Being a baseball fan for many years and a Yankee Hater from way back being an Indians fan (who btw swept the Tigers this weekend at Detroit).
I love seeing the Yanks go in the tank. True it is early , but their lineup is aging. The pitching staff is a few weeks shy of applying for Social Security and they lost Gary Sheffield. They have plenty of time to pull the season together. I think it is doubtful though this time they will pull it out. Giambi isn't hitting, Mariano Rivera is starting to show his age and again quite frankly the Yanks pitching staff is weak. Starters specially. I don't know how much Clemens can do for the Yanks, and I wonder if he still has enough talent and stamina to pitch the way he did the last two years.
Bullpens are more effective if your starting pitcher gives you seven innings. When you start putting relievers in the game in the 5th and 6th innings you overtax your bullpen. Middle relief generally does well when used sparingly....maybe every two or three days instead of everyday. The closer is usually good for an inning. If you pitch him more then that you best find a closer for the next day. And if you're throwing the closer in the game in the 8th inning, it means your bullpen as a whole is over worked and in need of a rest.....or.........middle relief is failing. Bad situations.
