Apr 29, 2012 -- 11:07PM, MajorYankFan wrote:

How To Manage Freddy Garcia In The Bullpen

For Garcia, the best role right now is the role formerly given to Cody Eppley. Essentially a mop up role, Eppley pitched mainly in innings that didn't matter in blowouts, which is a perfect spot for Garcia to figure out his problems right now. Garcia can NOT be given any important innings with the way he is pitching right now. Simply put, if Garcia comes in in a close game, the Yankees are mismanaging him.

LOL...I seriously doubt that is going to happen and it shouldn't happen. 

The Yankees played about 21 games this season. About 2 games can possibly be called blowouts. Based on this idea, Garcia would never see the pitching mound and that wouldn't help him nor would it help the Yankees.

Garcia is going to come in (as a reliever) anytime before the 7th inning, even in close games. The 7th inning and beyond will be for the team's situational pitchers unless any of those guys are unavailable. Unless the scouting reports show Freddy having a certain dominance over a particular hitter, that the Yanks need out in the late innings. Then you go with the percentages and bring Freddy in. The way you do it, is to have him pitch one inning at a time and you gradually increase it as time goes on. To simply say that "...if Garcia comes in in a close game, the Yankees are mismanaging him" is stupid. The guy wrote this clearly does not know how to manage people. By doing what he said, Garcia's confidence will be destroyed as it would show Girardi's lack of faith in him.

The Yankee system for pitching in a game is to get the starters to go 6 innings. From there you hand the ball to Robertson & Co, who then hand the game to Mo.  Again, Garcia comes in if the pitcher cannot make those 6 innings. For example, if it's 6-3 (Yanks losing) in the 2nd inning, you bring in Garcia if need be.   That's how you manage Freddy Garcia....lol....not for mop up roles. 

Apr 30, 2012 -- 10:24AM, laurenfrances wrote:

Here's a question to ask....

If Hughes was pitching well, would Yankees allow more time for Garcia to turn things around?  Having two struggling pitchers in the rotation is a difficult dilemma.  A likely two automatic "L" in addition to compromising the bullpen lead to Garcia's demotion before situation gets out of hand.

I bet if Hughes wasn't struggling, Yankees might give another game or two for Garcia.  As the weather heats up maybe we see some improvements.

As it stands Hughes/Garcia would burn out the pen in the weeks ahead if a move was not made.

 Something had to be done. A burnt bullpen will always come back to bite you in the butt. The 2011 Boston Red Sox and 2011 Rangers are proof of that.

One struggling pitcher is certainly not going to stress the pen as two struggling starters will.  I'm suggesting if Garcia was alone in his struggles, Yankees might provide a long string to see if Garcia could get out from under when the temperature rises.  

Problem is the way both are/were pitching it was putting us out of games early as well as taxing the bullpen. I know it only April but giving away games now could be the difference between winning the division and being a wild card team. With the offense we have if pitchers can keep us in the game we have a shot to win. But when you are down 4,5 6 runs in the first 3 innings it is a little too much to ask a team to make up that difference.

Here's hoping Phelps pitches well enough to make it a tough call on Girardi as who to remove when Pettite is ready for the rotation.