Comments on: Torre, Theo, the RS bullpen, and the black plague http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:02:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: tinisoli http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38342 tinisoli Thu, 03 May 2007 02:41:14 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38342 Well, now we know who the Yankees are going to blame for their woes: the strength & conditioning coach. Sayonara. Well, now we know who the Yankees are going to blame for their woes: the strength & conditioning coach. Sayonara.

]]> By: HFXBOB http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38303 HFXBOB Wed, 02 May 2007 22:48:31 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38303 I think the statement that Torre's abuse of his bullpen, and his reliance on the 'ghost of Tom Gordon' cost the Yankees a trip to the World Series in 2004 is questionable at the least. First of all the Yankees starting rotation that year was greatly weakened from years before, with Clemens, Pettite and Wells gone, and this had a lot to do with the heavy use of the pen. The same applies this year-it's not Torre's fault that his starters have had difficulty getting past the fifth inning. Secondly the number of innings pitched by Gordon in 2004, both regular and postseason, were very similar to the numbers logged by Keith Foulke. The difference was that after a brilliant regular season, Gordon couldn't get it done in the ALCS. Was it fatigue or just poor performance? I don't know but if you look at Gordon's postseason stats in general they're awful. But the thing I object to most is that this is such a gross oversimplification of why Boston beat the Yankees that year. You could point to any number of factors and/or individual plays, all of which could have turned things the Yankees way if they happened differently. If Rivera had gotten Mueller out, if A-Rod didn't slump, if Nixon didn't catch Matsui's ball, if Clark's double didn't bounce over the fence, and so on and so on. To say that the Red Sox pulled off a historic comeback simply because Torre misused Gordon is, well as you can probably tell it peeves me a bit. I think the statement that Torre’s abuse of his bullpen, and his reliance on the ‘ghost of Tom Gordon’ cost the Yankees a trip to the World Series in 2004 is questionable at the least. First of all the Yankees starting rotation that year was greatly weakened from years before, with Clemens, Pettite and Wells gone, and this had a lot to do with the heavy use of the pen. The same applies this year-it’s not Torre’s fault that his starters have had difficulty getting past the fifth inning. Secondly the number of innings pitched by Gordon in 2004, both regular and postseason, were very similar to the numbers logged by Keith Foulke. The difference was that after a brilliant regular season, Gordon couldn’t get it done in the ALCS. Was it fatigue or just poor performance? I don’t know but if you look at Gordon’s postseason stats in general they’re awful. But the thing I object to most is that this is such a gross oversimplification of why Boston beat the Yankees that year. You could point to any number of factors and/or individual plays, all of which could have turned things the Yankees way if they happened differently. If Rivera had gotten Mueller out, if A-Rod didn’t slump, if Nixon didn’t catch Matsui’s ball, if Clark’s double didn’t bounce over the fence, and so on and so on. To say that the Red Sox pulled off a historic comeback simply because Torre misused Gordon is, well as you can probably tell it peeves me a bit.

]]> By: MarshallDog http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38165 MarshallDog Wed, 02 May 2007 19:16:55 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38165 I take some issue with your view on Jason Varitek. Aside from setting a good example, he also gets a lot of credit for studying hitters and being in control of game calling for the pitchers. Are you implying that Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, etc. are exagerating Varitek's value to the pitching staff? I should also say I agree 1000% with your views on Jeter. "Captain Intangibles"... now there's a 20 million dollar nickname! I take some issue with your view on Jason Varitek. Aside from setting a good example, he also gets a lot of credit for studying hitters and being in control of game calling for the pitchers. Are you implying that Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, etc. are exagerating Varitek’s value to the pitching staff?

I should also say I agree 1000% with your views on Jeter. “Captain Intangibles”… now there’s a 20 million dollar nickname!

]]> By: miles44 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38152 miles44 Wed, 02 May 2007 17:08:33 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/02/torre-theo-the-rs-bullpen-and-the-black-plague/#comment-38152 Seth, would love to hear your thoughts on Rob Neyer's recent blog post that Steinbrenner is likely incapacitated yet the NY media is engaged in an FDR-esque conspiracy to keep it quiet ... http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=2854926&name=Neyer_Rob Seth, would love to hear your thoughts on Rob Neyer’s recent blog post that Steinbrenner is likely incapacitated yet the NY media is engaged in an FDR-esque conspiracy to keep it quiet …
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=2854926&name=Neyer_Rob

]]>