Swapping Blue Pinstripes for Red


David Robertson made baseball's biggest free agent splash on Thursday, leaving the Yankees, where he'd spent 8-1/2 of his 11 big league seasons.

His new home, is just over the bridge from the other end of the Jersey Turnpike. As a Phillie, he'll bring veteran leadership and plenty of post-season experience to a group of mostly young and promising arms such as Seranthony Dominguez.

The Phillies didn't throw stupid money at the Alabama native, who wanted to stay in the northeast near his adopted home state of Rhode Island. A two-year, $23 million guarantee sounds about right for someone with 654 appearances on his right arm and a 2.88 career ERA. There was some slippage in 2018 -- but that was almost to be expected after he threw lights-out relief after being traded back to the Yanks in the middle of the previous season.

While the Yankees seemed to have too many relievers to choose from, he seems ideal for the Phils: a veteran who has shown the knack of getting out of tight situations will fit in with a Phillies club that faded the last two months of 2018 -- and needs to learn how to win.

(My images of Robertson are from the April 22nd, 2018 Yankees/Blue Jays game.)

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