2022 Bullpen Thread

[notin]

That's why I said I wasn't sure it should count.

 

Sean Kazmar. 13 years between games.

 

That’s the Braves infielder I couldn’t think of…

[Nick]

Ever since I posted how much I like Kutter's 'stuff', his outings have been very poor.

 

Obviously the top 4 have emerged. They are Whitlock, Robles, Strahm and Diekman. Taylor hopefully will return soon and pith effectively. Davis probably is expendable when Taylor returns, making Davis the fourth left hander. I'm assuming at some point (May 1st?), we'll go back to 26 man roster. I like Valdez better than Brasier right now. Just have not been impressed with Sawamura this year.

 

Just not sure what to think of Barnes.

 

1st man out...Kutter Crawford

2nd man out...Austin Davis

3rd man out...is it Valdez simply due to option remaining? I like Valdez because he seems to have a rubber arm and can go multiple innings.

[moonslav59]

Sean Kazmar. 13 years between games.

 

That’s the Braves infielder I couldn’t think of…

 

He only got 2 PAs on his return.

 

Not a gimmick, like Minnie, but not like Bard, either.

[moonslav59]

Ever since I posted how much I like Kutter's 'stuff', his outings have been very poor.

 

Obviously the top 4 have emerged. They are Whitlock, Robles, Strahm and Diekman. Taylor hopefully will return soon and pith effectively. Davis probably is expendable when Taylor returns, making Davis the fourth left hander. I'm assuming at some point (May 1st?), we'll go back to 26 man roster. I like Valdez better than Brasier right now. Just have not been impressed with Sawamura this year.

 

Just not sure what to think of Barnes.

 

1st man out...Kutter Crawford

2nd man out...Austin Davis

3rd man out...is it Valdez simply due to option remaining? I like Valdez because he seems to have a rubber arm and can go multiple innings.

 

I'm more impressed with Sawamura, this year than last.

 

According to soxprospects.com, these are the options remaining:

 

0

Davis

Strahm

Diekman

Robles

 

1

Brasier

Valdez

Danish

 

2

Taylor

DHern

 

3

Sawamura

Crawford

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

Valdez is a guy I think most expected to be an ex-Red Sox by now. In his tiny sample so far he's been lights-out.

[notin]

If Brasier has an option left, this is easy IMO…

[notin]

Valdez is a guy I think most expected to be an ex-Red Sox by now. In his tiny sample so far he's been lights-out.

 

Austin Davis is my new Ryan Weber - the name I expect to be called for every DFA or demotion…

[Bellhorn04]

Austin Davis is my new Ryan Weber - the name I expect to be called for every DFA or demotion…

 

But he continues to defy you.

[notin]

But he continues to defy you.

 

In that respect, he is also the new Ryan Weber…

[moonslav59]

Austin Davis is my new Ryan Weber - the name I expect to be called for every DFA or demotion…

 

He's out of options, so it's DFA or IL or nobody claims him on waivers and he returns in the minors.

[moonslav59]

But he continues to defy you.

 

Did I miss something?

 

Is he doing well?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I thought this was the other way around. That he wanted to be in the bullpen.

 

Either way I would leave Whitclock where he is. Don't fix what's not broken. Turning him into starter could be Bard 2.0.

 

Going by memory here, but Bard was tried as a starter because the Sox' rotation was so whack at the end of 2011 that they were relying on Kyle Weiland (career: 0-6, 7.23) and were ready to sign Bruce Chen just to start a playoff for a playoff if needed...

 

Bard was a candidate with the youngest and fastest arm, but his arsenal and polish were nothing like that of Garrett Whitlock...

[moonslav59]

Going by memory here, but Bard was tried as a starter because the Sox' rotation was so whack at the end of 2011 that they were relying on Kyle Weiland (career: 0-6, 7.23) and were ready to sign Bruce Chen just to start a playoff for a playoff if needed...

 

It was 2012. Here were the GS'd that season:

 

33 Lester

29 Buch

29 Doubront

21 Beckett

18 A Cook

11 Dice K

10 Bard

9 F Morelaes

2 ZStewart

 

In 2011, we had 31 Lester, 30 Beckett, 28 Lackey, 23 Wake, 14 Buch, 12 A Miller, 8 Bedard, 7 Dice-K, 5 Weiland, 4 A Aceves.

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by moonslav59

[Bellhorn04]

Did I miss something?

 

Is he doing well?

 

He's doing well at staying on the roster.

[moonslav59]

He's doing well at staying on the roster.

 

The 10 man pen helps.

