Game 57: Twins beat Farnsworth and Yankees, 6-5

June 3, 2008

By DailySkew

Andy Pettitte didn’t have it last night on nationwide television.
Neither did Kyle Farnsworth (0-2, 4.81) or the Yankees hitters with runners in scoring position.

The Minnesota Twins rallied quite a few times to split the 4-game series with the Yankees, who were leading this series 2 games to 0, and were hoping for a sweep.

Instead, the Yankees looked outclasses these last 2 games. The Twins sure look like a pesky team with good pitching and excellent defense that plays extremely well at the Metrodome. Since the League is playing like it’s 1985, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that a team like the Twins is in contention.

Anyway, the big hype is that Joba Chamberlain will be making his starting debut tonight…against Toronto Blue Jays ACE Roy Halladay.

Now here’s my Joe Girardi/Kyle Farnsworth problem:

I understand how Joe wants to give the guy confidence, and Kyle has not been a clubhouse cancer this year, BUT Kyle has shown us that he CAN’T pitch in any amount of pressure situations. He’s a mop-up man…at best. But Girardi loves him for a few reasons, and I think I have an insight into Girardi’s thinking:

1) Kyle makes a LOT of money, and needs to be used
2) Girardi has not put any reliever in the “Joe Torre Doghouse” yet, and uses everyone equally
3) Everyone gets work in Girardi’s bullpen
4) He sees Kyle 98 MPH+ fastball and loves the potential
5) He sees Kyle as a proven veteran who can be a setup man
6) Kyle has shown improvements in attitude and even learned a cutter, although he can’t throw it as good as Rivera (no one can)
7) Girardi just doesn’t give up on someone just because the previous administration said that person sucked

And that’s the problem- Girardi thinks he can reform Kyle. No amount of therapy can reform Kyle. With pitching being dominant for the first time in decades this year, Kyle is giving up homerun after homerun. He needs to be banished to the backend of the bullpen or, better yet, traded to the White Sox.