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It's a nice article overall. It says things about why he'd chosen the Yanks. What intrigued me, as it was mentioned to me by the person sending it, is that Torre said that Sturtze may be used to setup also. I'm not sure if it'll be to spell Farnsworth some guys, or merely to do 2 innings whenever he can.
Either case, if Sturtze is injury-free, that could be a good thing, as he's already played in the Bronx.
Yankees' New Setup Man Chose to Leave the Comforts of Home
Either case, if Sturtze is injury-free, that could be a good thing, as he's already played in the Bronx.
Yankees' New Setup Man Chose to Leave the Comforts of Home
TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 19 — Every day, Kyle Farnsworth wakes up at his home in Orlando, five minutes from the Atlanta Braves' spring training complex, and drives about 90 minutes southwest to Legends Field. He grew up in Georgia and lived 45 minutes from Turner Field in Atlanta last summer.
So why does Farnsworth have an "NY" on his chest instead of the Braves' tomahawk? The Braves tried to re-sign him as their closer, but Farnsworth chose the Yankees, even though he did not know any former Yankees who could prepare him for life in the Bronx.
"It would have been perfect there, but it was just one of those things," Farnsworth said Sunday, referring to Atlanta. "I didn't have any bad thoughts. To me, the Yankees were the best team out there."
The Yankees also pursued him most aggressively, offering $17 million over three years, $2 million more than the Braves' three-year offer. But if money had been the deciding factor, Farnsworth said, he would have signed with the Texas Rangers, where he could have made $21 million over four years.
Manager Joe Torre said Farnsworth would be interchangeable with Tanyon Sturtze as a setup man for closer Mariano Rivera. Another right-hander, Octavio Dotel, is coming back from elbow surgery and could be ready by June.
Torre's plan is to use those pitchers for no more than an inning at a time, to keep them strong. The season will probably stretch to October, when Farnsworth should get a chance to prove himself again.
"That's where the best are," he said. "That's where everything's spotlighted. That's the time to shine."
So why does Farnsworth have an "NY" on his chest instead of the Braves' tomahawk? The Braves tried to re-sign him as their closer, but Farnsworth chose the Yankees, even though he did not know any former Yankees who could prepare him for life in the Bronx.
"It would have been perfect there, but it was just one of those things," Farnsworth said Sunday, referring to Atlanta. "I didn't have any bad thoughts. To me, the Yankees were the best team out there."
The Yankees also pursued him most aggressively, offering $17 million over three years, $2 million more than the Braves' three-year offer. But if money had been the deciding factor, Farnsworth said, he would have signed with the Texas Rangers, where he could have made $21 million over four years.
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Manager Joe Torre said Farnsworth would be interchangeable with Tanyon Sturtze as a setup man for closer Mariano Rivera. Another right-hander, Octavio Dotel, is coming back from elbow surgery and could be ready by June.
Torre's plan is to use those pitchers for no more than an inning at a time, to keep them strong. The season will probably stretch to October, when Farnsworth should get a chance to prove himself again.
"That's where the best are," he said. "That's where everything's spotlighted. That's the time to shine."
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