'No Runs DMC' trio honored by NY writers
NEW YORK -- The Yankees' dominant "No Runs DMC" relief trio was honored one final time on Saturday, as Dellin Betances, Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller were recognized with the "Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award" by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Betances, Chapman and Miller comprised a powerful force, combining for 41 saves and a 2.35 ERA over 148 appearances. They registered a 41.8 percent strikeout ratio, and the Yankees were 19-2 when all three relievers appeared in the same game.
"I had the best seat in the house for probably the two most electric pitchers in baseball," Miller said. "It's a tribute. The Yankees were great. I think [Joe] Girardi and Larry Rothschild certainly deserve a lot of credit for putting us in those positions."
The Yankees broke up the crew in July, trading Chapman to the Cubs and Miller to the Indians, helping those clubs to a World Series matchup while swiftly restocking a Yankees farm system that is now rated among the best in baseball.
Betances took over as the Yankees' closer through the final two months of the season, but he is preparing to slide back into a setup role after the flame-throwing Chapman re-signed with New York in December.
"Unfortunately, we were broken up, but it worked out pretty well for Aroldis and I," Miller said. "Aroldis is back in New York, so you'll get to see him and Dellin for a long time. It's just special to be included. To be included with this group of guys is something that was mind-blowing to me."
Chapman was unable to attend Saturday's dinner, with Betances accepting the award on his behalf.
"What these guys did in the World Series with Chapman and Andrew, just sacrificing themselves, pitching multiple innings and just going out there fearless ... what they did in the postseason was unbelievable," Betances said.
In the 21 games where each member of the "No Runs DMC" trio appeared for the Yankees, the group posted a combined 1.36 ERA and a 13.70 K/9 ratio, while allowing a .148 BA (34-for-230) in those games.
"In an era where sabermetrics and analytics rule, I think the most impressive thing for me was the eye test," Yankees third baseman Chase Headley said. "These guys were just filthy. I was thankful that I got to play with them and didn't have to face them."
Other Yankees award recipients honored at Saturday's event were Headley (Epstein/Castellano Good Guy Award), Hector Lopez (Casey Stengel "You Could Look It Up" award) and Mark Teixeira, who shared the Slocum Award for Long and Meritorious Service with David Ortiz.
Bryan Hoch has covered the Yankees for MLB.com since 2007. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and on Facebook. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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