2022 Bullpen Thread

[moonslav59]

Even bringing him up may not fix the situation.

 

There is no fix.

 

This is about next year's hopes.

[moonslav59]

When the Sox got Brasier in 2018 , he did a very nice job. Then they counted on him more than they should have , and he was unable to repeat his success. He became just another reliever . Not closer material ,but decent enough to keep around. A ham and egger. Now , it appears that even that is declining. But the problem is deeper than Brasier. This whole bullpen was poorly constructed. Need an entirely different approach.

 

The pen did pretty good when we had Houck, Whitlock and Schreiber all with defined roles and in the pen, at the same time. We still needed a couple more dependable guys, but Strahm got hurt and nobody else stepped it up.

 

I agree, we need fixing and a new approach.

[Old Red]

The pen did pretty good when we had Houck, Whitlock and Schreiber all with defined roles and in the pen, at the same time. We still needed a couple more dependable guys, but Strahm got hurt and nobody else stepped it up.

 

I agree, we need fixing and a new approach.

Agree that the pen has been the best all year with Houck, Whit, and Schreiber at the backend. It didn’t last long with Houck getting hurt, and I think Schreiber has been really worked hard with lots of stressful situations. Not many opportunities lately for Whitlock with the way the team has been going.

[Old Red]

The Twins have claimed Austin Davis off waivers. As if the Twins weren’t already loaded in the BP.

[moonslav59]

The Twins have claimed Austin Davis off waivers. As if the Twins weren’t already loaded in the BP.

 

These guys just keep getting recycled... like Diekman.

 

Maybe they see something that can be "fixed."

[Old Red]

These guys just keep getting recycled... like Diekman.

 

Maybe they see something that can be "fixed."

 

He pitched best when he was an opener.

[moonslav59]

He pitched best when he was an opener.

 

Maybe they use him in that role.

[Hugh2]

Agree that the pen has been the best all year with Houck, Whit, and Schreiber at the backend. It didn’t last long with Houck getting hurt, and I think Schreiber has been really worked hard with lots of stressful situations. Not many opportunities lately for Whitlock with the way the team has been going.

 

Injuries are no excuse, this bullpen should have been great. Next man up!!!

[moonslav59]

Injuries are no excuse, this bullpen should have been great. Next man up!!!

 

Very few teams survive a full season with just 3 capable RP'ers.

 

Yes, it goes beyond injuries, but using Houck and Whitlock as starters didn't help.

 

We need a deeper pen, and if we plan on starting Whitlock, next year, we need help in the high leverage area, too.

[harmony]

There is no fix.

 

This is about next year's hopes.

The Red Sox postseason chances have dropped below one percent at FanGraphs, FiveThirtyEight and Baseball Prospectus:

https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds

 

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-mlb-predictions/

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2022.shtml

 

... down from 61.3 percent preseason at FanGraphs:

https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds?date=2022-04-06&dateDelta=

The unexpected surfaces each MLB season.

[Old Red]

Wow unlike Austin Davis who was claimed off waivers by the Twins the Sour Man has made it through without being claimed. That was a close call, so outright to Worcester he goes.

[dgalehouse]

Wow unlike Austin Davis who was claimed off waivers by the Twins the Sour Man has made it through without being claimed. That was a close call, so outright to Worcester he goes.

 

We haven't seen the last of him.

[Bellhorn04]

Kind of an ignominious experience for a player, isn't it. Your team puts you out on the street for anyone who wants to take you. If nobody wants you, you get shipped to the minors.

[Hugh2]

it comes without saying that additions to the bullpen would look pretty darn good to improve things, but looking internally a bounce back from Matt Barnes would really go a long way. He's been pretty good in the month of august since coming back and if you took away his appearance on the 30th he's been really good. Can't bank on him at this point, but I would love to see him be an important piece of the 2023 bullpen.

[moonslav59]

it comes without saying that additions to the bullpen would look pretty darn good to improve things, but looking internally a bounce back from Matt Barnes would really go a long way. He's been pretty good in the month of august since coming back and if you took away his appearance on the 30th he's been really good. Can't bank on him at this point, but I would love to see him be an important piece of the 2023 bullpen.

