Gunpowder
When gunpowder was first used as a weapon, people were awed by its power. But, attackers and defenders soon learned the downside to gunpowder. It could blow up your opponent, but it could also blow you up. Many a battle turned when one side had its gunpowder magazine blow up and change the fortunes of war.
I think of gunpowder when I look at David Robertson. He is an incredible weapon out of the pen. This season he has stuck out 13.2 hitters per nine innings and allowed only 27 hits in 35 innings. Those are absolutely dominant numbers. But, he has also walked 5.3 hitters per nine innings and as anyone who watched last night knows, he can lose the strikezone completely.
So, what could be an absolutely dominant setup guy is essentially a weapon you have to be very, very careful with. You can't trust Robertson when the game is tight because he might give you a strikeout or he might walk someone. I don't know how the Yankees fix that, or even if they can. All I know is unless they do Robertson remains nothing more than an interesting pitcher to watch in a mopup role.
Comments
If you think of gunpowder when you watch Robertson - what do you think of when you watch Gaudin walk 5 in 4.1, and get as many Ks as BBs? Yep, he's unhittable - and just as often you don't need to hit him to get on base.
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 20, 2009 07:39 AM
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Was it me or did Gaudin look furious when Girardi came out to get the ball?
Posted by: Peter![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 20, 2009 12:24 PM
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I really don't think that was you. He looked a little "different" when he handed off the ball. I found that very weird in that 1) the guy was getting all jammed up with baserunners and 2) he'd reached the number of pitches that Girardi had mentioned publicly as being Gaudin's limit for the game. So it couldn't have been much of a surprise.
It also made me smile when Gaudin said during an interview after the game that "we were making big pitches" - I he think included himself in that "we" - cause the only time he HAD to make some big pitches was when he let runners into scoring position (ahem) every inning. I suspect Chad probably went to the Ian Kennedy school of media relations. Ahhyup.
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 20, 2009 05:06 PM
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Doh !
I think he included himself ... gotta run, off to my typing lessons.
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 20, 2009 06:45 PM
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