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Yankee news

Guess who's back, back again?
Nelson's back, tell a friend...

Eh, nevermind.

What I mean is, Benetiz is gone, gone, see ya and Jeff Nelson returns.

Sure, Nelson's reputation as a big mouth precedes him, but I would have been happy getting Ozzie Nelson for Benetiz at this point.

Comments

I'm at the Seattle end of this deal and all I can think is "Why? Why? Why?"

Oh! My! God!

From a die-hard Mariner fan

I am an A's fan and you can imagine the mixed feelings I have. I guess the A's can use all the short-term help they can get; worry about the playoffs later.

Yup, time for me to eat crow. I thoght Benitez might have been a good pick-up, but I was waaaay wrong.

As per usual, you were correct Michele.

Now if they can just get Jay Buhner back.

Everybody talks about the Jay Buhner/Ken Phelps deal, but the fact of the matter is, if that trade didn't happen, then the one that put Paul O'Neill in pinstripes probably wouldn't have happened either.

I was utterly surprised to see that Benitez's ERA is a half-run lower than Nelson's, and that he's converted 75% of his save opportunities vs. Nelson's 70%. I guess flaming out in a number of games in a large, East Coast market doesn't help the perception vs. reality game.

From the Seattle end...
Have fun with Jeff Nelson. He hasn't been the same pitcher since he had elbow surgery last year. It's pretty clear that Benitez is having a better year, and he gets a) a better defense behind him (not that NYs is bad, but Seattle's is ridiculous), b) a more pitcher friendly ballpark, and c) a media that will likely only ask him "hey, which way did Ichiro go" for a month or so. Plus, the M's might need a closer, and we're used to the occasional blowup from that position in the bullpen--when Sasaki is on, he's great, but when he's not, well, it's sure exciting.

Steve-

They showed his recent stats on YES last night. In the last 9 inninngs or so, amounting to 12 appearances, Nelson has given up 0 runs and had 16 strikeouts. I'll take it. I think Benitez would have been fine, but Nelson appears to be just as good.

Because Seattle misses Heathcliffe Slocumb.

Heh.

AL East may be marginally harder to win, though.

That right there tells you Nelson isn't the same pitcher he used to be. 9 innings for 12 appearances? He used to routinely go over an inning. He's been on a short leash ever since interleague play, when he and Arthur Rhodes took turns giving games away to the lowly Padres.

He isn't as consistent with his slider as he used to be, and he doesn't start it far enough inside to inspire the same fear in right-handed batters anymore.

Don't get me wrong, he's still a fine pitcher. I'm just not sure he'll ever be lights out again like he used to be.