David Robertson all but confirms reason Yankees didn't sign him

The most common theme for the New York Yankees this season has been just how badly the club has needed bullpen help. Even now, with trade deadline reinforcements in the mix, it would have been nice to have a trusty and reliable friend back there.

And for much of the season, there was a familiar face sitting out there ripe for the picking. He may have been 40 years old, but David Robertson proved he still had the goods with a 3.00 ERA showing last year for the Texas Rangers. For whatever reason, his market didn't materialize in the offseason, however, and his recent comments show why that might have been, and why the Yankees never really got close to reuniting with their former farm hand for a third time, despite how perfect the fit may have seemed.

David Robertson reveals why the Yankees were never a real option to sign him

When David Robertson finally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on July 21, it came at a high price. The prorated $16 million salary, about $6 million for the rest of the season, was too rich for the Yankees' blood ... or, at least, that's what many of us (rightfully) assumed).

On a recent appearance with Foul Territory, Robertson pretty much confirmed that reality when he detailed exactly what it was going to take to bring him back. He shed some light as to why it might have taken so long to sign in the first place.

“At this point in my life and career, I’m not looking to come back unless it’s [for] something that I think I’m worth," Robertson said.

That's exactly what he got from the Phillies, and further shows how the Yankees, always concerned with the top-tier luxury tax threshold, never really were a realistic option.

This, of course, is another mark in the long line of frustrations for the fans who have consistently watched the front office stop short of adding pieces that could put the team over the top, instead of precariously hanging on and looking to piece things together with bottom-tier options that routinely get exposed.

It's hard to say that Robertson, despite needing a few weeks to ramp up, wouldn't have been a better option to fill out the struggling Yankee bullpen than Jake Bird, who came at a real prospect cost, even if his salary is a pittance in comparison to Robertson's.

Through three appearances with Philadelphia, the savvy righty has yet to allow an earned run while posting a whopping 12 K/9, while the Yankees watch Camilo Doval pitch to a 6.43 ERA since arriving in the Bronx. Bird continues to scuffle to the tune of a 9.00 ERA for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The jury is still out, but it appears that the Yankees might live to regret not ponying up what Robertson is worth and instead betting on two cheaper (and significantly less effective) options, all in the name of saving some cash. What a shame.