 

He may stick around when we go to 8, due to others having more options remaining than his zero.

 

He's first on my DFA list.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It was 2012. Here were the GS'd that season:

 

33 Lester

29 Buch

29 Doubront

21 Beckett

18 A Cook

11 Dice K

10 Bard

9 F Morelaes

2 ZStewart

 

In 2011, we had 31 Lester, 30 Beckett, 28 Lackey, 23 Wake, 14 Buch, 12 A Miller, 8 Bedard, 7 Dice-K, 5 Weiland, 4 A Aceves.

 

 

Don't be deceived by those legendary starters from '11; they were all pretty bad or hurt in the September collapse...

[moonslav59]

Don't be deceived by those legendary starters from '11; they were all pretty bad or hurt in the September collapse...

 

It was hard to plan for a rotation wide collapse.

 

Sept 2011 ERA/GS

 

11.70 AMiller 2

9.13 Lackey 5

7.36 Weiland 3

5.48 Beckett 4

5.40 Lester 6

5.25 Wake 4

5.25 Bedard 3

 

The 2012 numbers carried over from 2011, as nearly everyone underperformed.

 

4.82 Lester 33

4.56 Buchholz 29

4.86 Doubront 29

5.23 Beckett 21

5.65 Cook 18

8.28 Dice-K 11

6.22 Bard 10

3.77 Morales 9

22.24 Stewart 2

Edited April 20, 2022 by moonslav59

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It was hard to plan for a rotation wide collapse.

 

Sept 2011 ERA/GS

 

11.70 AMiller 2

9.13 Lackey 5

7.36 Weiland 3

5.48 Beckett 4

5.40 Lester 6

5.25 Wake 4

5.25 Bedard 3

 

The 2012 numbers carried over from 2011, as nearly everyone underperformed.

 

4.82 Lester 33

4.56 Buchholz 29

4.86 Doubront 29

5.23 Beckett 21

5.65 Cook 18

8.28 Dice-K 11

6.22 Bard 10

3.77 Morales 9

22.24 Stewart 2

 

Another thing going against Bard's conversion was that he was coming off just a brutal last month from '11... He went from a lights-out set-up guy all season to the biggest loser (0-4 in Sept. and I don't know how many blown saves). Whatever the problem was, the Sox decided his next move would be straight into the starting rotation.

 

Somehow, I can't see Cora approving of that until they "got him right"... (like they haven't yet with Barnes).

[moonslav59]

Another thing going against Bard's conversion was that he was coming off just a brutal last month from '11... He went from a lights-out set-up guy all season to the biggest loser (0-4 in Sept. and I don't know how many blown saves). Whatever the problem was, the Sox decided his next move would be straight into the starting rotation.

.

 

So, it seems the move to starter was not the beginning of his unraveling.

 

[Bellhorn04]

Valdez has even better numbers than Whitlock.

[mvp 78]

Valdez has even better numbers than Whitlock.

 

Career high k rate and career low bb rate. He's dealing right now.

[a700hitter]

Valdez has even better numbers than Whitlock.

we need to make both of them starting pitchers.

[mvp 78]

we need to make both of them starting pitchers.

 

Yes to Whitlock, but no to Valdez. Valdez really has only 2 pitches. Without that third pitch, he's really stuck in the pen.

[moonslav59]

Valdez has even better numbers than Whitlock.

 

Let's see how they hold up once he reaches Whitlock's IP.

[mvp 78]

Let's see how they hold up once he reaches Whitlock's IP.

 

What's the toll of another 8 outs going to do?

[moonslav59]

What's the toll of another 8 outs going to do?

 

With Valdez, his numbers could change that quickly.

 

Not a "toll."

[a700hitter]

Yes to Whitlock, but no to Valdez. Valdez really has only 2 pitches. Without that third pitch, he's really stuck in the pen.

if the second pitch is AA plus, maybe he could be a good 5 inning guy who could occasionally go 6. His changeup looks like a plus plus pitch.

[moonslav59]

If we move Whitlock to the rotation, we'll need someone (Valdez?) to be our long man, and the demoted starter should not be that main guy.

[mvp 78]

if the second pitch is AA plus, maybe he could be a good 5 inning guy who could occasionally go 6. His changeup looks like a plus plus pitch.

 

He was a starter in the Texas system before being called up. He hasn't been used as a starter since (excludes "opener" appearances).

[Nick]

if the second pitch is AA plus, maybe he could be a good 5 inning guy who could occasionally go 6. His changeup looks like a plus plus pitch.

 

I heard he threw 17 straight change ups once.......must have great arm motion to deceive the hitters.