In my most recent post, I gave three options to replace Mariano. Here I will be examining arguments for David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain. I counted out Delin Betances because he hasn't had any major league experience.
David Robertson: PROS: He has been very solid out of the Yankees bullpen from 2008-2010, making steady progress each season. This season, Robertson is making a name for himself with an ERA of 1.16 with 38 strikeouts thus far. Also, when pressure mounts, he seems to remain calm and get big outs. His fastball has also gotten faster. Against the Angels, even though he struggled with his control, he was throwing his fastball at 94-96 MPH, which is as hard as I've ever seen him throw.
CONS: He walks a few too many batters and sometimes makes his outings nerve wracking event by allowing runners to reach base. Don't get me wrong, this is a problem many closers have had, it's just a little concerning.
Joba Chamberlain: PROS: He has an amazing fastball, hovering between 95-98 MPH. His slider has insane bite and it makes for a hard off-speed adjustment for opposing hitters. Though he suffered setbacks that would have ruined most other pitchers' careers permanently, he has fought through them to become a stellar reliever.
CONS: He is somewhat of a headcase because of constantly being switched between the rotation and the bullpen. Though it is hard to blame him, being a headcase is not good for closers.
MY PICK: Robertson
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