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Yankees: Whats wrong with Dellin Betances?

By Ben Green

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 16: Dellin Betances
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 16: Dellin Betances /
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After breaking Yankees Mariano Rivera’s single-season strikeout record in 2014, his then heir apparent, Dellin “DDawg” Betances, has steadily declined in stature in the Yankees organization and fan favorite.

What the “hey” has happened to four-time Yankees All-Star Dellin Betances? In his two outings this spring, Betances has posted a whopping ERA of 10.80 and just two strikeouts.

On Saturday against the Mets, Betances looked distracted and even disinterested. Something is definitely wrong with him, let’s review his history a little, and try to find any reason for this downturn and perhaps when it started.

Betances burst on the scene in 2014. He was literally unbelievable. In 90 innings pitched, he put up an era of 1.40, with 135 strikeouts, and a superhuman 0 .778 WHIP.

Many of us thought that Betances would be the Yankees’ closer in 2015 after the club let go of closer David Robertson that offseason. However, shortly after that, the Yanks signed free agent reliever Andrew Miller.

Then manager Joe Girardi decided to juggle the two relievers in the closer’s spot. By season’s end, it was clear that Miller was the ninth-inning man, even though Betances had nearly duplicated his incredible ’14 numbers by flashing a 1.50 ERA, and 131 K’s in 84 innings pitched.

His WHIP did climb to a more human-like 1.01. Betances had become the first Yankees reliever to whiff 100+ batters in back-to-back seasons.

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On Dec 28th, 2015, John Harper of the Daily News reported that Brian Cashman stunned the baseball world by ”acquiring perhaps the most intimidating pitcher in baseball,” Reds closer Aroldis Chapman.

The trio of Betances, Miller and Chapman, as reported by John Healy of the Daily News, became known by fans as “NO Runs – D.M.C. The first half of the 2016 season went well for DDawg as he posted a 2.66 ERA, 78 SO and a WHIP of 1.00.

He was named to his third successive All-Star team when a few weeks later, both Chapman and his good friend Miller were off-loaded by the Yankees.

Betances was named closer for the remainder of the season, and THAT is when the problems started. I don’t know if it was physical or mental, but his ERA ballooned to an uncharacteristic 3.78 — his WHIP to 1.36 while fanning just 48 batters. By the end of 2016, it appeared to me, that Girardi had lost all faith in his star relief pitcher.

Okay, Chapman is back with the Yanks in 2017 and Betances starts off with a terrible spring and subsequent first half. I don’t know how he gets on the All-Star squad with a 3.18 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.

Those are not All-Star numbers in my book, but what is his problem? Maybe it’s the right shoulder, but I think DDawg

Perhaps it’s the right shoulder, but I believe DDawg was angry at the Yankees for forcing arbitration, which he eventually lost. The then three-time All-Star was awarded $3 million instead of the $5 million he had demanded.

Luckily the Yankees brought back D-Rob following the ’17 All-Star break because although Dellin’s performance did begin to improve the second half, he went south in September.

In the heat of the Wild Card race, Betances posted a terrible 5.52 ERA in 12 appearances. His form remained erratic with similar numbers in the playoffs and Girardi used him sporadically.

Next: What the Neil Walker signing means to the roster

So what is wrong with Dellin Betances? Is it a mental or an emotional thing? Maybe it’s his mechanics or physical injury — or any combination of the above.

The Yankees better figure it out fast or trade him because the current situation is untenable. The Mets need relief pitching, badly, and the Yanks are still looking for another starter, so maybe a trade for Matt Harvey?

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