A David Robertson rehab update

by 41 Comments

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David Robertson is hitting the road with the Yankees this week, and while he isn’t ready to be activated yet, he has begun a throwing program that will determine the rest of his season. Prior to Wednesday’s game, Robertson threw from 60 feet, and he will do it again tonight before the Yanks take on the Mariners. If all goes according to plan and the right-hander’s progress continues apace, Robertson would probably be activated when the Yanks take on the Royals in from Sept. 28-30. With Brian Bruney’s frustratingly annoying ineffectiveness, the Yanks’ pen would be considerably strengthened if Robertson can come back this season and play a role during October.

In news tangentially related to the Yankees, the A’s have shut down Brett Tomko for the rest of the season with nerve damage in his right arm. Tomko was just three days removed from his first complete game shut out since 2005 when the A’s made this announcement. He hadn’t thrown 114 pitches in a game since May of 2006. So much for that whole Mitre/Tomko debate we had on Wednesday.

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  • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

    You just wanted an excuse to use the word “apace”.

    Flexing the ol’ AP English chops, trying to buff up the resume for the LoHud opening, eh, Kabak?

    • Sleeping with the enemy

      +1

    • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

      The funny thing about AP English and newspaper writing is that AP English is far too advanced for journalistic style. Journalists and teachers always say to write for an 8th or 9th grade reading level because that attracts the most readers.

      • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

        It’s taking all the restraint in my body to make an alex gonzalez joke here.

        Let’s move on.

        • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

          to NOT make an alex gonzalez joke here.

          (Damn, I’m slippin.)

      • Makavelli

        They say you should write that way in business too. So, apparently…you should only use AP English if you’re writing a novel or non-fictional piece of literature…

  • Sleeping with the enemy

    the debate is still relevent…if he were here over the last month instead of Serg the team would have a better record(if he gave us the same performance ….yadayada…)

    BTW D-Rob=96 Mo

    • Accent Shallow

      BTW D-Rob=96 Mo

      Spluh?

      Robertson is good and all, but I wouldn’t equate Hughes with Mo v.1996, and Hughes has been much better than Robertson.

    • Makavelli

      BTW D-Rob=96 Mo

      Dogs and Cats…living together…MASS HYSTERIA!!!

    • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

      BTW D-Rob=96 Mo

      Phil Hughes begs to differ.

      For the brouhaha over Mitre, the Yanks are 5-4 in his starts. Maybe they’d be 6-3 in Tomko’s starts had he stuck around and duplicated his success. But as I said on Wednesday, that’s where the fallacy of the predetermined outcome enters the picture.

      • Sleeping with the enemy

        My question to you is, Was Mariano a uber pitching prospect? (hughes level?) or more on the Drob level???

        • Makavelli

          At first glance, I read that as if it were a typo “drob” to “drab”…

          So I will continue with my answer accordingly…

          Mariano was not on the drab level. Although he may have done a one time male escort service before the minors…

      • Bo

        Just because the team is good and winning Mitres starts doiesnt mean he should keep going out there.

        WHy wouldnt they look to improve that spot? You think teams believe in luck?

        • nick blasioli

          the la

          the last pitcher that gave up four home runs in a game has never been heard from again…i wish the same to mitre..he sucks…

    • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

      if he were here over the last month instead of Serg the team would have a better record(if he gave us the same performance ….yadayada…)

      Fallacy of the Predetermined Outcome.

      /Kay’d

  • Accent Shallow

    A healthy Robertson would absolutely be good news.

    Second item on the agenda: getting him to throw more strikes.

    • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

      Actually, his strike percentage is 62%. That is exactly on line with the MLB average.

      • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
      • Accent Shallow

        In that case, on to his walk rate!

        4.8/9, as opposed to an AL league average of 3.4/9

        • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

          Yeah. That’s the problem. I’m not sure throwing fewer balls is a realistic demand though. Perhaps throwing balls that are closer to the strike zone would cut down the walk right because hitters would be more inclined to swing at borderline balls. I’m just thinking out loud here.

          • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

            Impressive vocabular: check
            Ability to think on your feet: check
            Operator of two totally awesome kick-ass blogs: check

            Only one thing is missing: Two first names. Kabak has to go. From now on, you’re Ben Jonathan.

            • Sleeping with the enemy

              These pretzels are making me thirsty

              • Makavelli

                What kind of a name is Todd Gak anyway?

                • Sleeping with the enemy

                  You Gak?…Yea…Well here your Change……
                  Best show of all time btw imho

          • Makavelli

            AJ Burnett is actually walking less batters…but is giving up WAY more hits…perhaps because he is throwing more pitches “in the zone”…

            So sometimes you have to take your pick…

            • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

              In his case, throwing a pitch out of the zone would benefit him. I noticed that last weekend against the Orioles. As silly as it sounds, he threw too many strikes, especially in that one bad inning when he was 0-2 on nearly every batter he faced.

              • Sleeping with the enemy

                Notice how Ben ignores TSJC…..

                • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

                  He’s being coy. Or humble.

                  Possibly coymble.

              • Makavelli

                Yeah, if you look at his last 5 starts…

                In 29.1 innings pitched, he’s walked 12, allowed 33 hits and 8 home runs. He’s thrown a total of 518 pitches, 328 for strikes. That’s not that bad. It’s the hits and the type of hits that are concerning.

                Even with filthy stuff, if you leave too many over the plate…you’re going to pay for it. I wonder if they notice this yet…or even if it’s actually the problem?

              • Bo

                Actually being effectively wild takes great control. To miss in spots where you can’t be hurt is an art.

            • Rick in Boston

              Um, he’s not walking fewer batters:

              BB/9
              2009: 4.3
              2008: 3.5
              2007: 3.6
              2006: 2.6
              2005: 3.4
              2004: 2.9

              • Makavelli

                I didn’t mean he was walking few compared to other years in his career…I was talking about the last 5 starts…he’s walked fewer than that 4.3 average in his last 5 starts…

                • Rick in Boston

                  Gotcha. If you go back to his first start after his 6 BB game against the Sox (7 starts):

                  43.1 IP
                  16 BB
                  44 K
                  9 HR
                  49 H
                  63.8% of pitches for strikes vs. 61% for the year

                  So yeah, more strikes but the ball seems to be getting hit more than he’d like.

  • Free Mike Vick

    i wish the yankees would shut Sergio Mitre down……..FOREVER!!!

  • http://bronxbaseballdaily.com Matt ACTY/BBD

    Hurry back, Dave. Hurry back.

  • Bo

    Robertson earned his post season spot. You just cannot trust Bruney in high leverage spots especially with runners on base. The walks are a big concern.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-HaIGTCOgQ gio

    Doesn’t Tomko’s injury classify as a case of the “fallacy of the predetermined outcome”, just as his success in Oakland did? You can’t say that he definitely would have gotten hurt if he were still pitching for the Yankees.

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