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By Drew VonScio
Contributing Sports Writer
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Jake Bird was one of three Yankees relievers acquired at the trade deadline along with Camilo Doval and David Bednar. He was also the worst acquisition on paper when the deals were made.
Now, the nightmare addition continues to get worse for the Yankees with Bird struggling even in Triple-A. Adam Weinrib from Yanks Go Yard slammed the Bronx Bombers organization for even adding him to the organization.
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"The next time the New York Yankees give up a genuine asset for a project pitcher whose FIP doesn't match his ERA, they'd better be damn sure they've got the fix," wrote Weinrib. "'He's got so many years of control!' doesn't matter when the pitcher himself doesn't have control."
Bird posted a 4.73 ERA in 45 appearances earlier this season with the Colorado Rockies. In those games, he struck out 10.5 batters every nine innings but also walked just under four batters per nine innings.
That kind of control won't play well at Yankee Stadium, and Bird got lit up like a Christmas tree in the Bronx. He gave up seven runs (six earned) in three appearances for the Bronx bombers before being demoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
"Bird has appeared twice down on the farm, and oddly recorded the win in the appearance where things went off the rails," wrote Weinrib. "It's also worth noting that the Bird addition once again proves that the Yankees either do not care about momentum, or believe their training and instructional methods to be so superior that they can counteract any challenge. Bird started the year spectacularly; his ERA through the end of May was 1.67 (with a 2.58 FIP, proving only minor regression was due). He completely flatlined in July, as his ERA rose from 2.63 to 4.73 — and that is when the Yankees acquired him."
Brian Cashman certainly has some explaining to do to justify adding Bird when the writing was on the wall for him to struggle. It's a decision he will have to live with as the Yankees have Bird under control for another 3 1/2 seasons.
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