The Pen

[notin]

This just in. Sox played 3 at home vs. probably the best team in MLB right now, and, it has to be said, the Sox did not impress.

 

Except in one area, the bullpen, which actually did pretty darn well, especially in comparison to the rotation. Porcello did pitch well in game 1--2 runs in 7 innings. The bullpen gave up 0 earned runs in 2 innings. In game 2 Velazquez gave up 5 runs in .1 inning, the bullpen 2 in 8.2. In game 3 the not so great Chris Sale gave up 3 runs in 5.1 innings, the bullpen 0 runs in 3.2 innings.

 

The lineup meanwhile just rolled over in the first two games and in the 3d game finally came thru--against Wade Miley. But just barely.

 

Big defensive edge to the Astros in this series. Same goes for baserunning. I don't know which was worse in game 3, Devers getting picked off by a mile or Pearce not taking a good lead on a popup that sent the firstbaseman out into RF. Both players were simply brain dead.

 

 

ERA doesn’t always tell the whole story with relievers.

 

Porcello left the game with 2 runners on base and the bullpen was charged with keeping them on base. Both runners did score.

 

Sure it was a tough job, but it was also one that didn’t get done....

[Bellhorn04]

ERA doesn’t always tell the whole story with relievers.

 

Porcello left the game with 2 runners on base and the bullpen was charged with keeping them on base. Both runners did score.

 

Sure it was a tough job, but it was also one that didn’t get done....

 

??? Porcello left right after giving up a 2-run homer.

[vegasbob]

??? Porcello left right after giving up a 2-run homer.

 

Don't let facts mess up a good story

[notin]

??? Porcello left right after giving up a 2-run homer.

 

My bad. I was thinking about Rodriguez against Colorado.

 

But I did also think Porcello was left in too long...

[Bellhorn04]

My bad. I was thinking about Rodriguez against Colorado.

 

But I did also think Porcello was left in too long...

 

The facts certainly support that opinion.

[mvp 78]

??? Porcello left right after giving up a 2-run homer.

 

Thunder gave up that HR, not Porcello.

[mvp 78]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/05/20/koji-uehara-has-retired/

 

Koji Uehara has retired from baseball.

 

Uehara, 44, has spent the past two seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, which is the where he began his career way back in 1998. He spent eight years there as a starter, winning 20 games in his rookie season, then one year as a closer and one year in swingman duties before coming to the United States.

 

Once in the majors he pitched for four different major league teams over nine seasons — the Orioles, Rangers, Red Sox and Cubs — from 2009-2017. In that time he posted an excellent 2.66 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 572/78 K/BB ratio in 480.2 innings and notched 95 saves. He won a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2013 and was an All-Star in 2014. Uehara’s last big league stint in America with the Cubs in 2017, for whom he posted a 3.98 ERA (111 ERA+) in 49 games.

 

Happy trails to an excellent reliever.

[moonslav59]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/05/20/koji-uehara-has-retired/

 

Koji Uehara has retired from baseball.

 

Uehara, 44, has spent the past two seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, which is the where he began his career way back in 1998. He spent eight years there as a starter, winning 20 games in his rookie season, then one year as a closer and one year in swingman duties before coming to the United States.

 

Once in the majors he pitched for four different major league teams over nine seasons — the Orioles, Rangers, Red Sox and Cubs — from 2009-2017. In that time he posted an excellent 2.66 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 572/78 K/BB ratio in 480.2 innings and notched 95 saves. He won a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2013 and was an All-Star in 2014. Uehara’s last big league stint in America with the Cubs in 2017, for whom he posted a 3.98 ERA (111 ERA+) in 49 games.

 

Happy trails to an excellent reliever.

 

He was the best closer I've ever seen on the Sox. Kimbrel, Papelbon and that one year from Foulke were close.

 

That .565 WHIP and 11.2 K/BB in 2013 were spectacular.

 

His 0.818 career WHIP with the Sox was amazing (11.6 K/BB)

 

with Sox only....

 

Kimbrel: 0.903/ 4.07 K/BB (Best season: 0.681 in 2017)

 

Papelbon 1.018/ 4.43 K/BB (Best season: 0.771 in 2007)

 

[notin]

No love for Tom Gordon? (Isn’t that a title of a Stephen King book?)

 

You’d think getting 46 saves in 47 chances at least gets him some mention...

[moonslav59]

No love for Tom Gordon? (Isn’t that a title of a Stephen King book?)

 

You’d think getting 46 saves in 47 chances at least gets him some mention...

 

Yes, I forgot him!

 

His best season: 1.008 WHIP and 3.12 K/BB in 1998. It was a one year bonanza as our closer.

 

73 appearances and 79.1 IP helps his case.

 

Honorable mention.

[notin]

Yes, I forgot him!

 

His best season: 1.008 WHIP and 3.12 K/BB in 1998. It was a one year bonanza as our closer.

 

73 appearances and 79.1 IP helps his case.

 

Honorable mention.

 

 

I like him better than Foulke, but Foulke was definitely the guy at the right time...

[moonslav59]

I like him better than Foulke, but Foulke was definitely the guy at the right time...

 

That was certainly a better year than Foulke's 2004 ring year. I'm fine with this....

 

(Since 1970)

 

1. Uehara

2. Kimbrel

3. Gordon

4. Foulke

 

(At least for best season as a closer.)

 

[mvp 78]

For one year, Uehara was the greatest closer this team has ever had. Foulke has 2004, but Uehara's 2013 eclipses that easily.

