It came out today that the Yankees could have gotten a home team discount from David Robertson back in the Spring. I fully expected them to extend him when they extended Gardner, and it sheer foolishness that they did not. Okay, you say, they didn't know if he had the mindset to close. As I've pointed out too often, closing is overrated. Even if he didn't have this phony baloney mindset DR was still a great pitcher and they knew it, thus they had a chance to get a great pitcher at a discount and somehow talked themselves out of it. Now things could get dicey in the offseason and we could end up losing him like Cano. But what about Betances? He could close? Closing is limiting because of the save rules. The way Betances is used now -- for the biggest leveraged situations that come up -- is perfect. Throwing him the largely ceremonial closer role would be giving up some of his value as it was with Mo and DRob.
I'd like to see them keep DRob and either got with this 1ip closer nonsense or stretch him back out to be another guy like Betances (DRob was a 2 inning guy in the minors) and just add a few more parts like Webb and Lindgren and maybe Burawa, and whosever in last gets the save. You don't just want a great closer, you want a great bullpen. You want guys like Robertson and he should have been re-signed then, and should still be now.
7 Comments:
The problem with the premise of this post is that you will not sign DRob for $10 million+ per year, and then find out he can't close. So then you have a set-up guy making closer money??
Can't shoot the Yankees here.
Following MO is a tough act, and they really needed to see if DRob could do it. They THOUGHT he would be able to, otherwise they would have signed Nathan or someone. But they weren't 100% positive he would be able to.
My question is what do we do with Dellin if we sign DRob for a 4-5 year deal? How long do you think he will be happy setting up, if he has another year or 2 like this one?
Those arbitration battles will be nasty!!
This is very similar to the off-season of 1996-1997. The Yankees refused to offer Wettland more then a 1 year deal, as they knew they could not hold back MO to much longer, and no way for 3 more years (which is what Wettland got from Texas).
Why do you think that a pitcher who was brought-in in mostly high leverage situations as a setup reliever, often with RISP, 2nd and 3rd or even bases loaded, and usually got out of it unscathed, can't close?
Many times closers face the weakest part of the lineup, which is why they are often wasted and the role makes no sense.
This isn't similar to Wetteland because the Yankees' had a stacked young lineup back then. Now, they have many bloated contracts of aging and unproductive players.
So you pay the players who are still pretty young and still very good, and want to give you a discount.
There is no such thing as a great reliever who can't close.
Betances is a relief ACE and that's more valuable than a closer because the save rules have made that position so silly.
Btw, LaRussa basically invented the 1 ip closer. Guys like Sparky and Goose would just come in when things looked bad. It would have been perfect if Goose could have ever retired George Brett.
Rusney Castillo’s workout scheduled for tomorrow
Free agent Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo is scheduled to have a private workout with the Yankees at their Tampa complex tomorrow, according to George King. He has already had private workouts for the Phillies, Red Sox, Cubs, and Mariners. Ben Badler recently dropped a Rajai Davis comp on Castillo, in case you’re wondering what type of player he is. King says the outfielder may fetch upwards of $45M.
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