Do The Yankees Want K-Rod When They Already Have David Robertson?

Earlier this month, New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez said that he was open to setting up for Mariano Rivera in the New York Yankee bullpen. To him it seemed like a good idea, going across town to the Bronx and setting up for Mariano, but the Yankees don’t seem to be interested in him as they have one of there elite weapons in the bullpen, David Robertson.

In the bullpen so far this season, David Robertson has pitched in 34 games. In those 34 games he’s pitched 31.1 innings, 22 hits, 5 runs only 4 of them earned, 0 HR, 0 HB (hit batsmen), 20 BB, 3 IBB, 50 K’s and has held opponents to a .190 AVG. Since Robertson had became the 8th inning guy after Joba Chamberlain had Tommy John surgery, Robertson has also only gave up only 1 run in 8 starts.

If K-Rod really wanted a job to set up Rivera then it would be tough to pry the job from Robertson’s hands, who happens to slipped comfortable into his 8th inning role. Since Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano, Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte went down in the bullpen, Robertson had became the Yankees most reliable pitcher and maybe the most important pitcher whose name isn’t Mariano Rivera.

Just last week though, the Mets said they weren’t interested in dealing K-Rod to the Yankees and were in no rush to deal Rodriguez, who is in the last year of his deal before he becomes a free agent. The Yankees can all agree that David Robertson has All-Star numbers and should probably go to the All-Star game, but Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman don’t feel the interest in having K-Rod take over Robertson’s role that he has cemented and done so well, able to baffle hitters into hitting under .200 against him. David Robertson is the Yankees most elite pitcher in the bullpen and he won’t be easily replaced after he had done his job so well, and if Robertson continues pitching the way he is pitching, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Robertson in a long term contract with the Yankees