Who should close going forward?

[moonslav59]

The problem with the bullpen stems from having starters that don't go deep enough into games.

 

This was a problem in 2019 as well.

 

Then, it's a problem for most team, even the winningest ones.

 

We are 12th in SP'er IP. Granted, we've played more games than many teams, but we're still in the middle.

 

768 OAK

758 HOU

749 CIN

737 CWS

730 MIL

727 COL

721 LAD

720 SFG

716 ATL

714 PHI

712 NYY

710 BOS

700 SEA

698 TOR

 

MLB Avg IP/GS: 5.1

 

BOS: 5.1

 

5.8 Eovaldi

5.2 Pivetta

5.1 ERod

5.0 Richards & Sale

4.6 Houck

4.5 Perez

Edited September 7, 2021 by moonslav59

[Hugh2]

Bobby Dalbec, the guy is so hot he's ready to be our Ohtani. Put him in there!!!!

[mvp 78]

Bobby Dalbec, the guy is so hot he's ready to be our Ohtani. Put him in there!!!!

 

His K/9 wasn't all that great in college. There's a reason they had him stop pitching. Also, I believe he requested to no longer pitch.

[Hugh2]

His K/9 wasn't all that great in college. There's a reason they had him stop pitching. Also, I believe he requested to no longer pitch.

 

LOL I'm just joking!!!

[Hugh2]

His K/9 wasn't all that great in college. There's a reason they had him stop pitching. Also, I believe he requested to no longer pitch.

 

BUT to be fair, many considered him a better pitching prospect than a hitting prospect. I remember the day he has drafted all the buzz surrounding whether he would pitch or hit and the story was he absolutely hated pitching and told teams he wanted to hit. He was actually considered a better prospect as a pitcher but he wanted to hit.

 

I think that ship has sailed for him at this point however......

[vegasbob]

Dalbec is interesting , if nothing else. His defense appears to rate poorly at 1B, 3B should be no easier for him. But if someone told you about a 6'-4" RH hitter with power to play 81 times at Fenway , hitting .240 with 25 HR's and 80 rbi's plus with favorable team budget control for multiple years as a bonus , you would likely take a hard look.

With some D work, and better plate discipline which there are some signs of, Dalbec can/will hold the fort while determining if Casas is the future answer. Possibly a platooner with Schwarber (if signed) , and a PH when needed.

[moonslav59]

Dalbec is interesting , if nothing else. His defense appears to rate poorly at 1B, 3B should be no easier for him. But if someone told you about a 6'-4" RH hitter with power to play 81 times at Fenway , hitting .240 with 25 HR's and 80 rbi's plus with favorable team budget control for multiple years as a bonus , you would likely take a hard look.

With some D work, and better plate discipline which there are some signs of, Dalbec can/will hold the fort while determining if Casas is the future answer. Possibly a platooner with Schwarber (if signed) , and a PH when needed.

 

If you project his numbers over 650 PAs, it’s more like 35 HRs and 110 RBI.

 

If you project just the 2021 numbers over 650, it’s more like 30-100.

[Bellhorn04]

If you project his numbers over 650 PAs, it’s more like 35 HRs and 110 RBI.

 

If you project just the 2021 numbers over 650, it’s more like 30-100.

 

Dalbec is one of this year's positive stories, with the way he turned it around.

 

It has partly to do, of course, with his cost.

[moonslav59]

Dalbec is one of this year's positive stories, with the way he turned it around.

 

It has partly to do, of course, with his cost.

 

I was almost the only guy never to say we should demote him.

 

I was soooo close,

[moonslav59]

The rises and falls of Dalbec over this season are epic.

 

Here’s a few selected cherry-picked sample dates:

 

.507 on 5/6

.674 on 5/15

 

.595 on 6/8

.705 on 6/20

 

.651 on 8/7

.726 on 8/14

 

.708 on 8/23

.785 on 9/7

 

He’s been over .860 since May 7th- a longer sample size than his very nice 2020 partial season.

Edited September 8, 2021 by moonslav59

[mvp 78]

BUT to be fair, many considered him a better pitching prospect than a hitting prospect. I remember the day he has drafted all the buzz surrounding whether he would pitch or hit and the story was he absolutely hated pitching and told teams he wanted to hit. He was actually considered a better prospect as a pitcher but he wanted to hit.

 

I think that ship has sailed for him at this point however......

 

Gettys had a similar offensive profile who never fixed the hole in his swing. He's now been transitioned to pitching down in FCL.

