Pedro Feliciano didn’t make this much news when he was almost literally pitching every day for the Mets, but in his short tenure with the Yankees, the once durable lefty has become a hot topic because of his inability to take the ball.

Scott Proctor led the American League with 83 appearances in 2006. Since then, his career has been plagued by various arm injuries.
When the Yankees signed Feliciano back in January, the reliever market had exploded and quality left handers were a scarce commodity. So, although the two-year, $8 million deal given to the reliever was a bit of an overpay, it still appeared to be a worthy signing. After Feliciano’s most recent MRI, which revealed a tear in his shoulder capsule, that no longer seems to be the case.
It’s easy to slam Brian Cashman for sinking so much money into a 34-year old pitcher coming off three straight seasons in which he led the league in games pitched, especially after the Yankees’ GM stated that Feliciano was abused during his time as a Met. Such a statement naturally led many to wonder why Cashman would pursue the signing if he felt Feliciano might be damaged goods, but the issue is much more complicated. After all, Feliciano’s workload could just as easily have been interpreted as a sign of extraordinary durability instead of evidence that his shoulder was a ticking time bomb. Based on the other options available, Cashman took a calculated risk. Unfortunately for him, it exploded in his face.
The Yankees aren’t strangers to signing free agent relievers with a history of heavy workloads. In 2003, the team inked Paul Quantrill to a two-year deal following three seasons in which he too led the league in appearances. In his first season with the Yankees, Quantrill led the league for a record fourth straight time, but after bouncing around with three teams in 2005, his career was over. Steve Kline was the only other reliever to lead the league in appearances for three straight seasons with a minimum of 80 games in each year, but he showed no ill effects from the workload. Following his trifecta, Kline pitched in at least 66 games over the next six seasons.
Seasons with Over 80 Appearances
Pitcher | Yrs | From | To | Age |
Paul Quantrill* | 5 | 1998 | 2004 | 29-35 |
Kent Tekulve | 4 | 1978 | 1987 | 31-40 |
Pedro Feliciano* | 3 | 2008 | 2010 | 31-33 |
Peter Moylan | 3 | 2007 | 2010 | 28-31 |
Ray King | 3 | 2001 | 2004 | 27-30 |
Steve Kline* | 3 | 1999 | 2001 | 26-28 |
Mike Stanton | 3 | 1996 | 2006 | 29-39 |
Mike Marshall | 3 | 1973 | 1979 | 30-36 |
*Led the league with at least 80 appearances in three straight seasons.
Source: Baseball-reference.com