easy answer: none.

you contruct middle/setup relief from marginal arms.

that said, those who are Yankee fans know the Yanks are loaded with young guys who throw hard. as for Mo, I wanna see some signs of a collapse, before I predict one. I’d agree with the guy upthread who says “top 5 mlb pen.”

“There’s plenty that can go wrong, of course, but there’s also plenty of upside, and you can’t ask for much more out of a bullpen.”

Let’s take stock, shall we?

One above average LOOGY, Damaso Marte.

One guy (Bruney) with a career 6.42 BB/9. He did find a modicum of control last year, but can he keep it up?

2 pitchers (Ramirez and Veras) coming off their first full seasons in the big leagues with 155 career IP between them.

Finally, we have the “Highlander”, as you call him, with his magical pitch. Mariano’s cutter is so magical, in fact, that he threw it 82% of the time in 2008. “So what”, you say. “That’s all he’s ever thrown”, you say. No. No it isn’t. In 2007, 73.2% of his pitches were cut fastballs, in 2006 – 43.4%, and in 2005 54.8%. There is a pattern forming there. God forbid something happens to that cutter in his old age. He’s not surviving on guile.

Personally, I could ask for much more out of a bullpen.

But hey, if Bruney has found control at long last, if Ramirez and Veras avoid sophomore slumps, if Mo hangs onto that wicked cutter for one more year, and if everyone stays healthy, you’ve got yourself a top notch bullpen. Plenty of upside, I guess?

They started it back up when the Yankees signed him only to have it decommissioned a couple months later when Yankee fans finally realized Xavier Nady wasn’t going to carry them to the playoffs. That really showed how dilusional Yankee fans are and how readily they drink the kool-aid.

as far as underrated. chipper has been terrific. you know how they award utley the mvp every year before the season starts. I never understand why berkman doesnt get more respect. (and yes the cardinals have a pretty good first baseman)