Sweeny: Yankees Will Continue All-Hands-On-Deck Pitching Mantra
By Sweeny Murti
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There are 33 pitchers in Yankees camp. You know many of them: CC Sabathia, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Masahiro Tanaka, Ivan Nova, etc.
Others you might need some help identifying: Richard Bleier (no relation to Rocky, but his father met the former Steeler once), Tyler Cloyd (pitched in Korea last year and has started 137 minor league games), Vinnie Pestano (has made five straight opening day rosters between Cleveland and Los Angeles-AL), Tyler Olson (made major league debut last year with Seattle), Kirby Yates (former TB Ray, younger brother of former Met Tyler Yates).
That seems like a lot -- 33. Do you know how many pitchers the Yankees used in major league games last year? That's right, 33. Technically they used 31, until you count infielder Brendan Ryan and outfielder Garrett Jones taking their turns on the hill.
This year will be pretty similar to last year as the Yankees rotate relievers in and out of the last bullpen spot to keep fresh arms available at all times. It's completely by design, understanding the starting rotation isn't filled with 220-inning workhorses.
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Everyone is on notice as Joe Girardi told the team during the first meeting of the spring exactly what I just told you -- that the Yankees used 31 "pitchers" last year and their job is to be ready any time for that call to come.
"A lot of guys got opportunities, a lot of guys did well," Branden Pinder said.
Pinder went up and down six times last year, but managed to pitch for the Yankees in every month from April through October.
"If you don't make the team out of camp, you've got a chance to get up there at some point," Pinder said.
One would think that knowing that call can come at any time might be all-consuming, but it's really not. Good players know how to narrow their focus to the job they have at that moment.
"You can't really worry about (being called up) too much," said Nick Goody, whose seven appearances came in five different call-ups between late July and season's end. "You just have to focus on doing your job. I feel like if you're consumed with worrying about what (the major league team) is going to do you won't be 100 percent mentally on the field. It's kind of nice knowing you can get the call at any time, but I don't really put too much stock in it."
Goody's focus may have been on that day's job, whether it was at Triple-A or in the majors, but as 2015 wore on it was pretty obvious how the Yankees were using their bullpen and when another arm could be rotating through.
"After maybe a month or so of seeing it, if the (big league) game went into extra innings or if the guy who had been bouncing up and down got into back-to-back games or something, you knew that there was a chance. So you always had to be ready," Goody said.
Johnny Barbato never got the call in 2015, but he found himself with a different roommate every other week it seemed, as Goody, Nick Rumbelow, James Pazos and other Triple-A teammates packed their bags and moved up.
"I guess you could say I almost got the taste of it, too, because of all of the guys that were (getting called up)," Barbato said.
Barbato could be the one moving up this year, as he was added to the 40-man roster over the winter.
"I worked hard this offseason, coming in (to camp) trying to make a good impression, have a better chance this year. Pretty excited for it," Barbato said.
Mark Montgomery, 25, was once a rising star, as he named Yankees minor league Pitcher of the Year in 2012. Once seen as a future closer, injury issues came along. Now he is healthy again, and a little off the radar -- Montgomery received his invitation to major league camp only last week. But he is just as eager as the other pitchers in camp to make an impression.
"I'm glad I'm back here where I've worked so hard to get back to," Montgomery said.
He said he has dreamed of the call-up in the past, and maybe that wasn't a good thing.
"I think you get yourself into trouble when you say during the season 'if I do this then maybe I'll have a chance' or 'if I just have a couple more good outings….' That's what I've kind of fallen into in the past. You just have to take it day by day and just work on what's going to make you better and compete each day and hopefully you'll get that chance," he said.
Montgomery figures he hasn't felt this good physically since 2012, so it's worth keeping an eye on his progress, even if he was literally the 33rd pitcher in camp.
That's kind of the idea that Girardi wants his pitchers to have, though -- if you're here you have a chance. Whether that chance comes in April or some other month, you just need to be ready.
So when you start seeing the spring box scores next week don't immediately dismiss a name you've never heard of. You might see it again in a big league game in 2016.
Follow Sweeny on Twitter at @YankeesWFAN