[dgalehouse]

Looks like the Rays have scrapped their Hess truck. Maybe we can give him a shot. From what we saw last night , he seems to check all the boxes . Should fit right in.

[vegasbob]

Looks like the Rays have scrapped their Hess truck. Maybe we can give him a shot. From what we saw last night , he seems to check all the boxes . Should fit right in.

 

The problem is that your observation is not as ironic as it seems. Bloom may like his upside

[notin]

Looks like the Rays have scrapped their Hess truck. Maybe we can give him a shot. From what we saw last night , he seems to check all the boxes . Should fit right in.

 

 

ERA of 8.00? Check.

5BB per 9 innings? Check

3.5 HR per 9 innings? Check…

[mvp 78]

And somehow they are calling up another guy named Lowe? Do they grow them in a lab in Tampa or something?

[vegasbob]

Back to the topic of the thread , I believe a team has to have a lead for there to be a closing situation , so the choice of said closer is dependent on overall defense, timely hitting ("bunching"), and effective starting pitching. Call me when those characteristics show up in a TB Rays vs Red Sox game for the Boston side.

[notin]

And somehow they are calling up another guy named Lowe? Do they grow them in a lab in Tampa or something?

 

Nate and Josh are brothers.Same test tube.

 

Brandon was created using gene splicing technology that eliminated the gene that hits LHP…

[notin]

Back to the topic of the thread , I believe a team has to have a lead for there to be a closing situation , so the choice of said closer is dependent on overall defense, timely hitting ("bunching"), and effective starting pitching. Call me when those characteristics show up in a TB Rays vs Red Sox game for the Boston side.

 

Two days ago…

[notin]

Annoying Rays Fact of the Day

 

Wander Franco has 36 RBIs. 16 of them against Boston…

[mvp 78]

Annoying Rays Fact of the Day

 

Wander Franco has 36 RBIs. 16 of them against Boston…

 

Red Sox killer. He's the next guy for Sox fans to clamor for when he reaches FA. He's a Sawx killah! If the Sox sign him, he'll go straight to the toilet.

[dgalehouse]

Annoying Rays Fact of the Day

 

Wander Franco has 36 RBIs. 16 of them against Boston…

 

He looks like a budding superstar.

[mvp 78]

Sox aren't allowed to have a prospect with a low k rate.

[notin]

Red Sox killer. He's the next guy for Sox fans to clamor for when he reaches FA. He's a Sawx killah! If the Sox sign him, he'll go straight to the toilet.

 

I’m surprised the Rays haven’t already extended him…

[Kimmi]

Then, it's a problem for most team, even the winningest ones.

 

We are 12th in SP'er IP. Granted, we've played more games than many teams, but we're still in the middle.

 

Yes, you're right. It is a league wide trend. And not one that I like.

[moonslav59]

Yes, you're right. It is a league wide trend. And not one that I like.

 

I don’t either, but we really are not losing in this area to other teams.

 

There was a time we were among the top teams in starter IP, but then poof.

 

Then, the pen imploded.

[mvp 78]

There's no use in having 3 long relievers. One of Whitlock, Richards and Perez should be the closer for the time being.

 

It's not Perez.

 

I think Whitlock has the stones to close out games even though his future is in the rotation. All the advanced stats lean towards Whitlock (Exit Velo, xwOBA, xSLG, Barrel, etc.).

 

Richards' xwOBA since going to the pen has been great. His FB is about as straight as Schiraldi's, but he has a really good CB with an outstanding spin rate even after the crackdown. He's probably due for some regression with his bullpen numbers.

 

I think I'm ready for the Garrett Richards experience. Let's do it.

 

A month later:

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/09/red-sox-garrett-richards-bullpen-reliever-club-option.html

 

Since moving into a short-relief role, Richards has dominated. He’s tossed 20 2/3 innings of relief, pitching to a 0.87 ERA with a 29.4 percent strikeout rate, a 9.4 percent walk rate and a 48.1 percent ground-ball rate. Richards’ fastball averaged 94.2 mph out of the rotation, and that’s jumped to 95.0 mph in the ’pen — 95.3 mph since Sept. 1.

 

Richards has also seen gains in swinging-strike rate (from 9.4 percent to 10.8 percent), opponents’ chase rate (27.9 percent to 34.5 percent), opponents’ average exit velocity (91.6 mph to 89.4 mph) and an overwhelming drop in his opponents’ barrel rate — from 9.3 percent all the way down to 1.9 percent. Since moving to a relief role, he’s allowed just one “barreled” ball, as measured by Statcast, and he has yet to surrender a home run.