 

Agreed. I'd slot him at maybe #5 or 6 on the 8 man pen, but think he might move up as the season goes on.

 

1.Houck

2. Whitlock

3. ______

4. Schreiber

5. ______

6. Barnes

7-8. Taylor/Crawford/Wink/German/Kelly/Danish/(Bello/Mata/Walter/Murphy/Santos)

[Hugh2]

Agreed. I'd slot him at maybe #5 or 6 on the 8 man pen, but think he might move up as the season goes on.

 

1.Houck

2. Whitlock

3. ______

4. Schreiber

5. ______

6. Barnes

7-8. Taylor/Crawford/Wink/German/Kelly/Danish/(Bello/Mata/Walter/Murphy/Santos)

 

I think you need to know who your closer and set up man is out of the bullpen, and you hope Barnes regains his old self and then you can throw him in the mix with those two guys to not burn them out.

[moonslav59]

I think you need to know who your closer and set up man is out of the bullpen, and you hope Barnes regains his old self and then you can throw him in the mix with those two guys to not burn them out.

 

I'd tell Houck and Whitlock their 2023 roles, right now.

 

Closer: Houck

Relief ace: Whitlock

[Old Red]

The biggest thing I was trying to figure out last night was who was the so called relief Ace?

[moonslav59]

The biggest thing I was trying to figure out last night was who was the so called relief Ace?

 

Maybe when they brought Ort in?

 

(LOL)

[Old Red]

Maybe when they brought Ort in?

 

(LOL)

 

All I can say is that quantity does not equal quality.

[moonslav59]

All I can say is that quantity does not equal quality.

 

I guess one could say it was Schreiber, who was called in to put out the fire in the 5th inning.

[Maxbialystock]

This is Schreiber’s only good season ever. He’s been terrific vs lousy before, but he could be tiring and/or opposing teams are getting smarter. This is Whitlocks 2d season, and he too may be tiring. But he’s been excellent both years as the ace reliever. Houck just might have the best temperament to close. And Barnes should be able to contribute.

 

Lest we forget. The rotation is also pretty important and there are a bunch of questions about next year.

[Bellhorn04]

The biggest thing I was trying to figure out last night was who was the so called relief Ace?

 

Whitlock is the relief ace.

 

But as another poster said, we have too many jokers in the deck.

[Old Red]

Whitlock is the relief ace.

 

But as another poster said, we have too many jokers in the deck.

 

Like last night?

[Bellhorn04]

Like last night?

 

Yes, and many others.

[moonslav59]

This is Schreiber’s only good season ever. He’s been terrific vs lousy before, but he could be tiring and/or opposing teams are getting smarter. This is Whitlocks 2d season, and he too may be tiring. But he’s been excellent both years as the ace reliever. Houck just might have the best temperament to close. And Barnes should be able to contribute.

 

Lest we forget. The rotation is also pretty important and there are a bunch of questions about next year.

 

Schreiber only had a little over 30 IP at the ML level spread over 3 seasons, so it's hard to get a good read on how good he was before this season. He did have some very nice minor league numbers, so maybe this was not a fluke year:

 

2.41 AAA in 138 IP

2.49 in AA in 65 IP

0.54 in A in 50.1 IP

2.76 in A- in 29.1 IP

 

2.13 overall 283 IP with an 1.051 WHIP, 10.0 K.9 and 2.8 BB/9, 0.4 HR/9.

 

From what I've seen, the guy has some very nasty stuff working for him. As with almost all RP'ers, he may go up and down going forward, but he looks for real, to me.

[dgalehouse]

If we are going to start calling the set-up man the " relief ace" , they are going to want more money .

[Maxbialystock]

And the night before.

[Bellhorn04]

If we are going to start calling the set-up man the " relief ace" , they are going to want more money .

 

I thought you might respond to my last post on the "How would you use Whitlock next year" thread, about how Cora used him in the last game with Minnesota.

[notin]

The biggest thing I was trying to figure out last night was who was the so called relief Ace?

 

Schreiber. He’s been filling that role for months. He did it again last night…