Around the Yankee Universe: Brian Bruney edition
by Ed Valentine on Jul 1, 2009 9:35 AM EDT
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Our New York Yankees were very fortunate to win last night after Brian Bruney imploded in the eighth inning, turning a two-run lead into a tie game.
Bruney, in my opinion, had no business being in the game in the first place. After Phil Hughes' dominant nine-pitch seventh inning Joe Girardi's removing him from the game can only be described one way. Dumb. I even jumped into last night's Game Thread -- something I never do -- to say the same thing.
Girardi is a smart guy, and a pretty good manager. What he failed to do Tuesday, though, was use his eyes, and his brain. Girardi's eyes had to see that Hughes was dominant. His brain had to tell him that he could easily pitch a second inning, and that Bruney has been iffy since coming back off the DL.
Instead, he used his little managerial book that says 'Bruney is the eighth-inning guy, so he pitches no matter what when we are ahead.'
The only fun part for me is that I found this morning that two of my favorite mainstream bloggers, Peter Abraham of the Journal News and Mark Feinsand of the Daily News took completely different sides on the move.
Abraham defended Girardi.
Don’t blame Joe Girardi for using Bruney in the eighth inning. He, like every other manager, paints by numbers and Bruney is the Eighth Inning Guy. So if there is a lead, he pitches in the eighth inning.
You’d like to think common sense would come into play. Phil Hughes had just retired the side on nine pitches and was throwing 96. Just leave well enough alone. If you’re going to use him in the bullpen, then use him.
But the good of staying with Hughes was outweighed by the risk of somebody asking why Bruney didn’t pitch. Or somebody asking whether Hughes was now the Eighth Inning Guy.
Someday a manager will come along, throw the book away and just manage the game by what he sees with his eyes, not what he fears. But until then, don’t blame Girardi. He’s just doing what he’s trained to do.
Feinsand, on the other hand, called him out for that 'paint by the numbers' approach.
I’m not a big second-guesser most of the time, since I have to assume that most managers know more about baseball than I do. But I first-guessed Joe Girardi’s decision to bring in Brian Bruney for Phil Hughes and still don’t really understand the logic.
Before the game, I asked Girardi if he would consider using Hughes in a two-inning setup role at times, much the way Mariano Rivera was used in 1996.
"I’m not hesitant to do that with him; I think he’s very capable of being a two- or three-inning reliever for us," Girardi said. "I wouldn’t do it to build up his innings; I’d do it because I believe he can do it and do it well."
So after watching Hughes retire the Mariners in order on nine pitches in the seventh, why not leave the kid in there to pitch the eighth? It has nothing to do with a lack of confidence in Bruney, but if you’re not going to leave Hughes in there after a nine-pitch inning, when would you do it?
Of course, Bruney came in and coughed up the lead. The Yankees wound up scoring three runs in the eighth and Rivera closed it out, but the idea that Bruney is the Yankees’ "eighth-inning guy" is ridiculous. Why not designate Bruney, Hughes, Phil Coke and whoever else you trust as your late-inning guys and let them all pitch those important innings? The way Hughes is pitching right now, he should be in there for as many innings as he can possibly throw.
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Heres what should happen here
I know Bruney was pretty lights out at the beginning of the season, but he has had two stints on the DL, and has not been the same. I feel like Bruney can get it back, but I feel like he should be purely a 6th and maybe 7th inning guy until he shows that he can again get guys out on a consistent basis.
Until he can get guys out, the 8th should be for guys like Phil Highes, Phil Coke, and maybe Aceves, who have all showed an ability to get guys out more consistently.
by Joshv37 on Jul 1, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
No problem with that
The Yanks will need Bruney, but he has not been the same lately. There’s just no reason to stick to a pre-designed ‘formula’ when a guy like Hughes (or Aceves, Coke or Robertson) is throwing lights out and has gas left in the tank.
by Ed Valentine on Jul 1, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your right
There is no reason to pull Hughes. Especially since he basically is the 6th starter in the pen, no reason not to give him some innings.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Jul 1, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very good point
The plan is still to have phil be a starter in the long run. So that means he can throw two innings, and will have too, if he wants to maintain the starters stamina he has built up in the minors.
