Monday, April 2, 2018

Wait, weren't losses like these Torre and Girardi's fault?

Back in spring training, we kept the secret. Nobody talked about the bullpen problem. Nobody wanted to mention last August, when Aroldis Chapman had his "episode." After years of terrifying batters, suddenly, he was torturing his manager. He couldn't throw strikes, ended up grooving fast balls and got hammered. Nobody had ever seen it. Even lefty hitters. So, all winter, we secretly wondered which El Chapo would show up in 2018? But nobody said a thing.

Then there was Betances. Nobody wanted to mention him. We just figured he'd gone through a phase last September, and he would return anew, unhittable, like the all-star he'd been. Not to worry. (But if a trade came up...)

And nobody pondered why the White Sox jettisoned D-Robb and Tommy K at the 2017 trade deadline. We just figured the 2018 Yankee bullpen was a sure thing, the most lock-down staff in the AL East, if not all of baseball.

So four games in, our secret is out: After Mean Chad Green, who can give us a scoreless inning in relief? 

Okay... get a grip... control yourself, Duque! Let's not relive yesterday's debacle. Life is too short. The juju gods played an April Fool's joke on Aaron Boone, that's all. Let's move on, though it's worth acknowledging one lesson: 

With a problem bullpen, it doesn't matter who is managing. 

What can Boone do? Nothing, really. 

He could turn into Torre - that is, ride Green like Scott Proctor, until his arm is falling off, and his glove and hat are burning at home plate. 

He can become Girardi - that is, create a "circle of trust," from which offending pitchers are one by one excluded. Trouble is, the circle eventually becomes a dot.  

He can listen to Larry Rothschild, though - seriously - this is the worst kind of deja vu, because it's not a trick of the mind: we actually have been here before. Realistically, what can Rothschild do that hasn't been tried before? Gender augmentation?

As I see it, all Boone can do is... stand for the National Anthem and look good for the cameras. Don't flinch. Don't vomit. Don't pee yourself. Chalk it up to a bad day at the dog tracks. Become a statue. Then, repeat.  

But last winter, our dirty little secret was the bullpen. One weekend in Toronto, and it's not a secret any more. Four runs is not enough to win a game. 

7 comments:

  1. Joey is gone, but the binders remain.

    It's Cashman's team until the pen blows up.

    For everything, there is a season, turn turn turn...

    Snow in Greenwich Village today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Entering the "how many wins" sweepstake I went for 91. A positive number with a heavy heart. And though I agree it is a bit early to claim my prize and hence book a flight to Patagonia to chill out and talk to penguins, there is something I need to beat my own drum about. Just because I can, being Dutch and from Holland and so forth.

    I would like to reprint 1 tiny sentence from that prediction.

    "Betances and Chapman. Really?"

    Two headcases,two innings gone.

    91, very optimistic.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was expecting Toonces and Chapman to combust but this early? Still have faith in Robertson, however, and he'll be our closer by the break.

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  4. For some reason, I also have a soft spot in my pinstriped heart for Robbie. I think he'll be fine. Him and Green and Warren.

    It's the fireballers that have me worried because their issues go back to last year.

    So I don't look at yesterday as exactly the same as when the Joes were managing. Robbie was a good choice, given the previous two games by Betances and Chappie. He just had a terrible day.

    It happens.

    Nice to see you, Urban Farmer Dutch Fan. 91 is feeling a bit optimistic right now, but it's a long season...in fact, it may be a very long season...

    ReplyDelete

  5. Stanton hit 2HR in the first game. They walked him 3 times in the 4th (and handed BBs twice to Judge).

    We can guess that the Toronto pitcher had nothing, or that they have stumbled here upon a strategy that works.

    Or, at least, worked one time. Put these big boppers on base, even if it's back-to-back, and get the outs you need from the other guys.

    Sanchez is hitting .071. He wasn't in the lineup yesterday (he pinch-hit). I don't assume that he'll suck all year long, so maybe -- just maybe -- that strategy won't work forever.

    Sure would be nice to have Bird in there somewhere, tho.

    ReplyDelete
  6. In the main, this fan can agree with your BP entry, duque - - though, like John M, I also still have faith in D-Rob - - though, unlike John, I have very little faith in Warren...the Chadster and D-Rob remain our two least stressful options, methinks.

    Yesterday, it was obvious the binders were still managing: Boone/Cash-Puss/stat-book put D-Rob in an untenable situation (for the arguments in favor of this premise, please re-read Fonz's "Snake-Eyes" entry.

    You got snow, and we have sunshine?? Must be Bezos' fault. LB (No J)

    ReplyDelete

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