Now, I’m in no way stating that Wade is the only guy contributing in the Yankees pen... no way, but he is helping. Clearly, Mariano Rivera, David Robertson and Luis Ayala are kicking ass and need to be recognized, but Wade is a breath of fresh air for sure.
He played for the Dodgers and the Rays before coming to New York. According to the Daily News, Cashman stated that the timing couldn’t have been better; Wade opted out of the Rays contract and Joba was put on a shelf.
Now, there is concerned about Wade being overused in the past and this stems back to his days with the Dodgers with manager Joe Torre. In 2007, he pitched 55 games but in 2008 he needed shoulder surgery.
In my opinion, if the Yankees don’t over use Wade, he could be just what the doctor ordered, as far as reliable relief in the bullpen. So far this year he’s 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 3.2 innings. He has 3 strikeouts and hasn’t allowed a hit yet. While that sample is tiny, it’s a clear indication that he can be affective. While his fast ball hits only about 90, that’s not his specialty. His specialty is his changeup and curveball.
The one highlight that really sticks in my mind as of late for Wade is that huge strikeout of Josh Hamilton in the Rangers series earlier in the week. To me, that put Wade on the map for New York, and it also gave him huge confidence that he belongs in pinstripes. He was immediately embraced by Yankee fans because let’s face it, we want winners. That K was a win because Hamilton is so damn dangerous, so good for Wade, welcome to New York.
Root for this kid, I see big things, plus he can learn a lot from Mariano and Robertson, the anchors right now in the Yankees bullpen. So far so good Cash, good idea signing this kid.
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Corey Wade is truly a blessing for our beleaguered bullpen.
ReplyDeleteAnother current Yankee, like Martin, positively contributing with a Dodger Blue-Torre nexus !!!