Would you take one of the most dominant relievers from a season ago and attempt to stretch him out as a starter? Apparently, the Yankees and Aaron Boone are doing just that.
When a baseball team has as much success as the New York Yankees did a season ago, it’s hard not to reflect on all the greatness that was. From Aaron Judge’s historic Rookie of the Year campaign to Luis Severino asserting himself as one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball, there are many contributing factors as to why the Bronx Bombers got to within a game of the World Series.
Despite the Yanks bringing in David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the Chicago White Sox last July to help bolster the bullpen, Chad Green was arguably the most important and most impressive development of all the Yankees hurlers in 2017. In 69 innings; Green sported a 1.83 ERA with a 0.74 WHIP while striking out an eye-popping 103 batters compared to allowing just 17 walks in 2017.
Now, according to reports from Jack Curry of Yes reports of the Yankees trying to stretch Green out and back into a starter, which is what he was when acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the Justin Wilson deal a few years ago.
Boone said Green will be stretched out as a starter, but he also said it would “take a lot” of things to happen for the Yankees to switch him from his role in the bullpen. He was dominant.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) February 15, 2018
According to Brooks Baseball, Green has an arsenal of five pitches in his repertoire at his disposal. His four-seam fastball averages 96 mph and is considered his number one pitch. Green’s slider(avg. velocity of 86 mph) is considered his strikeout pitch; and is more like a Dellin Betances-esque slurve than a slider, given the 12-to-6 movement. Green also has an effective cutter(90 mph avg.), a sinker with a Tanaka-like average velocity of 94 mph and a seldom-used splitter(86 mph avg.) to round out his arsenal.
With arm talent like that, it’s understandable that they are considering the notion of putting him in the rotation, but didn’t they learn anything from the handling of the Joba Chamberlain situation? The apparent answer to that question seems to be “no”, but Yankee fans surely remember.
Joba Chamberlain's first 4 months as a Yankee:
39 G, 47.2 IP, 28 H, 7 ER, 17 BB, 64 K, 2 HR, 1.32 ERAI really thought he was gonna be baseball's next great reliever. ?
— Zachary Abate (@zabate) February 15, 2018
Now I know that Aaron Boone said it would have to take a series of events to make the move a permanent reality, but the kid needs to stay in the pen. He’s only going to get better; and if last year was any indication, the sky is the limit for the reliever version of Chad Green.
Here’s to hoping the Bomber Brass wises up and keeps him right where he belongs and not make the same mistake they did with Joba Chamberlain.
Dr. Sabathia?
Even though he is not the fireballer he once was at the start of his Yankee career, CC Sabathia still has an ace personality and approachability rivaled by few. In 2018, the big lefty is completely cool with his ever-changing role.
According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Sabathia is “comfortable with his new role” and is hoping to be a guy that his teammates can look to for advice and guidance.
The 18-year major leaguer has experienced all the game has to offer, including having the strength to address and overcome very difficult off-the-field issues such as alcohol abuse. I’m not sure the Yankees could have hand-picked a better leader than Carsten Charles Sabathia, and Yankee fans everywhere are looking forward to the cerebral and emotional impact C.C. will have on the 2018 New York Yankees.
Light Saber-Metrics
If you didn’t get a chance to get that sweet Darth Vader Yankees knit cap from last year’s Star Wars Night giveaway, get your calendars ready so you can be sure to be present for this year’s galactic promotion.
Of special note, our 3rd annual “Star Wars Night will take place on Fri May 4. The first 40k fans will receive a “Jedi Judge” bobblehead. For a complete list of 2018 promo items, visit https://t.co/YIDuwF9PlO. pic.twitter.com/vLf5ufMJGd
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 15, 2018
While I have been searching for a reasonably priced Vader skullcap from last season, having an Aaron Judge Jedi bobblehead would be just as awesome to own.If you don’t happen to be a Star Wars kind of person, you should probably avoid being around Yankee Stadium on May 4.
For those that are Star Wars fanatics, may the force be with you and the bats of the Bronx Bombers.
Other Yankees News, Stories
- Ryan Morik of ESNY examines the Yankees pitching rotation as they head into Spring Training.
- If the Yankees do need to get another starter, ESNY’s Rick Weiner knows exactly who they should target.
- Zack Martino of ESNY takes a look at A-Rod and his long road to redemption.
