If the past week is any indication, then the answer is an emphatic "YES."
After Brett Anderson dazzled with 10 strikeouts in seven innings of one-run ball, Adam Liberatore and the returning Pedro Baez each struck out the side in the last two innings, and the Dodgers cruised to a 7-1 win in Miami. It helped that the Marlins looked completely incompetent at times, and that their big superstar Giancarlo Stanton broke a bone in his left hand during the game. But the Dodgers looked really good nonetheless.
We all know the book on beating the Dodgers: get their starter out of there early enough to attack their middle relief. If you can't do that, then forget about it, because Kenley Jansen is as good as it gets at the end of the game. For much of the season, the Dodgers looked helpless at times in getting the ball to Jansen.
Maybe that's finally turning around, as over the last seven days, the bullpen has been nearly flawless. Yimi Garcia, J.P. Howell, Matt West, Juan Nicasio, and Jansen have all pitched at least a couple of innings without being scored on. Baez made his return on Friday and was perfect, blowing away the three Marlins he faced.
Liberatore has bounced back from a rough start in June to lower his ERA to 2.82. Joel Peralta is also back, and has two straight scoreless appearances.
Add it all up, and for the first time in quite awhile, the Dodgers have to be feeling good about their options in innings 6-8. There's been so many moving parts this year that it's hard to pinpoint the exact roles for each, but here's what I would do if I'm Don Mattingly:
6th - 8th Innings: Garcia, Howell, Nicasio
8th Inning: Liberatore, Peralta, Baez
9th Inning: Jansen (duh)
I'll leave Liberatore in the late-inning role right now only for matchups. Peralta was brought in to be that setup guy, but as long as Baez throws that hard and effectively as he showed Friday night, he deserves some chances as well.
Nicasio was never meant to be playing such a big role, but much to his credit, he's been fantastic with a 1.78 ERA. I think he'd be good as a bridge in the earlier innings to the setup and closer. That can easily change if the other guys flop.
The bullpen has been maligned at various points this year, but if you're looking at the bottom line, it's that they're third in the NL in ERA (2.96) and K's (236), and second in BAA (.219). That's pretty darn good.
With healthier arms now, those numbers could get even better soon.
Showing posts with label Nicasio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nicasio. Show all posts
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Despite trying virtually everything, middle relief is still a huge problem
Picture this scenario: Eighth inning, Dodgers beating the Cardinals 2-1, Adam Liberatore staying in the game after getting the last out of the seventh.
Do you have confidence that the Dodgers will hold on to win?
I certainly didn't, and guess what? They sure as hell couldn't do it.
Alas, it's another frustrating end of the game, as the Cardinals scored three times, and the Dodgers had zero answers in dropping the finale of the four-game set 4-2. Good thing Clayton Kershaw was masterful on Saturday, because the Dodgers lost all three of the other games.
We all know how lousy the offense has been, as they scored a grand total of six runs in the four games, and that was without facing the great Adam Wainwright, who's done for the season. Hell, the Cardinals scored seven runs on Thursday, which has been practically unheard of for this damn team.
Rather, let's focus on the middle relief. That is, the horrendous arms that are trying to bridge the gap to Kenley Jansen, and failing miserably.
Sunday night it was up to Liberatore and Juan Nicasio. That's how desperate the Dodgers are - relying on a guy who wasn't with the club to begin the year, and another who was supposed to be there for long relief. Liberatore did get Kolten Wong swinging to end the seventh, and should've been pulled right after.
Instead, Don Mattingly stuck with him to pitch to Matt Carpenter to start the eighth. It didn't work, as a walk later, Nicasio came in. To his credit, he did have a 1.48 ERA coming into this appearance. But don't be fooled - those weren't against the Cardinals in the eighth inning of a one-run game. This was a whole different animal in which he failed miserably.
To sum it up quickly, Matt Holliday ripped an RBI triple to tie it, Jhonny Peralta an RBI single to take the lead, and Mark Reynolds a deep RBI double to get some cushion. Yimi Garcia got a double play to end the inning, but was lucky since it was a liner to short that Jimmy Rollins caught and doubled Reynolds off of second.
By the way, Nicasio's ERA shot up to 2.19 based off that one appearance alone.
I, along with many others, am kind of at a loss on what exactly the Dodgers can do. They've tried everything under the sun the last couple of years. The former closers (Brian Wilson, Brandon League, Chris Perez) and young arms (Garcia, Liberatore, Chris Hatcher) and it's just not working. I'll give them this, at least they've tried a bunch of different options.
Right now, the Dodgers will probably just have to accept the fact that this is truly a trial-and-error process until somebody, ANYBODY, steps up and can pair himself with Jansen. With Joel Peralta and Pedro Baez still out, then I wouldn't be opposed to giving flame throwing Josh Ravin a chance for holds. He's only pitched 2 1/3 innings, but with two strikeouts and no walks. Better than watching Hatcher screw things up, right?
