New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was forthright when asked about the
New York Mets' usage of left-handed specialist
Pedro Feliciano last season, calling it "abusive."
...
Feliciano led the majors in appearances the past three seasons, and in 2010, he became just the fifth pitcher in MLB history to make 90 or more appearances.
"He was abused," Cashman said. "It's a thin market when you're looking for lefties, and he's one of the better ones out there. But you don't typically go after a guy who's been used like that. "The use pattern was abusive."
Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen says he is not an abuser.
Warthen said Feliciano's setting franchise records for appearances three straight years (86, 88 and 92 games) was done willingly by the southpaw.
...
"I feel badly that [Cashman] feels that way," Warthen added. "That was part of the reason we decided to not re-sign [Feliciano] -- because we knew we had used him 270-some times in the last three years."