Farr Ready to Assume Stopper Role

Considering what’s in front of him, Steve Farr looked fairly relaxed at Tuesday’s news conference for the Yankees’ four “new” pitchers. The Beast -- as he is called by friends for his wild minor-league reputation and notorious temper -- was calm in his first New York performance. It’s a trait that would serve him well in his new role.

New York, meet the new Dave Righetti. The Yankees hope as much, anyway. Manager Stump Merrill said Farr and Lee Guetterman are likely to fill all-time club save leader Righetti’s role of bullpen closer.

Pressure? “A little bit,” Farr admitted. “But I’ve been booed in Kansas City, and I can be booed here. I’m not a 95-m.p.h. pitcher like Dave Righetti. I imagine there’ll be a little more pressure, but I’m not a first-year player. I’ve got a few years under my belt.”

Farr’s birth certificate indicates he indeed has seen a few years. Ironic, isn’t it, that the supposedly aging Righetti, 32, is being replaced by the 34-year-old Farr?

While some Yankees executives believe Righetti is on the downslide, the numbers indicate Farr has gotten better with age. His best year was 1990, when he was 13-7 with a 1.98 ERA. That followed two seasons in which he saved a total of 38 games.

General partner Robert Nederlander said signing Farr was General Manager Gene Michael’s idea. Nederlander said Michael told him, “We have got to sign Steve Farr. He’s good. He’s tough.”

Toughness is an attribute that will serve him well in the Yankees’ bullpen. Merrill, lamenting the loss of Righetti, said several days ago, “Closing games in New York is different than closing games anywhere else.”

Farr isn’t fazed. Besides the money (the Royals’ top offer was $2.8 million for two years, compared to $6.3 million for three years from the Yankees), Farr had another reason to leave the comfort of Kansas City. He said, “I was ready for a change. I’m going from a place where there was a total lack of media to where there is maybe too much. In Kansas City the media needed to dog some players, and they never did.

“It’s nice to have the laid-backness, but I’m ready for some excitement. I’m ready to see some fans stand up when there are two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning.”

Farr himself is not always so laid-back. He has been known to become agitated on occasion. That temper has subsided in recent years as Farr’s career has taken off. In 1983, when Farr thought the Pittsburgh organization reneged on a promise to promote him, he quit.

On his way out of the general manager’s office, he broke a mirror. The Pirates refused to trade him until after he reimbursed them $40 for the mirror.

Farr has, for the most part, calmed down since his early years. He did have a recurrence last year. After a difficult extra-inning defeat Sept. 9 in Texas, Farr overturned the postgame food spread, the type of outburst foreign to the Yankees in their 95-defeat season.

Farr said, “When we lose, you’re going to know I’m not happy.” Farr knows the Yankee Stadium fans won’t be happy, either.