The New York Yankees may have left spring training with questions about their starting rotation, but the bullpen was considered a strength.
How many teams could afford to have Rafael Soriano, who saved 45 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010, as their seventh-inning go-to guy?
With David Robertson in the setup role and Mariano Rivera closing, all the Yankees were hoping for were six good innings from everyone in the rotation not named CC Sabathia.
That was then—this is now. Losing Rivera to a torn ACL when he caught his spikes on the warning track shagging flies in Kansas City immediately cast a shadow over the Yankees' expectations of getting back to the World Series this season.
Exit Sandman.
David Robertson got the first shot at replacing Rivera, and he appeared to be a different pitcher than the one who had been virtually untouchable since the beginning of 2011.
Robertson earned a shaky save in his first closing opportunity, and then blew a save and the game in his second appearance.
Now, Robertson is suffering from soreness in his left ribcage, which has landed him on the 15-day disabled list, according the Yankees' official Twitter account:
RHP David Robertson placed on 15-day DL with left oblique strain; RHP Cody Eppley recalled from SWB: atmlb.com/JeP6BE
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 15, 2012
Now no one knows when he will be healthy enough to get another shot.
Enter Soriano.
Just a few weeks ago, we were advocating trading him because it didn't seem to make sense to pay anyone $11 million to pitch the seventh inning.
A day after that article, Rivera tore his ACL and Soriano's stock took off.
He may not be Rivera—no one is—but given the injuries and ineffectiveness that have plagued a number of closers around the majors this season, Soriano almost immediately moves to the top of the list.
We understand why manager Joe Girardi gave Robertson first crack at the job.
He earned it with his performance, and he was looking increasingly like Rivera's heir apparent.
What may have been overlooked was the fact that Soriano was signed to a three-year free-agent contract—after his career year in 2010—to become the Yankees' setup man and perhaps the successor to Rivera.
Soriano got off to a slow start in 2011 before being injured. That gave Robertson an opportunity to pitch the eighth inning, and he excelled.
A lot of baseball people, however, say that going from the setup role to closing is a big leap in responsibility and the pressure it brings.
Robertson never had that responsibility before; Soriano had been through it in 2010, when the Rays made the playoffs.
Perhaps Robertson injured his ribcage because he was trying too hard and overthrowing.
Soriano, in contrast, is well-acquainted with closing.
He had six saves and a 1.80 ERA in the last month of the 2010 season, when the pressure was the greatest.
He did have a spotty postseason for the Rays, picking up a save in Game 4 against the Texas Rangers, but giving up runs in his two other appearances.
Nonetheless, as the Yankees' pitching problems mount with Ivan Nova's ankle injury, Soriano gives them some stability for the ninth inning.
He is 2-0 this season with a 2.57 ERA and has converted his only two save opportunities.
More importantly, he has been there and done that.
And the Yankees don't have the luxury of conducting auditions for Rivera's job right now.
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