The 2018 Bullpen Season Thread

[moonslav59]

Sox Bullpen has a 6.95 ERA against the Yankees this season. - Sean McAdam.

 

We'll be going with 4 starters, so maybe our starter turned reliever will make a big difference and bridge us to Kimbrel without needing the 6.95 guys, although Kimbrel is at 7.36.

 

0.00 Eovaldi in 14 IP

0.00 Thornburg in 1 IP

3.72 Johnson in 9.2 IP

4.50 Poyner in 2 IP.

[Station 13]

Sox Bullpen has a 6.95 ERA against the Yankees this season. - Sean McAdam.

 

We also bashed their bullpens, especially at Fenway.

[Slasher9]

Sox Bullpen has a 6.95 ERA against the Yankees this season. - Sean McAdam.

 

and yet we are 8-7 against them so far this season.....

[iortiz]

I know the BP has been a big area of opportunitty to say the less but on the bright side you won’t see Hembree, Kelly, Cuevas, Thorn, etc. —I’ll be surprised if so. The BP for POs will likely be:

 

C Kimbrel

S Braiser

Eovaldi/E-Rod

Poyner

Wright

Barnes

Workman

Johnson

Velazquez

 

The list could be shorter/larger, but this will be likely the staff.

 

Said that, I think we can compete with this, it’s not like other BPs are way better/worse than this.

[iortiz]

and yet we are 8-7 against them so far this season.....

 

And the last two we turned off the winning mode.

[Slasher9]

Barnes coming back healthy will bolster our postseason pen for sure.

[OH FOY]

and yet we are 8-7 against them so far this season.....

 

Tells you how close both teams are to each other. Expect a battle if we play them.

[notin]

I agree with you but assuming that by signing a whole bunch of guys who we think might get the job done could very likely hurt us badly. If he walks, it would be a huge gamble moving forward for us.

 

It could also not matter.

 

Houston has been struggling with the closer role for the past 2 seasons and it hasn't hurt them.

 

If the bullpen has good pitchers, the closer becomes a little less relevant. Most people do seem to think that relief pitchers are inconsistent from year to year. This is backwards. The truth is, pitchers who are inconsistent from year to year become relief pitchers. There are plenty of relievers who consistent performers who can be had to build a bullpen. And the Sox will still have Thornburg, who was a very good reliever anf closer before the Sox acquired him. His struggles this year are very likely related to an injury and excessive time off. As long as there are no lingering effects to his shoulder, he is an excellent bounce back candidate to start the new 2019 bullpen, along with Barnes, Brasier, Poyner, and Hembree and possibly even Velasquez. Carson Smith is a non-tender candidate whose return is and should be in question.

 

So if the Sox go the free agent route, for example, there are a few intriguing candidates who won't break the bank like Kimbrel, including Jeurys Familia, Brad Brach, and Adam Ottavino. It's also possible to convert a talented starter to a reliever/closer role. (Obviously a closer role would be closer to starter money, making the transition more appealing.) Two candidates that leap out at me right away who cannot handle a full season as a starter but are very talented pitchers are Garrett Richards and Matt Harvey. (Tyson Ross should also consider the idea.)

[fxkatt]

Wright is the one guy who needs to make the playoff roster. He's a wildcard in both short and long situations. If Price blows it against the Yanks early, in comes Wright and we either go on to win or kiss it off, but he gives us the best chance at a comeback win. He can also be most effective in short 1-2 hitter stints. And when he's truly on, he may be second only to Sale. But he's always, to a degree, a wildcard. (Eovaldi is similar but less of a wildcard, I think)

[moonslav59]

Wright is the one guy who needs to make the playoff roster. He's a wildcard in both short and long situations. If Price blows it against the Yanks early, in comes Wright and we either go on to win or kiss it off, but he gives us the best chance at a comeback win. He can also be most effective in short 1-2 hitter stints. And when he's truly on, he may be second only to Sale. But he's always, to a degree, a wildcard. (Eovaldi is similar but less of a wildcard, I think)

 

I wish we'd use him for more than 1 inning. He'd be great for us as a 2-4 inning guy. He could help us bridge to Kimbrel with one swoop.

[sk7326]

I wish we'd use him for more than 1 inning. He'd be great for us as a 2-4 inning guy. He could help us bridge to Kimbrel with one swoop.

 

Probably still easing him back. I think he'll be a candidate for that sort of usage - though (like all relievers) the hook could be quick.

[moonslav59]

I could see this:

 

Gm1: Sale 6 IP, Wright 2 IP, Kimbrel 1 IP

Gm 2: Price 7 IP, Brasier 1 IP, Kimbrel 1 IP

off day

Gm3: Porcello 7 IP, Brasier 1 IP, Kimbrel 1 IP

Gm 4: ERod 6 IP, Wright 2 IP, Kimbrel 1 IP

off day

Game 5: Sale 7, Braiser 1, Kimbrel 1

 

We could get by with just 3 RP'ers, if our starts hold up.

