Villone added to the roster

Due to a new MLB rule, a team can add a player to the playoff roster to replace another injured player. The player who got replaced, however, cannot play in the next series.

The Yankees took advantage of this rule, as they replaced Roger Clemens with Ron Villone (LoHud Yankees blog).

ALDS Roster and Game 1 lineup

As reported by Peter Abraham, the Yankees released the ALDS roster today.

Ross Ohlendorf and Jose Veras are on the roster. Edwar Ramirez, Ron Villone and Chris Britton are not on the roster.

Bronson Sardinha made the roster to be used primarily as a pinch runner.

This really isn't shocking. Ohlendorf and Veras performed well towards the end of the season and the three who didn't make the roster didn't pitch well. The only thing that's somewhat surprising is that they didn't go with a lefty out of the bullpen. I find the whole idea of having a lefty specialist to be overrated, but Joe Torre usually doesn't.

Now, the lineup:

Johnny Damon LF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Doug Mientkiewicz 1B

Villone put on the disabled list

This explains why Brian Bruney was called up.

From Ed Price:

Brian Bruney is back from Triple-A and Ron Villone is on the disabled list with a "mild lower back strain." (Source)

I still think Chris Britton should've gotten the call.

Bruney's back

From Peter Abraham:

Just confirmed that right-handed reliever Brian Bruney will rejoin the team for the Tigers series.

Bruney was optioned to Class AAA Scranton on Aug. 7. He appeared in four games there, none since Sunday. His line in those games: 6 5 4 4 2 5.

Bruney was 2-1 with a 3.40 ERA in 50 appearances for the Yankees. It was uncertain as of last night whose spot in the bullpen Bruney would be taking. My guess would be Sean Henn or Ron Villone. (Source)

I still don't understand why Chris Britton hasn't been given a legitimate shot with the big club yet. It's not like he was terrible with the Yankees this season: one earned run and two strikeouts in five innings. He also has 57 strikeouts and only eight walks in 56 innings for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with an ERA of 2.41 in 36 games.

As for who will be sent down for Bruney, my guess is Henn simply because he has options.

Torre considering changing Farnsworth's role

The Yankees tied the score in the ninth and won the game, 3-2, in the 10th inning, with Brian Bruney and Luis Vizcaíno pitching the final two scoreless innings. It was good enough to give the Yankees their fourth consecutive victory.

But it might not be sufficient to keep Farnsworth in his role as the setup man to closer Mariano Rivera. With Vizcaíno having more success lately, Manager Joe Torre might use Vizcaíno or someone else in the eighth and Farnsworth elsewhere.

“I think we’re going to have to sit and think about it,” Torre said yesterday. When told Farnsworth had said he would be willing to change his role, Torre said: “Just answering that way, he’s not ignoring the fact that he’s struggling. To me, that’s a positive step” (source).

What is there to think about? Kyle Farnsworth is flat-out awful and he can't be trusted in any spot.

In 38 1-3 innings pitched, he's given up 44 hits, 19 earned runs and has only struck out 24 batters. He's been so bad this year that it's a big deal when he gets a 1-2-3 inning.

The problem is, however, that the Yankees have invested so much in Farnsworth that they don't have sufficient replacements for Farnsworth.

Scott Proctor and Brian Bruney haven't been as reliable as they were last year. Luis Vizcaino has been good recently, but he also had a stretch where he was terrible. His performance over the long haul is unpredictable. Edwar Ramirez is taking up a roster spot by never pitching, so the Yankees don't know what they have in him. Ron Villone and Mike Myers aren't eighth-inning guys.

It may be time to seriously consider calling up Chris Britton. Britton is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also has 48 strikeouts in 44 innings.

Looks like I was right, again

Unfortunately, I can see Joe Torre never using him (Edwar Ramirez) in a big spot. He never trusts rookies in big spots (source).

Tonight would have been a great opportunity to get young Ramirez's feet wet. Instead, Torre uses Mike Myers for one batter, Brian Bruney for two batters, Ron Villone for one batter and Mariano Rivera for five batters. This, by the way, was after Scott Proctor struggled through five batters. The Yankees ended up winning 6-1, but to be fair, it was 4-1 when Rivera was brought in.

I understand Boston and Cleveland both lost. I also understand that every game counts due to the huge hole the Yankees have dug themselves. However, you can't keep going to the well. There is a day game tomorrow, and while Chien-Ming Wang eats innings, a rested bullpen would still be nice.

It is time to see what the rookie has.

Call up Britton, Ramirez and Duncan

Watching the bullpen and Johnny Damon melt before our eyes, it is time for changes.

Call up Chris "Great" Britton: Britton is 2-0 with a 2.41 ERA and six saves for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He has 40 strikeouts and 11 walks in 33 2-3 innings. In two cups of coffee with the Yankees this year, he has a 1.80 ERA in five innings.

Call up Edwar Ramirez: Ramirez is 0-0 with a 0.83 ERA and four saves for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He has 36 strikeouts and eight walks in 21 2-3 innings. In nine games in AA Trenton, he was 3-0 (0.54 ERA) with 33 strikeouts and eight walks.

Call up Shelley Duncan: Duncan is batting .296 (.383 OBP) with 19 home runs and 55 RBIs for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. We already know Andy Phillips can't hit Major League pitching. Why not give Duncan a chance?

Put Damon on the DL. If Duncan shows he can hit, have him be the everyday designated hitter.

DFA Ron Villone: If Joe Torre insists on using Mike Myers every time a left-handed hitter is up then there is no need for Villone.

Luis Vizcaino: Awful pitcher or just another Joe Torre casualty?

Meet Luis Vizcaino. He is a Yankee middle reliever, wears uniform number 52, and was sent to the Yankees in the Randy Johnson salary dump. He is 2-1 with a 7.66 ERA in 24 2/3 innings. He has struck out 12 while walking 19. He has squandered 24 hits, 3 of which went for home runs.

At first glance, these numbers are awful. But there has to be a reason as to why he is struggling, right? Is he a bad pitcher? Hardly. He was an integral member of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox bullpen. From 2004-2006, he posted a sub-4 ERA in each of those 3 years. There has to be a reason why his numbers with the mighty Yankees are terrible.

The reason is Joe Torre.

Vizcaino was great in Spring Training and the first two weeks of the season. Out of the first 10 games of the season, Vizcaino pitched in 8, pitching 8 1/3 innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 earned run, striking out 2, and walkking 3.

Joe Torre fell in love with him, just as he did with Ron Villone last year.

Since then, his numbers have done a complete 180. Beginning April 19, he has allowed 20 earned runs in 16 appearances. The overwork has obviously adversely affected his pitching, and is most likely injured and is not telling anyone.

Let's look at Villone's numbers from last year. Pre-all-star break, he was 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA and a .201 batting average against (BAA). Post-all-star break, he was 0-2 with a 8.35 ERA and a .301 BAA. In August alone, he pitched in an obscene 17 games, which resulted in 22 1/3 innings pitched and a 6.04 ERA. His September numbers were nothing to write home about either. In 9 games, he pitched 6 innings and allowed 18 earned runs.

As a result, poor old Ron was rotting in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the historic 2007 season. He was one of St. Joseph's most trusted relievers for more than half of the year, but there's only so much a 36-year-old arm can take. Now Villone is back, fighting Torre's fight.

Joe Torre cannot manage the bullpen. His mistakes were often overshadowed by successful Yankee teams and smart personnel around him. This year, this is not the case. The team is awful and his blunders are magnified. There is already one Joe Torre casualty this year, and it is not even June yet. Let's hope that the Namesake (Scott Proctor) is not next.

Photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports