Why The Yankees Must Make Dellin Betances The Closer Now

Dellin Betances is a once-in-a-generation pitcher. He stands an intimidating 6'8, with a 100-mph fastball that strikes fear into even the best hitters in the majors. The Yankees are currently attempting to re-sign David Robertson, the closer who first replaced the great Mariano Rivera, but personally I don't think re-signing Robertson will benefit the Yankees or Betances in the long run. The Yankees should promote Betances to the closer role and continue to develop the big reliever as they did Rivera after he spent a year as the setup man behind John Wetteland in 1996.

Doing this will expose Betances to more pressure-packed situations in the ninth inning. Since it's clear that the Yankees will be going through a bit of a rebuilding period, this will also give Betances the chance to develop his own closer mentality throughout the season while helping him understand what it feels like to blow a major league ball game. This type of mental development is crucial for a young closer because it teaches them the importance of an even-keel mentality - mood swings are a closing pitcher's worst enemy.

Also, with Robertson always waiting to save Betances if he ran into any trouble last year, Betances was able to pitch with only two pitches - a fastball and slider. I know people always say that Rivera only threw one pitch, but this really isn't true. He threw his patented cutter, which would tail in on lefties. He also threw a four seam fastball that he could spot anywhere while gaining three to four mph on his cutter. Lastly, in the latter half of his career, Mo developed a two-seam fastball that would tail in on right-handers. The variations might not have seemed obvious to average fans, but that development is what made Rivera so successful even after he lost a few mph on his fastball.

This is what Betances needs to be working on now. He already has an above-average fastball that sits anywhere from 97 to 100 mph, and he can zero in on either corner with it. Betances also boasts a wicked slider that dives down and away on righties at around 85 mph, as well as a 12 to 6 deuce that can buckle any hitters' knees. The problem is that Betances has no pitch that runs away from left handed hitters, making it more difficult to set up his strikeout pitches. If he could develop a slower two-seamer or even a changeup, it would make him a much deadlier reliever and help him have a longer, more sustainable career.

The Yankees are at a crossroads. The organization needs to realize that it's time for a change in philosophy. Throwing money at their problems hasn't - and won't - fix answer all the questions piling up for the most storied franchise in baseball. The development of their minor league system and homegrown players is what will ultimately make the difference. The clearest evidence? Just look at the 1996 roster and where the Yankees went from there. The team already has one building block they can plan around, and that's their star closer in waiting, Dellin Betances.

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