WasWatching.com

This is where I get angry at the Torre critics and their myopic view of his bullpen usage. Was it out of necessity that Torre had to go to those guys so often? I can't remember any time last year where I felt Torre was stupid because he called on one of those guys. I remember a few times where he had Farnsworth warming up but something happened and he couldn't come into the game so he was forced to go to Proctor. I don't remember where I saw it, but I remember reading that the later the Yanks got into the season and the more Proctor was used then the more effective he became.

There isn't a perfect way at handling a bullpen, I think it comes down to exactly what was said up above:
******* the strength of your bullpen only depends on how well your starters do.

If Torre has starters that constantly pitch deep into games then you'll see much better bullpen usage. What the hell was he suppose to do when Jaret Wright was pitching and the night before Randy gives up 6 in the first four innings? You don't have an endless supply of players to pick from, unfortunately when you are trying to win the division you do everything possible to win the games. But no....I can see your logic on how it was all Torre's fault and he's only to blame. A lot of people of people should be blamed, and it starts with the starters.

~~~A lot of people of people should be blamed, and it starts with the starters.~~~

Or, the guy who brought the starters on to the team, no?

Yes, much of the past bullpen issues have been predicated on the ineffectiveness of the starters. But Torre is NOTORIOUS for using high leverage guys (Farnsworth, Proctor, Tom Gordon, Quantrill, et. al.) for low leverage situations (up by six runs in the eighth). It is maddening, and if you peruse the game logs, you will see that this is in fact part of the problem.

"Or, the guy who brought the starters on to the team, no?"

Yep, Cashman and Tampa brought last year's starters on the team. Isn't that right? If that's the case Torre was trying to deflect criticism from them. Isn't that what you were trying to write or were you trying to dance around.

~~~If that's the case Torre was trying to deflect criticism from them. Isn't that what you were trying to write or were you trying to dance around.~~~

I don't think Joe was trying to deflect criticism from anyone else - but himself. "We"? Really?

In "The Pride & The Pressure" it states that Cashman was not happy with the way Joe would burn the pen. Torre, and Torre alone, is the reason why some guys were called on too often, IMHO.

He should have said "I" and not "we."

I could see your logic until you later wrote to blame the guy who brought the starters on to the team.

OK, yes, I say "Blame Torre" - but, yes, then I say, to those who want to blame the starters and not Torre, "Blame the one who brought in the starters." However, yes, for the record, I blame Torre - before blaming the guy who brought in the starters.