 

Gordon had a good run in 98 and they should have tried to keep him around. He was definitely great for the Yankees for a few years. We could have used him in 2003.

[moonslav59]

Best Sox WHIP as a RP'er since 1970 with 40+ IP

 

.57 Uehara ('13)

.68 Kimbrel ('17)

.77 Papelbon ('07)

.78 Papelbon ('06)

.79 Jeff Gray ('91)

.90 A Miller ('14)

.92 Uehara ('14)

.92 Uehara ('15)

.93 Papelbon ('11)

.94 Foulke ('04)

.95 Papelbon ('08)

.95 Tazawa ('12)

.96 Uehara ('16)

.96 D Bard ('11)

.97 Okajima ('07)

.99 Atchison ('12)

.99 Kimbrel ('18)

1.00 DLowe, Schiraldi, Aceves, DBard

1.01 Gordon, B Kim

1.02 Delcarmern

1.03 Timlin

1.06 R Garces

1.07 Urbina

1.08 Burgmeier

 

 

[mvp 78]

https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1963.shtml#all_AL_MVP_voting

 

Monster was pretty good in the early 60's, but it was a different game back then.

[Maxbialystock]

Uehara had three things going for him--a great splitter, terrific control, and the guts of a cat burglar because his fastball, which he used fairly often, did not normally go over 90 mph.

[Bellhorn04]

No love for Tom Gordon? (Isn’t that a title of a Stephen King book?)

 

You’d think getting 46 saves in 47 chances at least gets him some mention...

 

Gordon chocked when it counted that year though.

 

Then he chocked for the Yankees in '04 when Joe Torre made the biggest mistake of his career.

[Bellhorn04]

Uehara had three things going for him--a great splitter, terrific control, and the guts of a cat burglar because his fastball, which he used fairly often, did not normally go over 90 mph.

 

Koji's splitter in 2013 was one of the all-time wonders of the baseball world.

[notin]

Gordon chocked when it counted that year though.

 

Then he chocked for the Yankees in '04 when Joe Torre made the biggest mistake of his career.

 

 

Well, they were trying for a 6 out save and lacked a good set up guy to handle the 8th

[mvp 78]

Gordon chocked when it counted that year though.

 

He was no Jim Corsi, that's for sure.

[mvp 78]

Well, they were trying for a 6 out save and lacked a good set up guy to handle the 8th

 

Gordon wasn't a strictly 1 inning guy like Kimbrel either. They had some ok arms in that pen though that could have pitched in the 8th (Swindell, Corsi, Lowe). Lowe had pitched 1 2/3's clean that day and looked pretty good from what I remember.

[Bellhorn04]

Well, they were trying for a 6 out save and lacked a good set up guy to handle the 8th

 

In '04, Torre didn't want to use Rivera for 6 outs for the second day in a row. But then he did anyway.

[mvp 78]

In '04, Torre didn't want to use Rivera for 6 outs for the second day in a row. But then he did anyway.

 

I thought notin was referring to 98 with the "6 outs" comment.

[Bellhorn04]

I thought notin was referring to 98 with the "6 outs" comment.

 

He was, I noticed that and clarified I was talking about '04. I just like talking about '04.

[mvp 78]

He was, I noticed that and clarified I was talking about '04. I just like talking about '04.

 

It was an ok year, I guess.

[Slasher9]

Koji never ever made us nervous.

he came in - GAME OVER.

greatest single season by a Red Sox closer evah...IMO.

[mvp 78]

He was f***ing glorious.

[notin]

Koji never ever made us nervous.

he came in - GAME OVER.

greatest single season by a Red Sox closer evah...IMO.

 

 

If my daughter was a son, I was fighting for the name Koji Brady Notin...

[moonslav59]

Koji never ever made us nervous.

he came in - GAME OVER.

greatest single season by a Red Sox closer evah...IMO.

 

He never walked anybody (Hyperbole alert).

 

That 2013 season say these shockingly great numbers:

 

265 PAs against

9 BB (2 intentional)

1 HBP

5 HR

.130 BA against

.163 OBP

.237 SLG

.400 OPS Against (which is less than JBJ's current OPS!)

101 Ks (12.2 per 9 IP)

 

Even Mo never had a season like this.

His lowest WHIP in a season was 0.665 in 2008 (Career 1.000)

His best K/BB rate was 12.83 his rookie year. He never got above 7.5 again (4.10 career)

 

 

 

[kenmeister]

Best Sox WHIP as a RP'er since 1970 with 40+ IP

 

.57 Uehara ('13)

.68 Kimbrel ('17)

.77 Papelbon ('07)

.78 Papelbon ('06)

.79 Jeff Gray ('91)

.90 A Miller ('14)

.92 Uehara ('14)

.92 Uehara ('15)

.93 Papelbon ('11)

.94 Foulke ('04)

.95 Papelbon ('08)

.95 Tazawa ('12)

.96 Uehara ('16)

.96 D Bard ('11)

.97 Okajima ('07)

.99 Atchison ('12)

.99 Kimbrel ('18)

1.00 DLowe, Schiraldi, Aceves, DBard

1.01 Gordon, B Kim

1.02 Delcarmern

1.03 Timlin

1.06 R Garces

1.07 Urbina

1.08 Burgmeier

 

 

 

Very cool stats. Also our big three right now have:

 

.68 Walden

.74 Barnes

.93 Workman

 

So if they stay pitching this well through the end of the year, we're going to have the best trio the Sox ever had Of course that's a big if.