Betances takes a ‘lighter’ approach to 2018
TA M PA — Dellin Betances’ body was never s l oppy, but t hat di dn’ t stop the right-handed reliever from shaving 14 pounds during the winter.
“I ate better and have more energy. My body feels good,’’ said Betances, who hired a chef for the month he spent working out in the Dominican Republic and is down to 264 pounds. “Hopefully I can start strong and f inish strong. The last couple of years I haven’t finished liked I wanted to.’’
Though Betances, who will be 30 in late March, was an AL All-Star for the fourth s t ra i ght s eason, his final 11 regular season games were rough and impacted his role in the postseason.
From Sept. 4-29, Betances was 0-1 with a blown save and a 6.23 ERA. He issued seven walks, hit two batters and whiffed a dozen. Opposing hitters batted just .194 but posted a .375 on-base percentage and a .794 OPS.
Control problems continued to hurt Betances, who walked f ive in four postseason innings and had a 4.50 ERA.
In addition to losing weight, Betances concentrated on improving his mechanics with the hope of gaining better control.
“I worked on repeating my delivery as much as I could, fastball command and throwing the breaking ball for strikes,’’ Betances said.
With the emergence of Chad Green and Tommy Kahnle, and David Robertson’s experience, it’s a crowded and talented bullpen. Outside of Aroldis Chapman, roles haven’t been defined.
When general manager Brian Cash man arrived at George M. Stein brenner Field on Tuesday morning, he was asked by The Post if he cared to address the bruising remarks made toward him by Hall of Famer and ex-Yankee Goose Gos
sage the day before. “Let me settle in,’’ Cashman said. Cashman opted to avoid the subject later in the afternoon. Giancarlo Stanton’s locker is on the near righthand wall when you enter the Yankees’ clubhouse at GMS Field. When he is expected to beginning working out at the nearby minor league complex isn’t known.
Nor has Aaron Boone locked into a plan to rotate Aaron Judge — who has been working out at the minor league complex after undergoing left shoulder surgery last fall — and Stanton among left field, right field and DH.
“We have guys who are tremendous players and both guys are really good defenders as well,’’ Boone said. “They are quality individuals, and it is about winning for them. With that comes some sacrifice and so far there is a lot of buyin from those guys about being in some different spots. It is something that is not set in stone right now and will unfold over the next five or six weeks.’’
Cashman said recently
the starting center field job is Aaron Hicks’ to lose but added Jacoby
Ellsbury deserved a chance to win the spot during spring training.
Boone addressed the issue Tuesday.
“He is in great shape, confident and one of those guys who is really hungry,’’ Boone said of Hicks, who took over when Ellsbury suffered a concussion last season. “That said, it’ s along season and a long spring training and Jacoby Ellsbury, we feel like has a lot of good baseball left in him.’’