Having him throw 9 pitches then pulling him for a guy who is not all the way back from injury is a pretty dimb move. the 7th and 8th should have been Hughes’s innings.
by Joshv37 on Jul 1, 2009 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't understand the formula
Or how Brian Bruney came to inherit the 8th inning job.
He was very good at the start of the season, but considering his injuries and career resume, there’s no reason to assume he was going to be able to handle the job on his own.
He certainly hasn’t earned the right to the title of “setup” man, there’s no reason there needs to be one guy in that role anyway. The great Yankee teams had Nelson/Stanton/Mendoza sharing the late-inning duties, without one holding the true title of “setup man.”
Similar situation here, although as good as Hughes has been out of the pen he should be pitching the 8th (and maybe 7th too) for the forseeable future.
by New York Sports Jerk on Jul 1, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
true that..
Why limit Hughes to one inning?? The guy has been a starter almost his whole career, I think he can handle two innings a couple times a week.
by NumberSeven on Jul 1, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't like
what Girardi did. But if anyone thinks that ANY other manager would do any different they’d be fooling themselves.
Its a stupid way to think. I don’t care if the setup man was still MO and Wetteland closed, Hughes deserved to come back out.
Hughes didn’t strain himself in throwing those 9! pitches. If he did in the 8th, well then bring Bruney.
I agree with the fact that you are also trying to groom Bruney here too. He is supposedly the man for the 8th inning, so why would you show no confidence in him?
If he’s your 8th inning man, that’s who you go with. Has he not been good recently, yes. But again you don’t give up on him.
I don’t like the idea of taking out Phil, but I also don’t like how Bruney was a pile of crap too and I place more of the blame on Bruney.
Its easy to second guess Joe, but while Im sure he has confidence in Phil Im sure he wants to be confident in Bruney too
Im sure he lost a bit of that, and we’ll see. I don’t know if I want to give Bruney another shot at the setup role (and give that to Hughes) cuz next time it could mean a loss.
Phil has earned the setup role. I think Bruney should be the 7th inning man and then should he get in trouble its Phil
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 1, 2009 1:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It's not a second guess...
…it’s a first guess.
The second I saw Bruney warming up during the bottom of the 7th, I knew he was coming in, and hated it. It was the absolute wrong move, and I have no idea why you constantly defend Girardi.
It’s not like he pulled Hughes for a better option. Nobody in their right mind would rather have Bruney on the mound than Hughes, NOBODY. Bruney has done nothing to earn the 8th inning all to himself, but Girardi is so tied to the idea of having specific roles for his relievers he’s basically given that inning to Bruney by default.
And it really doesn’t matter to me what other managers would have done, it only concerns me what the Yankees manager does, and the Yankees manager made a mistake last night, and it’s not the first time.
by New York Sports Jerk on Jul 1, 2009 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yup
Pete Abe’s argument (see also: excuse) that Joe G “paints by the numbers” is crap. Hughes flew through the Seventh- and any jackass (or jerk) could see sending Hughes back out for the eight was the right move. Does Girardi’s (and supposedly “every other manager”) painting by numbers leave time to watch what’s actually happening in the game?? Joe G. must be good to Pete, because he usually has NO problem throwing somebody under the bus.
And you’re absolutely right- Bruney has shown nothing to make himself worthy of being the guy for the eighth inning.
by NumberSeven on Jul 1, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bruney is a booney
The guy is overrated he should be back in the minors, big mistake to keep him around Hughes is the set up guy, Booney cant even find the strike zone. He must be pals with Girardi, its sometimes who u know not how u pitch. I would even want Igawa instead of Bruney believe on this one, Bruney is big liability down the stretch and potential playoffs.
by bcw420 on Jul 1, 2009 3:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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