Well, I guess my Save Scott Proctor campaign didn't work, as the man himself was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for INF Wilson Betemit. This, obviously, is very sad news for me. The namesake is gone; 3,000 miles away, in a different league, in a different time zone.
Personally, I don't understand this trade. They are trading away one of their better arms in the bullpen for a utility infielder. Some are saying he will play first. The problem, however, is that he has never played first in his career. Oops. I understand it improves the bench, but the bench isn't that important in the American League. Also, Kyle Farnsworth is still on the team.
Some people are saying Proctor is at the peak of his value and that his Joe Torre workload will come back to haunt him in the future. That may be the case, but now was not the time to trade him, especially for Betemit. The bullpen is a weakness and it only got weaker. Eric Gagne is on his way to Boston and the Yankees responded by not getting rid of Farnsworth. However, Joba Chamberlain should soon be calling the Yankees' bullpen home. Also, according to Mark Feinsand, Edwar Ramirez will be called up.
Anyway, it's time to remember Proctor as a Yankee. The best way to deal with a loss is to took back on all the good times we had. Proctor's career has come full-circle. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 1998 in the fifth round. He was then traded in 2003 as part of the Robin Ventura trade.
He made his debut for New York in 2004 and has been a valuable member of the staff ever since. He pitched 102 2-3 innings last year in 83 appearances. This season, he is 2-5 with a 3.81 ERA and has pitched in 54 2-3 innings.
Because of last year's ridiculous amount of work, a blog was born. People were saying that his arm was going to fall off at any moment. That moment hasn't happened yet and it may or may not happen in the future.
Proctor will be missed here, and I wish him all the best in Los Angeles. I hope Grady Little will be a little more respectful of Proctor's arm. Knowing Little from 2003, it seems like he never likes to go to the bullpen. I will frequently update his progress with his new team. I also appreciate the condolences from those in the blog community.
On the way out, Proctor was classy as always. “I’m glad (Joe Torre) put me in as many games as he did,” he said. “I have nothing but respect for him” (source).
To answer some frequently asked questions:
Yes, this blog will remain a Yankees blog.
Yes, this blog will still be called "Scott Proctor's Arm." It'll serve as a reminder of the man himself and of the abuse he took from Torre.. Maybe I'll accept suggestions for a new name down the road, but for now, it'll remain the same.
The top right photo is Scott Proctor riding off into the sunset. He will most certainly be missed.
