The ever-delicate Miss Farnsworth; rewind 9/13/07 Torre interview on WFAN

Thursday's last-minute "twinge" at a moment he was desperately needed was Kyle Farnsworth as he's been before. The Yankees had to follow his instructions--he asked out of the game v the White Sox, forcing Girardi to overuse someone else. Today, of course, we find out nothing was wrong with him. But he still doesn't pitch tonight in Cleveland when they could've used a supposedly major league pitcher. (Peter Abraham says Girardi wouldn't state one way or the other if he'd use Miss F., but he (F.) said he felt "fine." LohudYankeesBlog, 4/25). On the latest "twinge:"

• From MLB.com, 2:10AM, 4/25/08: CHICAGO -- "Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth slipped and felt

• a twinge

• in his right elbow as he delivered his final pitch on Thursday, making it likely that the club will make at least one roster move before Friday's game against the Indians....

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he had

• planned to send the right-hander out for the eighth inning

• before learning of the injury,

• which Farnsworth speculated could be

• an elbow strain.

"He slipped, and his arm felt

• a little funny," Girardi said.

• "We'll have to see how he is [on Friday].""

Source: "Farnsworth Injures Elbow After Slip," MLB.com by Bryan Hoch

• Friday's report filed at 6:50Pm by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. In an article about Brian Bruney's possibly season-ending injury, at the very end is word of Kyle:

"Farnsworth suffered a scare on Thursday at Chicago when he slipped and felt something in his right elbow, but he was examined by head trainer Gene Monahan on Friday in Cleveland and showed no strength issues.

"That one came out a lot better than Bruney's slip," Girardi said."

Source: "Bruney May be Lost for Season," by Bryan Hoch, 4/25/08******

• So it was nothing. And he's not in tonight (Friday) either.
• Following is a big example that it's been Farnsworth who backs out for his own reasons when he's needed most. From September 13, 2007 Joe Torre interview:

On 9/13/07, Joe Torre on WFAN, about which I posted--(Farnsworth backs out for at least 2 days but the media didn't know about it.

• Resulted in having to over use Joba and Rivera. In September.
• There is no way Torre would've chosen to do that.

From 9/13/07 about Farnsworth: " Joe Torre on WFAN with Mike and Chris, turns out Farnsworth had a problem with his neck when he got into town (Toronto) and wasn't available in the Wednesday night game v Toronto.... (special note for those who write the Yankees "baby" Farnsworth when it's Farnsworth who comes up with all the twinges, kinks, etc.)

• Torre also said Farnsworth will not be available tonight v Toronto (and AJ Burnett) either.
• Mike and Chris pressed Torre as to why he used Joba Chamberlain for 2 innings last night (it actually ended up being an inning & 2/3 with Mariano Rivera for an inning and a third), making him unavailable for at least 2 days.
• They asked why he didn't use Farnsworth for 1 of those innings, that's how the subject came up.
• Torre said no one else had asked him specifically about Farnsworth's condition in the past day or so.

It didn't make headlines, but I heard several times over 2006 and 2007 on Yankee radio that Farnsworth was asked to come into a game and just said no, couldn't for whatever reason. Leading Torre to have to abuse other relievers.

• As far as his supposed "multi inning" skill, from Baseball-Reference:

• In 2001, 1.08 ip/appearance

• In 2002 1.07 ip/appearance
• In 2003, 1.0 ip/appearance
• In 2004, .94 ip/ (pre-Joe Torre)
• In 2005, .97 ip/ (pre-Joe Torre)
• In 2006, .92 ip/
• In 2007, .93 ip/

P.S. On 12/2/2005, Boston.com reported Joe Torre call made the difference for Farnsworth. I posted then:

• "For Kyle Farnsworth, a telephone call from Joe Torre was the big reason he'll set up for Mariano Rivera rather than closing for the Atlanta Braves or the Texas Rangers. "Coming from Joe Torre, you know it's really true," Farnsworth said Friday after agreeing to the 3 year deal. He said he hadn't heard of the Rangers' interest until yesterday."
• Posted 12/2/2005 on this blog, linked to report from Boston.com. It still links to Boston.com, but the page isn't active.

Tweet Stumbleupon StumbleUpon