who else is getting their Bard on?

[DirtDog]

Kid just broke a Red Sox record today for longest consecutive appearance streak without giving up a run (21). On the season he has a 1.94 ERA with a 0.82 WHIP and leading the AL in Holds.

 

Why he wasn't an all-star I have no clue.

[Dojji]

He's a good pitcher. I hope he remains our setup man for years to come.

 

Not because he can't close, but because having a guy like that behind the closer makes your pen super extra deadly awesome.

[a700hitter]

He's a good pitcher. I hope he remains our setup man for years to come.

 

Not because he can't close, but because having a guy like that behind the closer makes your pen super extra deadly awesome.

I agree. It shortens games and makes the manager's job much easier.

[Dojji]

Although frankly if it comes to Bard being the closer, I can't say I'm not nervous about a couple things. Especially his epic mental meltdown in 07. There' a certain mental makeup you need to have to close. Papelbon, for all people hate on him for being a bit of a tard, does have it. Bard may have some demons to exorcise first IMHO.

[Palodios]

If the Sox do re-sign Papelbon, it makes me wonder... will Bard reinvent the setup position in the way Eckersley and others did with the closer position? As of right now, Bard is a top 10 reliever in the majors, but sometimes he's more useful to come up in the 7th, with the bases loaded and two outs. Could he be a guy who sets the trend on 7th/8th inning appearances being as important or more important than the 9th inning ?

[ORS]

For the Bill James "relief ace" to appear, it will require a change over from one generation to the next in managers. I don't think Bard (or Robertson for the Yankees, who is having an even better year) will drive the paradigm shift. You need to change the decision makers.

[Dojji]

We're kinda doing the relief ace thing by default right now though, because Papelbon is holding down the closer's role competently freeing up Bard to pitch high leverage late innings.

 

My position on closer versus relief ace is that if you're having the debate, it's because you have only one solid reliever and you'll never get anything meaningful done anyhow. You need great relievers in the 7th, 8th, and 9th inning roles regardless, whether they pitch those roles exclusively or are a more freewheeling bullpen by committee or relief ace model.. It really doesn't matter which role you fill first, ultimately you need to fill them all.

 

One thought to bear in mind though -- the Guardians used the relief ace model in 07 with an adequate-at-best closer type, and Joe Blow got them through the Yankees, but they fizzled and died against the Sox when their relief ace, Rafael Betancourt, fell apart. They didn't even trust Joe Blow in the 9th against the Sox, and when he did pitch in that ALCS, he got shelled. So it really doesn't matter in the end, if you have to put an incompetent reliever in either the closer or the setup role, he's still going to cost you. If you're leaning too hard on any one reliever, closer or otherwise, that guy is at risk to fizzle.

[jacksonianmarch]

For the Bill James "relief ace" to appear' date=' it will require a change over from one generation to the next in managers. I don't think Bard (or Robertson for the Yankees, who is having an even better year) will drive the paradigm shift. You need to change the decision makers.[/quote']

 

Exactly. The relief ace should come in when the team needs him the most, not during a set inning. Perfect example was 2 nights ago in Tampa. Yankees up 1 with 1st and 2nd, 1 out in the 7th. We go to Logan instead of Robertson. Now, our defense flubbed that one, but that is the perfect example of when the relief ace would have been useful. You dont "save" your best middle reliever for the 8th inning if you have a big spot in the 7th and need to get out of it.

[Dojji]

Yeah, then you bring in the same reliever who blew it in the 7th, in the 8th, and still blow it.

 

You need 3 top caliber relievers. If you don't have them it doesn't freaking matter in what order you line up the schlubs. THey'll still be schlubs.

[jacksonianmarch]

They went to Logan when there were ALREADY 2 guys on base. That is when you need your relief ace.

[Station 13]

We have him 4 more year, probably won't sniff the 9th inning because they control him. He's going to be pissed of course. On any other team he's nearing 100 saves by the end of this year at age 26. He would make Papelbon-esque like money in arbitration had he been closing.