 

If not, we could use Wright for 3-4 IP or use Eovaldi, Johnson or Velazquez in long relief.

 

My hope is, we can get by without using too many set-up men, except maybe Brasier and Barnes, if healthy.

[mvp 78]

Sox don't win in 04 without Leskanic.

[Bellhorn04]

I wish we'd use him for more than 1 inning. He'd be great for us as a 2-4 inning guy. He could help us bridge to Kimbrel with one swoop.

 

3 yuge ones for ya last night moon. He has justified your love.

[moonslav59]

3 yuge ones for ya last night moon. He has justified your love.

 

I can understand why people dislike the knuckle ballers and all the scary things that can happen, like WPs and PBs with men on base, but I think about them this way: if a catcher has difficulty catching the ball, think about a hitter trying to hit the damn thing!

 

Wright has been consistently good to very good as far back as his last 3-4 minor league seasons. It's time he gets the cred he deserves. It wasn't his fault he was used as a PR'er.

 

Career MLB: 24-15 3.78 (338 IP)

 

AAA: 15-19 3.67 (338 IP)

 

AA: 29-15 3.51 (395 IP)

 

He's been in AA or higher ball since 2008!!

[Bellhorn04]

I can understand why people dislike the knuckle ballers and all the scary things that can happen, like WPs and PBs with men on base, but I think about them this way: if a catcher has difficulty catching the ball, think about a hitter trying to hit the damn thing!

 

Wright has been consistently good to very good as far back as his last 3-4 minor league seasons. It's time he gets the cred he deserves. It wasn't his fault he was used as a PR'er.

 

Career MLB: 24-15 3.78 (338 IP)

 

AAA: 15-19 3.67 (338 IP)

 

AA: 29-15 3.51 (395 IP)

 

He's been in AA or higher ball since 2008!!

 

Thanks Ben!

[SoxnCycles]

I can understand why people dislike the knuckle ballers and all the scary things that can happen, like WPs and PBs with men on base, but I think about them this way: if a catcher has difficulty catching the ball, think about a hitter trying to hit the damn thing!

 

Wright has been consistently good to very good as far back as his last 3-4 minor league seasons. It's time he gets the cred he deserves. It wasn't his fault he was used as a PR'er.

 

Career MLB: 24-15 3.78 (338 IP)

 

AAA: 15-19 3.67 (338 IP)

 

AA: 29-15 3.51 (395 IP)

 

He's been in AA or higher ball since 2008!!

 

He was impressive last night.

He shut down an offense that been pounding Sox relief pitching for 2 1/2 games.

Passed balls be damned, use him early and often next month.

[moonslav59]

Thanks Ben!

 

You mean, Theo?

[Bellhorn04]

You mean, Theo?

 

Ben traded Lars Anderson for Wright, July 31, 2012.

[moonslav59]

Ben traded Lars Anderson for Wright, July 31, 2012.

 

Right you are!

[mvp 78]

Ben traded Lars Anderson for Wright, July 31, 2012.

 

Without Theo signing Lars in 2006, this trade would have NEVER happened.

 

Thanks Beo Cheringstein!

[jacksonianmarch]

Lars Anderson, the 20 time all star, ended up paying some level of dividends for you

[mvp 78]

Lars Anderson, the 20 time all star, ended up paying some level of dividends for you

 

Men who dabble in Jesus Monteros should not cast the first stone.

[moonslav59]

Lars Anderson, the 20 time all star, ended up paying some level of dividends for you

 

He was one of the few top everyday Sox prospects to not pan out.

[notin]

He was one of the few top everyday Sox prospects to not pan out.

 

And now he is off playing cribbage with Michael Bowden...

[moonslav59]

and now he is off playing cribbage with michael bowden...

 

lol

[Kimmi]

Cora said today that the impression that people have that he's auditioning guys for his postseason bullpen is really not correct. He already knows who he wants.

[Bellhorn04]

Cora said today that the impression that people have that he's auditioning guys for his postseason bullpen is really not correct. He already knows who he wants.

 

Very interesting...

[oldtimer]

Cora said today that the impression that people have that he's auditioning guys for his postseason bullpen is really not correct. He already knows who he wants.

 

Pretty easy to see, although Barnes needs to show he is okay. The question I have is whether Workman gets the final spot. Certainly Kelly has had problems and Hembree is at the extreme back of the line and should be gone next season.

[moonslav59]

Cora said today that the impression that people have that he's auditioning guys for his postseason bullpen is really not correct. He already knows who he wants.

 

Further evidence that managers and GM don't put as much weight on the most recent tiny sample sizes many here seem to value so highly.