INSIDE THE MINDSET OF THE OPENER

Source: AP

The Yankees did not pick up a stud starter at the trade deadline.  They decided to go with the team they have.  Jim Collins the author of Good to Great stated, “People aren’t your most important asset... the right people are.” The Yankees believe they have all the right people and that includes a bull pen that is nimble; nimble enough to take on different roles in the rotation including the opener role.

When YES Network's Meredith Marakovits asked Jonathan Holder if he minded being called upon to be last night's opener, he smiled as said he loved the idea.  That's the kind of heart and soul that's on this Yankee team: guys willing to do what it takes to win.  Perhaps that's why you see guys like Mike Tauchman stepping up the way he is.  The Yankees put more of priority on defense instead of spending a pretty penny on a starter who may only be a rental.  Brian Cashman wanted more and he built this team based on potential and giving guys with that potential an opportunity to play everyday.

Source: AP

"Rather than question his own front office and bemoan the state of his rotation, which put up a 6.18 ERA in July and still has major holes, Boone pronounced his team “ready to roll” with what it had," reported the Washington Post.  Part of the ready to roll is the opener strategy, which has been embraced by Chad Green, who has gone 9-0 when leveraged in that role.

Source: USA Today

“I struggled really bad the first three or four weeks of the season,” Green said this past week. “For me, my fastball command was so bad at the beginning of the year that I put myself into a hole,” reported Newsday.  But since being leveraged as a starter, he's been nothing short of stellar and has really lifted the Yankees when they needed it most.  Green and Holder are close teammates. They do a lot of talking and have shared their mindset and insights about opening, how that changes things a bit when it comes to their routine and even who they are facing at the plate in the one to two innings they pitch.

The opener strategy is here to stay at least for the Yankees this season.  Even though many believe they won't have to employ it in the post season, Boone is not ruling anything out.  His team is ready for any challenge.  They have the mindset for it.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof