Betances more than
YANKEE FANS still wincing over David Robertson’s defection to the White Sox — and wondering who will become the team’s new closer — can take comfort in knowing that flame-throwing Dellin Betances is ready for whatever plans Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi have in mind.
“Whatever it is to help the team win, I’m all for it,” Betances said Friday at the Stadium. “I’ll come in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth (inning), whatever they want me to do. I just want to win. I just want to be able to help the team win.”
Cashman has already signed stud lefty reliever Andrew Miller — another potential option to close — but after Betances’ stellar 2014 season, it would be easy to envision the New York City product climbing atop the Stadium mound in a crucial save situation. Betances, 26, was the primary bridge to Robertson this past season, and he earned his first All-Star honors while racking up a whopping 135 strikeouts in 90 innings. His ERA was a minuscule, Mariano Rivera-like 1.40. Betances said if he was asked to close next year, it wouldn’t be that big of an adjustment.
“For me, I think I’ll just try to treat everything the same. No matter what happens, even if it’s the seventh, eighth, ninth, fifth, I’m gonna try to treat it the same way,” said Betances, who was at the Stadium to help hand out toys to kids in the Great Hall, part of the club’s fifth annual Bronx Winter Wonderland. “I know obviously it’s a different role, but I’m just looking forward to helping the team win, no matter what situation they want me in.”
Betances called Miller “a high-strikeout guy that gets both lefties and righties out,” but the tall righthander heaped praise on the other Yankee bullpen cogs as well.
“We still have (Adam) Warren and (Shawn) Kelley, a bunch of guys down there that will help us out as well,” Betances said. “I believe in the guys we have down there.”
Robertson, who had 39 saves last year, signed a fouryear, $46 million deal with the White Sox this week. Betances said he was surprised by the move but happy for his former teammate. “He did a hell of a job last year,” Betances said of Robertson. “I guess he found a good fit for him. I’m happy for him. He got a good contract. It’s good for him and his family.”
Betances said that both Robertson and the retired Rivera bestowed sound advice upon him and the other younger relievers while they were still pitching for the Yankees, and said he would take that advice to heart entering his second full season with the Bombers.
“Just have a short memory, no matter what happens. Believe in yourself. There’s always better days ahead. There’s times that things aren’t going to go your way, but that’s why we play so many games,” Betances said. “That’s why I l ove pitching out of the bullpen.”
The Yankees have yet to make a big splashy move this winter, but Betances said he likes the Bombers on paper, and that health is the key to a successful season, when the club hopes to make the playoffs after missing the postseason the past two years.
“I think if we get all the guys that were hurt last year — CC (Sabathia) missed a long time, (Masahiro) Tanaka, (Michael) Pineda, (Ivan) Nova, (Carlos) Beltran was banged up a little bit — if we get all those guys back, I think we’ll be all right,” said Betances. “I believe in our team. I’m excited to start the new year.”