Slow Men Working

The Yankees, on April 21, expressed consternation over the number of appearances put in by their bullpen. And the New York beat reporters assigned to cover the Yankees dutifully echoed the team’s message. The Journal News and the Daily News on April 22 reported on manager Joe Girardi’s concern that his relievers, three weeks into the season, were already carrying far too large a share of the workload.  Never mind that the Yankees had two days off that week.

Joba Chamberlain, it was reported, had appeared in 10 of the team’s first 16 games, throwing 162 pitches. We are to infer that that constitutes a heavy burden for the 25 year old. Let’s see, the season started on March 31, so that worked out to a little more than seven pitches a day, 10 pitches per game, and 54 pitches per week for Chamberlain. This week, Chamberlain was given the night off on Wednesday because he had appeared in three of the team's four previous games. Never mind that he had thrown just nine pitches in Tuesday night's game and that Monday was an off day.

But not only Chamberlain, we read. The starting pitchers’ “inability to work deep into games has shifted an unsustainable burden to the team’s high-powered bullpen.” Really?  Are the players’ agents now covering the beat and writing the copy, too? An “unsustainable burden?”

Here are a few suggestions:

For the beat reporters, try thinking critically. It won’t hurt. Just because the Yankees put out a press release is no reason to swallow it without chewing.

For the Yankees’ pitchers, during the offseason, hire a trainer and/or nutritionist, join a gym, buy a pair of running shoes, and show up at the start of spring training in shape. Work the obliques.

For anyone who has not witnessed baseball players running, think of a jaywalker blithely crossing the street who upon seeing an approaching vehicle suddenly takes a few accelerated steps. That approximates the pace of their running.   

For Girardi, take a page out of the Nolan Ryan playbook. That is, (1) leave your starters in longer and let them figure out how to pitch out of tight spots, (2) don’t use every reliever in your bullpen in every game, and (3) try using a reliever for more than one inning. It used to be done all the time.