Friday, February 5, 2010

Spring Preview: Bullpen

Damaso Marte

2009 Stats: He blew during the regular season, was impressive in the post-season.

During the 2009 regular season, when he wasn't rehabbing an injury the Yankees made up just to get him off the team in AAA, Marte was the anti-Mariano. When Marte would come into a game, it was over. But it was over for the Yankees. No lead was safe. Mothers would cover their children's eyes in the stands, while shrieks of horror emanated from the Bleacher Creatures in right field. Then September became October and Marte the suck-@$$ became a reliable lefty out of the 'pen. It's not clear what caused the turn around. But the Yankees are hoping Marte continues to pitch well into 2010 and that he can be a reliable lefty out of the 'pen from April through November in 2010.

2010 Prediction:

Honestly, I suspect that Marte will have a sort of on and off regular season, but will once again pitch well in the postseason.

Little Known Marte Fact:

Marte's nickname in the clubhouse is Marte McFly. Initially, he thought it was because of his oft professed love for the Back to the Future trilogy. His locker is literally plastered with 80s era movie posters for the films. Then one of the clubbies broke it to him after the last game of the regular season that they called him that because when he pitched, balls flew out of the stadium. Marte wept, but he pulled himself together and pitched well through the World Series.

9 comments:

Rich Mahogany said...

These previews have opened my eyes to the remarkable amount of weeping that goes on in major league baseball. What a sensitive group these ballplayers are.

Fernando Alejandro said...

Tom Hanks deceived us all when he said there was no crying in baseball. In reality, crying is part of the natural order.

Anonymous said...

This made me laugh so hard, probably because it's true. Anyway, he was FILTHY during the playoffs and I hope he keeps that up. I actually think he'll be very good during the regular season, but again, I'm gonna be OPTIMISTIC! about this year.

Best/worst memory of Dama-so nasty last year: when he freaked out after Youkilis hit that home run off of him in the first Yankee/Red Sox game.

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

I liked when the Yankees sent him to AAA to rehab a broken heart. They weren't even trying at that point.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, going to the DL for the mysterious "suckitis" was a pretty popular thing last year (see also Wang, Chien-Ming; Matsuzaka, Daisuke; and I'm sure other examples exist).

Jon Roberts said...

Isn't Wang actually recovering from his injury still? I thought that was more a case of other front office people being douche bags when talking to the douches at ESPN. That was my take any way since Wang had surgery and is expecting to be ready for minor league starts in mid may.

They should re-sign him and when he is ready just have Joba and Hughes work concessions.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I think so, and I'm sure his medical report is NOT a very pretty place.

Imagine the 2009 Yankees with 2006 CMW. (drool)

Rich Mahogany said...

Marte's strikeouts of Utley and Howard in Game 6 of the WS justified his entire contract.

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

That's very true, Rich.

Yeah, Wang's injury was definitely mishandled, beginning with the rehab of the foot injury suffered in '08. I think that, more so than the arbitration hearing, is why Wang holds the Yankees with some level of contempt.