Despite these two ugly losses make no mistake, I still believe the fight for the AL East crown will once again come down to Yankees and Red Sox. I know the Rays are lingering and Blue Jay are improved but you know it will be NY and Boston in a dogfight. So I think its time we once again discuss WTH are we doing with Boone Logan as our only lefty out of the bullpen? I am not going to drag Logan thru the mud in this piece. I am sure the guy is trying, he just cannot get it done. And now who knows how long we lose Joba who was doing a decent job coming in to get some tough lefties out. I am now really, really concerned about not having another lefty specialist.
Its been months now since Pedro Feliciano went down. We need someone other than Boone Logan and I think that time is now! I know its easier said than done but, we‘re the Yankees dammit! Let‘s make this happen ASAP! We just cannot try and survive and continue to take our chances with Logan being the only lefty expected to get out the likes of Ortiz, Gonzalez and Crawford. I know lefty specialists do not grow on trees but surely Cashman has to have his eye on this problem. And before it costs us a big game or two during the pennant chase 'Cash needs to make this happen ASAP.
So, you ask, what do you recommend Mikey?! I’m glad you asked! And this is something I think 'Cash and the Yankees can do almost immediately; okay, here me out…
What better place to start than in our home farm system. Our farm system is where legends are made!
So let’s talk about Manny Banuelos. So much hype around this young man and deservedly so.
Here is what he has done so far this season with Yankees Double-A team, Trenton Thunder:
*In 11 starts this years he is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA.
*In 50/2 innings he has given up 47 hits and struck out 45.
Certainly not dominating numbers but solid. But check these out…
*In 14.1 innings against lefties he has 15 K’s and an 0.63 ERA!
He can really bring it against the left handed and right handed hitters. I actually got to see him a couple weeks ago and he absolutely made lefties and righties look silly. I know its Double-A ball, but I had this image in my head of AL batters just waving at his breaking ball in the very near future!
There is no question that his future is bright. I guess the question becomes, when? When does his future become the present? I say now! Sure the goal is to have this kid become a dominant left handed starter for the Yankees but why couldn’t it begin in the Majors as a left handed specialist? Let him throw his every 5 days as needed on the side in simulated games if needed and maybe by September we have him in the rotation? I know I am probably in the minority with this choice to bring him up now as a lefty specialist but I am just tired of all the silly rules we have for young pitchers. It almost seems like the more we baby these young pitchers the worse they turn out.
I love the Nolan Ryan mentality that he is bringing to the Rangers. Nolan has just gone old school with his pitchers. They are pitchers, let them pitch! Last time I checked none of their arms fell off!
Okay so not that you are all pissed at me for trying to “ruin” Manny Banuelos”, feel free to leave comments or yell at me on twitter!
--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer
Twitter @MikeyBlu23
Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.
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