RAMIRO MENDOZA has earned his way into the Yankee rotation. It is time we find out if he is really a 200-inning guy and 12-15-game winner or nothing more than a glorified middle reliever.
The Yankees have no Orlando Hernandez or Hideki Irabu waiting to send Mendoza to the pen this time. The No. 5 starter job, instead, was earmarked for Ed Yarnall, who no longer is even the ace at Columbus. Mendoza has been the good soldier for the past four seasons, with his role undefined and yet his displeasure never subverted the team. The good soldier should be honored with a legitimate chance to do what he wants, which is to be a permanent part of the rotation.
Yesterday, he made what David Cone called a “statement” to do just that, when he nearly turned a gray afternoon into another part of the Yankees’ incomparable history. He retired the first 19 Royals and had Scott Brosius been at third base instead of on the DL, Mendoza just might have pitched a perfect game.
As it was, Mendoza allowed just two hits that fell beyond the control of Clay Bellinger over 62/3 innings in a 7-1 Yankee rout of the Royals. He left to a standing ovation, but no long-term certainties.
“This is ultimately Joe Torre’s decision,” GM Brian Cashman said. “There is no doubt (Mendoza) is our fifth starter now. I don’t see that changing any time in the foreseeable future. There was a competition in spring and we wanted Yarnall to win it and he didn’t. Yarnall’s day will come, but this is Mendoza’s time now.”
Torre was more cautious. He said, “at this point in time he is one of our five starters.”
But he said that he always does what is in the best interest of the team and Torre has loved having Mendoza in the bullpen to get a groundball in a necessary situation, to pitch critical bridge inning from starter to Mariano Rivera and to be available as an option to start should anything happen to the front-line guys.
However, it should now be the job of Yarnall, Ted Lilly and Jake Westbrook – the club’s top Triple-A starting prospects – to serve as insurance should something befall Cone or Hernandez or Roger Clemens. The need for Mendoza’s righty arm in relief may not be as high right now because Jeff Nelson has been terrific from the first days of spring, and the Yankees think very highly of recent callup Darrell Einertson.
Mendoza deserves a shot at least until the trade deadline in July to see if he can consistently author strong starts. If at that time, the Yankees can get a more proven commodity such as Brad Radke or Mike Mussina or Sterling Hitchcock, then Mendoza is always still around to fill his more familiar swing role. He also goes to the pen in the postseason, so the Yankees lose nothing there.
“I definitely think he would be a successful starter, perhaps as high as a No. 3 on some teams,” Cashman said. “That is why my phone rings off the hook (about acquiring Mendoza).”
Nobody within the organization has worked more ferociously to protect Mendoza from trades than Torre, who also said, “I am very comfortable starting him.”
Mendoza is 17-14 with a 4.90 ERA in 47 career starts. And there are signs that he is more ready for the rotation than ever.
Torre cited that Mendoza is more focused on not dropping his elbow, which enables the righty to stay on top of his pitches. Cashman pointed out that Mendoza’s repertoire of sinker, changeup and ever-improving slurve is more conducive to start than relieve.
The Yanks had hoped Yarnall made it so as to have a second lefty starter, but Cone noted Mendoza’s sinker makes him as distinct from anyone else currently in the Yankee rotation as having a second southpaw. And in an age when too many pitchers are nibbling, even proven guys such as Cone and Clemens, Mendoza is a strike-throwing machine.
He went to three balls just once yesterday, falling behind Carlos Beltran 3-0 in the first before rallying to strike out the third-place hitter. He threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of 22 batters.
And forget your preconceived notions about the Royals. They are one of the best offensive teams in the sport. They set a franchise record for runs scored last year and pestered Clemens out of the game earlier than desired Friday night.
“It was a pleasure to watch (Mendoza) throw strike one on a consistent basis,” Cone said. “He had a nice pace. He was aggressive. It was the opposite of how Roger and I have done things.” At 27 – born on the same day as Andy Pettitte – Mendoza has given no indication that he will be as glorious in his career as Clemens and Cone. But he has given every indication he can be a solid major-league starter. He has earned the right to find out if that is true.