The "Next Man Up" phenomenon has not applied to the bullpen

Vast Gammonitic rain forests of words have sprouted over the 2019 Yankees "Next Man Up" movement... and rightfully so. If the Death Star super-brains did one thing well this year, it was in building a massive NAPA-style replacement database for spare parts... but only among position players.

All year, the vaunted Yankee bullpen has remained at the crossroads of Heaven and Hell. After the Fab Five - El Chapo, Otto, Tommy K, Zack with a K, and Mean Chad Green - the pickin's grow incredibly slim. At that point, it's "Next Prayer Up."

Aside from David Hale - currently injured - the 2019 Yankees have failed to develop, even temporarily, one honest-to-goodness, newly functioning bullpen lug nut. Nobody stepped up. When the starter gets whacked - always a possibility - Aaron Boone quickly faces a doomsday decision: Bring in the A-team, or watch the game quickly disappear. 

On the season, we have thrown the hordes of Hell at that final piece. Nobody succeeded. 

Jonathan Holder couldn't hold. Then came Nestor Octavio-Cortes Jr., Johnny Lasagna, Fat Chance Adams, Luis Cesspool and Stephen Tarpley. We tried "Moon Goggles" Harvey and "Mickey" Mantiply and - lately - we've been literally turning over sea shells - Ryan Dull, Tyler Lyons, Cory Gearren, the toe-tapper - in search of alien life. Tomorrow, if he's ready, Billy Crystal could be warming up.  We will take a flier on anybody - anybody. But a month from now, if Tanaka can't place his splitter, we could be watching "Boone's Goons" take a game off the rails.  

Yesterday, Cortes turned a 3-0 nail-biter into a joke. Two days ago, it was Dull, (who is anything but.) No one has stepped from the Abyss. In the Yankee bullpen, Boone's cry of "Next Man Up" is a sad wail in a godless universe.

Which is why we cling to what is, realistically, a ridiculous hope: Dellin Betances. As much we dream of the old Betances - the fearsome, dominating, Cat 4 force - it just doesn't seem possible. Betances has too many moving parts, too many physical and mental issues, and barely a month to conquer them. Today, he'll throw off the mound. The Yankees will announce that "all went well!" and he'll throw again later this week. But the minors are done, we're in a dogfight with Houston over home field advantage, and the Yankees cannot afford many horrible outings from Betances, as he rounds into shape. 

The other hope - far lesser, in my opinion - is CC Sabathia suddenly transitioning to a role he's avoided in the last 20 years. Once again, it's a war between the heart and head. First off, anybody who bunts against CC gets a gift single. His best response is to scream at the opposing dugout and maybe bean the next batter. While the bunt is truly a lost MLB art, I would hate to rely on Sabathia covering first in a close playoff game. Really... a LOOGY? Nah. 

When the Yankees set their October roster, they will surely name 12 to 13 pitchers. After four starters and the Big Four Five, that leaves at least three mop-up bodies. God help us if they pitch.