New York Yankees’ bullpen remains consistently consistent
The New York Yankees are considered one of the best sports franchises in North America. They have 27 World Series titles and are always in discussions for the playoffs each baseball season.
Ever since 1995, the New York Yankees have always had their quality closer at the back end of the bullpen. They have always been constant threats for the division crown of the American League East.
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First it was John Wetteland. He earned a career high 43 saves in their first World Series win since 1978.
Then reliever Mariano Rivera stepped into the role as closer. He won 5 World Series titles with the New York Yankees since 1996. The five titles came in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and he captured his final ring in 2009. He will go down as one of the greatest closers in the history of the game.
After the retirement of Mariano Rivera, the team was not sure who would be able to fulfill the duties of the ageless wonder Rivera.
In front of every great closer is a great setup man. Since the Yankees dynasty decade of the late 1990s, the team has always been blessed and honored to have quality closers as well as finding great setup men. When Wetteland was the closer, Rivera set him up. Retired relievers Mike Stanton, Jeff Nelson, Tom Gordon and Ramiro Mendoza, and active pitchers Rafael Soriano and David Robertson are just some of the great setup men that worked to transition games to Rivera to shut the door with victories for the New York Yankees.
Former Yankees setup man David Robertson stepped in during the 2014 season and was the man to be called on after the retirement of Rivera in 2013. Robertson signed as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox for 4 years and $46 million. After Robertson left, the team went out to sign left hander Andrew Miller prior to the start of the 2015 season. Miller left the Baltimore Orioles after signing a 4 year, $36 million deal to become the new closer for the Yankees.
Injuries have plagued Miller for a portion of this season. Prior to going down to injury, Miller had 17 saves in his first season wearing the pinstripes. He also had a mind-blowing 1.03 ERA. There is never a good time to go down to injury, but the Yankees could have folded up and packed in its season. However, they didn’t. Reliever Dellin Betances has stepped in admirably to hold the fort while Miller recovers. He has been fantastic. In his first 7 save opportunities, he’s shut the door each time.
This year has been a bit of transition within the bullpen in 2015. Reliever and sometimes starter Adam Warren has been almost equivalent to Ramiro Mendoza. Mendoza was sometimes the reliever of the team and then the starter, if injuries occurred. The team this year has relied on Warren as injuries have occurred to Ivan Nova and Masahiro Tanaka and Warren’s been able to move into the starting role. Tanaka and Nova have returned and allowed the team to move Warren into the bullpen. C.C. Sabathia has been the so-called ‘ace’ of the roster. However, this season he has not been the dominant guy he once was in Cleveland and Milwaukee.
Chasen Shreve was another name with big responsibilities this season. He impressed management during Spring Training. Shreve and reliever David Carpenter came to the Bronx in a trade with the Atlanta Braves for former jewel Manny Banuelos. Carpenter struggled, was sent packing and Shreve has stepped in to handle his role.
The Yankees had an overload of catchers but not enough depth in their bullpen. The Pittsburgh Pirates had depth within their bullpen but not enough depth behind the plate. A trade was constructed and the Yankees were able to flip their backup catcher, Francisco Cervelli, to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates had some depth in their bullpen and was able to send reliever Justin Wilson the other direction. Wilson struggled at first with New York. Since Miller’s injury, Wilson has turned things around and become a solid reliever. He has turned into an eighth inning guy to be called upon to help set things up for Betances in the ninth.
The Yankees are in a dog fight with the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. There are dark clouds hanging around Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox and, at least right now, not a concern for New York in their quest for the division title and World Series.
Starting pitching could always use an upgrade. As good as the team has been, the team cannot rely on Sabathia, Tanaka or Nova to consistently make starts. Starting pitcher Michael Pineda is also not immune to going down to injury. Another infielder to help Didi Gregorius and Stephen Drew would not hurt to go along with an outfielder. The team recently lost Carlos Beltran to injury. Having outfield depth is never a bad thing marching toward the July 31 trade deadline.
You can’t mess with Father Time! However, the Bronx Bombers have been able to maintain the history of having a strong bullpen to close out games for New York.
General Manager Brian Cashman and Manager Joe Girardi might get dumped on by fans for the decisions made with this team. However, the way the team has managed to maintain a pretty consistent bullpen through 20 years of various transitions is pretty special!