DON'T FORGET ABOUT DAVID AARDSMA!

The Yankees have a lot of things to address right now, especially with the big bats down and out for the count. Right now fans need something to feel good about, we need a silver lining. Hopefully, this is that silver lining. Our bullpen is going to be a bright spot for us again this year, and while some may be concerned with what could happen if Mariano Rivera is injured, I'm not.

I know that sounds weird. Not that I want to lose Mo, but there are options. One of them isn't even being talked about right now and I don't understand why. There is nothing being said about David Aardsma so far this year, nothing. Try searching for any sort of news on him and it just isn't there. He has been pitching, he has even thrown four full bullpen sessions and hasn't felt any pain or discomfort. This guy will be a diamond in the rough for us this year, I just have a gut feeling.

Some people have some serious reservations about Aardsma, and that is understandable. Tommy John surgery is a big deal, and players can really struggle to recover. Right now, staying healthy is the first step after that the sky is the limit. Aardsma has been out of the game for awhile now, but he has the drive to be successful. We are going to need all of the pitching help we can get to keep us in games where we rely on the big bats. We just don't have them. However, we do have depth and talent.

I like Aardsma because he is a gritty player and he won't be rattled easily. It's not easy to be on the big stage, especially not in New York but I believe in him. Outside of a short experiment of using David Robertson as the closer, he is our only reliever with experience pitching in the ninth inning. He had a very respectable 69 out of 78 save opportunities with the Mariners from 2009-2010. We just don't have that experience with the rest of our team. I like his experience and right now we need all we can get and he knows he has a lot to prove. I think he has a lot of knowledge to share with the team, and he could be a great resource to any of the other young arms the Yankees use this season. Passion can be a great, and I think that alone is going to bring out even more of the natural competitive side that he has. He wants this opportunity, and I can't wait to see it happen for him.

I think the fans are going to love what he brings to the table. He welcomes the challenge and once fans see what he is capable of they are going to feel a lot better. I remember before he got hurt he was a pretty hard thrower. I was particularly impressed with his fastball, but that isn't the only pitch he has. He was always good at fooling the hitters. I think that is the best weapon he has, he is deceiving because he has a career 9.08K / 9 innings. That is going to be a huge advantage for the Yankees. Who couldn't use a strikeout machine on the team?

I think Aardsma deserves a little more hype right now. He's been off of the radar for a long time now, and right now I think the fact that he has been overlooked is going to be an advantage for us. I don't think hitters will know what to expect from him. It's been a long road back for him but I think he is going to seize the opportunity. This is a secret weapon for the Yankees.

I am waiting to see this guy take the mound. It's long overdue. I am officially on Aardsma watch, are you?

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer and Editor

Twitter: @NyPrincessJ




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