Back to the New York Yankees Newsfeed

Yankees' Dellin Betances isn't next Steve Blass, but control problems now big issue

NEW YORK -- Once upon a baseball time, Steve Blass was the ace of the late-60s, early-'70s Pittsburgh Pirates.

This righty who used to get great results from a shaky delivery won 15 games in 1971 plus two more in the World Series, Game 3 and Game 7. The next year, Blass won 19 games, finished sixth in the NL with a 2.49 ERA and was an National League All-Star.

How Fowler is dealing with gruesome injury

And then in '73, out of nowhere, Blass couldn't throw strikes. The late, great Roberto Clemente's good buddy became so wild that he was throwing balls behind hitters.