russo //  ALCS/WS:  A.J. Burnett, 4 starter
    • I haven’t seen enough of these guys to decide who’d be the most valuable as a pinch runner and/or as a backup outfielder; in fact, I considered putting a reliever in this spot, but who?  I like Ivan Nova a lot, but let’s face it, he’s a kid and has hardly an MLB experience
    • I know, I know – nobody wants to see Burnett in the playoffs.  Sorry, folks – you’re going to have to get over that.  If the Yankees make it passed the first round, Burnett is going to start.  Experience counts in the playoffs, and really, when it’s all on the line, who would you rather have out there?  Vazquez?  Gaudin?  Nova?  Mitre?  In your heart of hearts, you know Burnett and his 95 MPH fastball and nasty curve ball are the way to go.  All starters will be on a short leash, anyway, so at the first sign of trouble, Joe Girardi will more than likely go get him anyway – or anyone else

That’s the way I see it. I know some folks want to give Nova a chance, but I think that’s asking too much, too soon of an inexperienced kid. It’d be a bold move, and I don’t see someone as calculating as Girardi doing it. Joe Torre wouldn’t even consider it; he loves his veterans.

Wild Card or AL East Division winners, it’s all the same. The Yankees are in the dance, so they’ve got a chance. This is what we wait all year for, and we’ve had the opportunity to watch October baseball for 15 out the last 16 years, and it never gets old. No matter what happens, this has been a great year. Let’s see if they can go all the way and get number 28! I’m predicting a rematch of last year’s World Series and despite Philly looking a little better than last year (although I don’t know who they have in their bullpen), I’m also predicting the same outcome.

LET’S GO YANKEES!

NOTE:
Nice job by David Price for calling out his fan base – it might not have been the best business decision for the Rays organization, but they have a good team and it deserves it’s fan’s support. If they can’t get it, they should move – I’m sure Las Vegas would welcome them with open arms.
An even better job by the Rays for giving away thousands of free tickets in the wake of Price-Gate. Maybe they can win the fans over yet

Check out my post at The Fowl Balls on Mariano Rivera’s tough outings in September.

Posted in 2010 Season | 2 Comments »

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September 27, 2010

Yankees magic number down to 1

by Jamie Insalaco

I took a few days off from blogging and I’ve returned to find things pretty much where I left them. The Yankees are a half game behind the Rays and still haven’t clinched a playoff spot. Still, the Yankees have reduced their magic number down to 1 – that is, 1 Yankees win or 1 Red Sox loss, whichever comes first. While the Yankees will get into the playoffs easily, winning the east is going to be tough: they’re facing the Yankee killing Toronto Blue Jays and then going into the hostile Fenway Park environment for another series with the Red Sox. Combine that with Rays schedule, and I just don’t see the Yankees winning the east. Sure, I don’t expect the Baltimore Orioles to lay down for the Rays, but Tampa has four games left with the Kansas City Royals. Nuff said.

So let’s see, what did I miss? Thursday night, CC Sabathia got a butt kicking from the Rays. Friday night, Andy Pettitte got a butt kicking from the Red Sox. Ivan Nova on the FOX Saturday Baseball Game of Death? Butt kicking by the Red Sox. Detecting a theme here? The starting pitching has been dreadful of late. Hence, Joe Girardi went with Phil Hughes last night rather than Dustin Mosely. Hughes pitched well: 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 4 ks, 4 BB. Girardi sent him out there for the 7th inning, which I thought was a strange move: I can’t remember the last time Hughes pitched 7 innings (that’s because he hasn’t done it since July) and every time he goes out there in the 7th, he always seems to leave a runner out there.

Enter the bullpen: David Robertson, the man the kids call D-Rob, came out and picked up the pieces in spectacular fashion and finished out the 7th. Kerry Wood got two outs in the 8th, and then Girardi wen to Mariano Rivera to get the last out. Strange; he had Wood walk David Ortiz instead of bringing in Boone Logan. Mo got it done against Adrian Beltre, and I’m sure Mo was feeling strong since he hasn’t pitched since Monday, but it seemed like a risky gambit, especially given the lefty v lefty opportunity that Girardi passed by, which I guess was his way of saying that he doesn’t trust Logan in that situation…

So Mo blows it in the top of the 9th. It’s another ugly one as Mo’s September of Horrors continues. The Yankees tied it in the bottom of the 9th against Jonathan Papelbon but don’t win it, despite having the bases loaded.

The Yankees sent out Joba Chamberlain to keep the tie in tact and wouldn’t you know it, Girardi wen tot Logan to get Ortiz after all, which he did. So it’s fair to say that Girardi puzzled me in this game – but not as much as Terry Francona did in the bottom of the 10th. Francona brings in Hideki Okajima to face the lefties Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner, despite the fact that Granderson already homered off Okajima in the series, but Fancona is managing by the book – fine. Then Okajima fails to retire either batter, and he sticks with him, much to my delight. He’s still got Daniel Bard down there – he said so during his stupid mid game ESPN interview. There is no tomorrow – losing this game pretty much ends the season for the Red Sox because the loss put them in the situation I described at the opening of this piece… what the hell was Francona thinking? I’m sure he had to answer this quesiton after the game, but I didn’t hear what he said – I went to bed. Note to ESPN: starting a game at 8 PM EST is TOO LATE. In the most anti-climatic win ever, Okajima walked in Juan Miranda for the Yankee win. Yep – Okajima saw three more batters after that.

Sorry I didn’t talk about Matsuzaka – he was awesome last night.

