Starters, Relievers and a 9 Inning Ball Game

We've talked a lot about how hard it is to find good starting pitching.  Even the "tier 2" starters- guys like Burnett who are able dominate opponents- usually leave a lot of baseball still to be played when they hit the showers.

Tony LaRussa helped pioneer the frequent change approach to bullpen management: the one reliever, one inning approach that makes closers the most over-hyped members of each team.

Goose Gossage has been quite vocal in his criticism of relievers who aren't used for multiple innings, saying they don't compare to relievers from his day.  I'd add the criticism that every time you bring in a new reliever, you bring in a player who might be having a bad day.  That was my complaint about the 8th inning on Tuesday night- if David Robertson was on a single batter leash, why not just leave in Alfredo Aceves?

Which brings me to Aceves and Chan Ho Park (who pitched 3 of the grittiest, guttiest innings you'll see in a Yankee uniform).

Do you think we're witness to the Yankees re-pioneering bullpen management?  We have so many starting pitchers in the minors and on the roster, and there are only 162 starts to go around.  But if these guys can come in and deliver multiple innings, it makes the Yankee bullpen deeper and stronger (more innings, but less exposure).