MLB News & Notes (other than Cubs or Sox)

[rok]

After reading this, I'm even more happy that Warren is gone. Lots of excuses until the very end. So much for the performance bump from going from the AL East to the NL Central.

http://nypost.com/2016/07/27/why-yankees...lpen-cure/

Why Yankees believe in Adam Warren as bullpen cure


HOUSTON Elite power relievers represent Joe Gerardi's greatest baseball addiction.


Just hours after vowing to use Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller less frequently, the Yankees manager turned to Betances for one out and Miller for three outs Tuesday night to close out the Yankees 6-3 victory over the Astros at Minute Maid Park, lifting the Yankees to another high-water mark at 52-48.


That's two games in two days and three in four days for the Yankees Big Two, so I won't use them tomorrow, Girardi said, adding an off day Thursday will give the duo 48 hours of rest.


If the Yankees own a late-inning lead on Wednesday night, you can bank on Adam Warren returning to the clubs late-inning mix in a more high-profile manner. Once a low-key, drafted and developed treasure, he now becomes both a crucial bullpen piece to a long-shot playoff bid and a symbol of Yankees ownerships refusal to wave the white flag.


When the Yankees announced their trade of Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs for Warren and three minor leaguers including the Cubs top-rated prospect Gleyber Torres on Monday, general manager Brian Cashman said Warren's inclusion in the trade was an important selling point for Hal Steinbrenner's consideration.


"It gives me confidence," said Warren, whom the Yankees traded to the Cubs last December for Starlin Castro. "To have that kind of respect and belief, even though I haven't pitched that well this year at times, to have that confidence in me to come in here and fit right in, it says a lot. I'm excited to get back here and pitch."


"I feel that a lot of times it can be tough for players when they change teams, in the sense that you don't have those relationships," Girardi said. The coaches don't understand you maybe the way a guy who has been around you for three or four years will look for little things when you get out of whack."


There'/ a lot or talent in Adam Warren.


The Cubs saw little of that talent. The 28-year-old, who had recorded a 3.39 ERA in 147 games as a Yankee from 2012 through last year, tallied a dreadful 5.91 ERA in 29 games, including one start, for baseballs best team of 2016, drawing a demotion to Triple-A Iowa.


"I think mainly I never really had a set role," Warren said. "It's tough because I pride myself on my versatility, but not really knowing when you're coming [in], I felt like that was the hardest part for me."


His answer surprised because, as he noted, his versatility became his calling card with the Yankees.


"I think [Cubs manager Joe] Maddon plays off the matchups a lot, so instead of having your set times you come in, its more based on whos coming up," Warren said. "It's a little bit the National League as well. When I was here, I could kind of think along with Joe [Girardi] and [predict] who was going to go in. I had kind of a hard time doing that there."


Perhaps realizing the potential impact of his words, Warren concluded, "The main reason [for the poor results], I think, is I didnt pitch well there."