So that’s pretty much that. The Yankees can still win the east, but the Red Sox are done – unless the Yankees lose all six of their remaining games and the Red Sox win all six.

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September 3, 2010

Sabathia, Posada, Granderson complete Yanks sweep of As

by Jamie Insalaco

The weekday day game is the bane of my existence. Praise MLB for Game Day.

I wish I could have seen CC Sabathia throw an 8 IP 1 hitter against the As, but alas, such is the fate of the working. I bet the defense was working: Sabathia only had 5 Ks and 3 BB. Jonathon Albaladejo is back up from the minors and hit the first batter he faced, but regained control to throw a clean inning. After using Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, Kerry Wood and Mariano Rivera on Wednesday, it was nice to give them all the day off yesterday. I suppose that means David Robertson is well rested.

The Yankees left 8 runners on base and were 1-10 with runners in scoring position, but he Yanks can hit the long ball. Jorge Posada had a solo shot in the 2nd, and my favorite, Curtis Granderson, had a double jack day, with a solo and a 2 run homer in consecutive innings. That’s good stuff! Austin Kearns provided the other RBI.

Tampa Bay was idle yesterday, so the Yankees move to 1.5 games ahead as the villains from the north, the home run happy Toronto Blue Jays come in for a weekend series. I am so sick of the Jays. Lets see if the Yankees can give them a taste of their own medicine this time.

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August 19, 2010

Power, Bullpen create Yankees win

by Jamie Insalaco

Jeremy Bonderman just ain’t what he used to be.

After a fairly quick inning by Dustin Moseley for the Yankees, Bonderman served up back to back bombs to Mark Teixeira (scoring Brett Gardner) and Robinson Cano, which was followed by the Miguel Cabrera show, who blasted solo jacks in the 2nd and 4th inning. The Yankees quickly responded with 3 more runs of their own: Ramiro Pena (aka Scrappy Doo) tripled and scored Austin Kearns, Gardner doubled and scored Pena, and Gardner came around to score on the throwing error by somebody… Santiago. Box Score.

Don Kelly hit a 2 run homer to make things interesting and chase Mosley from the game, but there was no stopping the Yankees. Curtis Granderson, the student of hitting coach Kevin Long, hit another homer to deep right, and in the bottom of the 7th, as much as the Tigers mixed and matched, they still payed the ultimate price as Austin Kearns doubled in 2 more runs. The Tigers managed one more run on a sacrifice fly, but it was too little, too late.

Now how about that Yankees bullpen? Moseley left after 5 IP, giving up 4 ER, and then the Yankees decided to bring the pain: Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, Kerry Wood (I still can’t believe Brian Cashman got the Yankees Kerry Wood), Chad Guadin, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera combined for 4 IP of 1 run ball. Robertson was especially effective pitching out of a Guadin made jam, and Mo restored order to a game that was pretty wild.

So what did we learn last night? The Yankees can score runs without A-Rod – if it’s against a pitcher they’ve seen before. Their bullpen is looking pretty good, but it would be nice if Andy Pettitte could make it back by September 1st to sure up the rotation. Mosely isn’t a horrible fifth starter, but I don’t see him being on this team next year. The Yankees look like they’re starting to turn the corner again, although Derek Jeter put up another 0-4. There are a lot of ifs right now surrounding the Yankees, but they still have a better team than everybody else.

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August 13, 2010

Yankees beat Royals and 2010 season outlook

by Jamie Insalaco

The Kansas City Royals stink. They’re 47-68. There just isn’t much more to say than that, but here’s some other junk.

The Royals have some good players, but are lacking a lot. They don’t have much speed. Their starting rotation is awful. They don’t feed well. Their bullpen isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and they got Kyle Farnsworth out of there, who is having a good year for the Braves against NL competition. Even when they have a player like Billy Butler, who’s hitting over .300, still doesn’t have much power for a 1st basemen – but then, if you were an opposing pitcher, would you give Butler anything to hit? He doesn’t have any protection. CC Sabathia ran into some trouble on his way to a complete game and let some runners on base. David Robertson came in and gave up a double that scored 2 of the inherited runners before he got the last out, turning a 4-1 game into a 4-3 game. I guess Mariano Rivera wasn’t available after pitching two nights in a row against the Texas Rangers. Sabathia pitched well until then, but again, he was pitching against the Royals. The Yankees scored 4 runs on 10 hits and left 10 on base, so they weren’t exactly destroying the world, but got their fair share of hits. The game was kind of boring, but I had good company in one of my oldest friends, so it was all good.

What comes to mind now is how the rest of the 2010 season will shake out, so I did some simple math to figure it out. After last night’s win, the Yankees have a record of 71-43. They’ve played 114 games, so they have 48 games to play. If they go .500 the rest of the way, they’ll win 24 games, for a total of 95 wins, and you know they’re going to win more than half of those games… the Yankees are going to the playoffs – put it in the bank! I’ll say they’ll win an even 100.

Are the Yankees as good as last year? That’s a tough one. I would say the talent level is about the same, but some guys are under-performing (A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, AJ Burnett jump to mind immediately), but everyone is more than capable. The bullpen may not be as strong as 2009, but then, if Joba gets it together and David Robertson pitches better than he did last night, I think the Yankees have enough. Boone Logan has really stepped up in this latest stint with the Yankees, so there’s another weapon. Sergio Mitre has pitched well in some high leverage situations, and Kerry Wood is capable. I think the Yankees have enough to win championship 28, especially given what I’ve seen from the rest of the league.

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