Farnsworthless Reappears,McAllister & Betances Dominant

Not the most exciting game I've seen at the stadium, but hey, at least the real Kyle Farnsworth stood up. Two homers, three runs coughed up during a one-run game that Andy Pettitte scratched and clawed through turned a nail-biter into another ugly Yankees loss. Like every baseball fan already knows, Farnsworth can string together a couple weeks of good pitching, but every time he's placed in a pressure spot he'll fold, as today once again proves.

Joba Chamberlain has been going to the curveball with much more regularity. Maybe the Yankees have told him to refine his curve and changeup in preparation for joining the starting rotation. Maybe I'm putting the cart before the horse. Either way, Carlos Delgado won a hard fought battle, resulting in a much needed insurance run as the Mets earned an important 7-4 win.

Mark Melancon and JB Cox continue to move up the ranks. Soon the words Farnsworth and pressure situation will be aliens to a Yankee fan's vocabulary.

- Meanwhile, in the lower ranks:

Charleston young guns Zach McAllister [20] and Dellin Betances [20] are making real progress. McAllister has been especially dominant: 49 innings, 44 hits, 43 strikeouts, 7 walks, 2.20 ERA. The 6:1 ratio of strikeouts to walks and 2.66 GO/AO are video game numbers and his last outing was extremely impressive.

After the only terrible outing of his 2008 campaign [8 runs on 11 hits over 3 innings], McAllister dominated in his next start by tossing 7 shutout innings, striking out 11 and walking zero. Though he is still a youngan, McAllister has already outclassed the Sally League competition and is deserving of a Tampa promotion.

Betances, in the meantime, has been striking out batters left and right. Unfortunately, he's also been handing out walks like they're going out of style. Over 47 innings Betances has only allowed 27 hits and struck out a ridiculous 57 batters [while walking an equally noticeable 32], with a 3.26 ERA and .167 batting average against. A source in Charleston let me know Betances has been sitting 92-94 mph with his fastball and hitting 96 on occasion.

Like McAllister, Betances had suffered the worst start of his 2008 season a week ago before recovering extremely well yesterday by throwing 6 no-hit innings and striking out 8 batters before being pulled for pitchcount. (Betances is regularly held to 90 pitches and was taken out of the game after throwing 94 last night) According to multiple forums, Betances was sitting at 94 mph all night, hit 95 on the gun 15 times and topped out at 97.

Though Betances has the higher ceiling, McAllister is obviously showing the greater command and maturity. Before the season started, Brian Cashman decreed both elite arms would spend the entire season at Charleston. However, McAllister has already proven to need a higher level of competition and Betances may soon follow suit - if he can ever reduce his current walk rate of 6.80 b/9.

Finally, the much anticipated return of Christian Garcia took place tonight as the oft-injured pitching prospect threw 4.2 innings for Tampa, allowed 6 hits, 1 earned run, struck out 6 and walked 1. Garcia has been making his way back from Tommy John and serious knee surgeries and, when healthy, possesses some of the best stuff in the entire Yankees farm system. Keep an eye on Garcia this year as he is an very intriguing project.

The Softer Side of Farnsworthless

Johnny Damon thinks Kyle Farnsworth has a bad rap, according to a Daily News piece:

"I always saw Kyle as a guy who went out there and threw hard, worked out - and of course, I'd seen the highlights of him body-slamming guys," says Johnny Damon, whose wife, Michelle, is a friend of Pert's. "When we started hanging out a lot, I saw how different he is. Seeing how great he is with his kids, how laid back he is, he's an awesome guy. It's amazing how a reputation can follow you."

This family man image is news to me considering Farnsworth's rumored legendary pension for extramarital activities.

Farnsworthless Puts The Blame On Torre. Kyle Farnsworth is a funny guy. In today's New York Post, the fastballer suggests Joe Torre and Ron Guidry's blueprint to keep him from pitching on back to back days hurt his chances for a successful season.

"They never came up to me and asked me (about working consecutive games)," Farnsworth said. "I don't know where that came about."

Kyle, the "no pitching on consecutive days" plan was not to protect you from yourself, but to protect the team from your untimely gopher balls. Can't blame Torre for every bullpen arm.

Farnsworthless had staph infection. Kyle Farnsworth, resident save-blower [and meathead in Roger Clemens' absence], revealed he suffered a serious staph infection which required hospitalization in January. The malady required Farnsworth's left leg to be immobilized for three weeks and the relief pitcher believes the infection began with "a mosquito bite." He said the incident did not derail his offseason regimen very much - which presumably involves shotgunning Schlitz beers and hunting field mice.

Cashman: Three Penciled In For Pen

According to an Anthony McCarron of the Daily News, Brian Cashman intimated the Yankees currently have three definite bullpen pieces in Mariano Rivera, Kyle Farnsworth and LaTroy Hawkins. We're talking about The Sandman, a Farnsworthless and a sixth inning reliever.

From the article:

"The pen is a work in progress," Cashman said. "We'll have a lot of competition in spring training. As long as you have quality competing for those spots, that's good. We have guys with a lot of potential. If they're ready now or later, we'll have to see.

"For the most part, we like the talent we have against the market at the prices the market is demanding."

Cashman said prized prospects such as Jeff Marquez and Alan Horne might be in the bullpen mix, along with Ross Ohlendorf, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Steven White, Jeff Karstens, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton and Jonathan Albaladejo. Lefties Kei Igawa, Sean Henn and Chase Wright will vie for pen spots, Cashman said.

He forgot to include Mark Melancon, J. Brent Cox, Humberto Sanchez and most prominently, Kevin Whelan, who could be knocking on the major league door come May.

* The New York Post has another Cashman piece, reiterating his redundant but slick mantra:

Cashman Is Focused On Doing Job Not Keeping It.