Up until 2011, Kevin Whelan had been spent time in Trenton in each of the four seasons I'd been in New Jersey, and he was maddeningly inconsistent in each outing. On any given night he could show you no-question big league stuff ... or he could miss the strike zone over and over until the opposition felt bad for him.

Now, after seven minor league seasons, something seems to have clicked. The 27-year-old was 1-1 with a 1.27 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27 innings before being bumped to the show this afternoon. He'll be tasked with stemming the tide while the Yankees' bullpen attempts to heal.

One of the best parts about the Yankees is their willingness to stick with guys through injuries and inconsistency (see Norton, Tim and Horne, Alan), and Whelan is just the latest case. Good luck to him.