From what I can tell, Baez could be back soon. That would great news, and I'd immediately give him the ball in the eighth as well and see what happens.
As for J.P. Howell, who has an 0.63 ERA in 21 appearances, I wouldn't consider him as a major option in the eighth. Perhaps sometimes he could, but he throws so soft, and with a 1.40 WHIP, I wouldn't totally trust him to be the guy. He's better off earlier in the game for hitters here and there.
Maybe Andrew Friedman has a move or two up his sleeve, and we're about to find out. Then again, maybe not, and the Dodgers are stuck with who they've got. Which, um... isn't much. But until this thing gets figured out, the awful middle relief will continue to hold them back from becoming a serious threat to come out of the National League.
Again.
Do you have confidence that the Dodgers will hold on to win?
I certainly didn't, and guess what? They sure as hell couldn't do it.
Alas, it's another frustrating end of the game, as the Cardinals scored three times, and the Dodgers had zero answers in dropping the finale of the four-game set 4-2. Good thing Clayton Kershaw was masterful on Saturday, because the Dodgers lost all three of the other games.
We all know how lousy the offense has been, as they scored a grand total of six runs in the four games, and that was without facing the great Adam Wainwright, who's done for the season. Hell, the Cardinals scored seven runs on Thursday, which has been practically unheard of for this damn team.
Rather, let's focus on the middle relief. That is, the horrendous arms that are trying to bridge the gap to Kenley Jansen, and failing miserably.
Sunday night it was up to Liberatore and Juan Nicasio. That's how desperate the Dodgers are - relying on a guy who wasn't with the club to begin the year, and another who was supposed to be there for long relief. Liberatore did get Kolten Wong swinging to end the seventh, and should've been pulled right after.
Instead, Don Mattingly stuck with him to pitch to Matt Carpenter to start the eighth. It didn't work, as a walk later, Nicasio came in. To his credit, he did have a 1.48 ERA coming into this appearance. But don't be fooled - those weren't against the Cardinals in the eighth inning of a one-run game. This was a whole different animal in which he failed miserably.
To sum it up quickly, Matt Holliday ripped an RBI triple to tie it, Jhonny Peralta an RBI single to take the lead, and Mark Reynolds a deep RBI double to get some cushion. Yimi Garcia got a double play to end the inning, but was lucky since it was a liner to short that Jimmy Rollins caught and doubled Reynolds off of second.
By the way, Nicasio's ERA shot up to 2.19 based off that one appearance alone.
I, along with many others, am kind of at a loss on what exactly the Dodgers can do. They've tried everything under the sun the last couple of years. The former closers (Brian Wilson, Brandon League, Chris Perez) and young arms (Garcia, Liberatore, Chris Hatcher) and it's just not working. I'll give them this, at least they've tried a bunch of different options.
Right now, the Dodgers will probably just have to accept the fact that this is truly a trial-and-error process until somebody, ANYBODY, steps up and can pair himself with Jansen. With Joel Peralta and Pedro Baez still out, then I wouldn't be opposed to giving flame throwing Josh Ravin a chance for holds. He's only pitched 2 1/3 innings, but with two strikeouts and no walks. Better than watching Hatcher screw things up, right?
From what I can tell, Baez could be back soon. That would great news, and I'd immediately give him the ball in the eighth as well and see what happens.
As for J.P. Howell, who has an 0.63 ERA in 21 appearances, I wouldn't consider him as a major option in the eighth. Perhaps sometimes he could, but he throws so soft, and with a 1.40 WHIP, I wouldn't totally trust him to be the guy. He's better off earlier in the game for hitters here and there.
Maybe Andrew Friedman has a move or two up his sleeve, and we're about to find out. Then again, maybe not, and the Dodgers are stuck with who they've got. Which, um... isn't much. But until this thing gets figured out, the awful middle relief will continue to hold them back from becoming a serious threat to come out of the National League.
Again.
Monday, February 9, 2015
2015 Season Preview: Bullpen
Here is the second installment in my season preview series. Last season, the bullpen was a huge weak spot on a division winning team, as the Dodgers had a very difficult time getting the ball to their dominant closer, Kenley Jansen. It ended up being one of the big reasons they Dodgers went four and out in the playoffs.
So, have the flurry of moves made this unit stronger heading in '15? Let's take a look.
2014
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Jamey Wright
Pedro Baez
2015
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Joel Peralta
J.P. Howell
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Juan Nicasio
Chris Hatcher
Then Compared to Now:
Right off the bat, what jumps out is the addition by subtraction. That is, getting rid of dead weight in Wilson and Perez. They both were so horrendous last season, it's hard to imagine those two signings going any worse. Wilson had a 4.66 ERA in 61 games, and Perez collected a 4.27 in 49. Awful, just awful. Good riddance!
In their places come Peralta, Nicasio, and Hatcher. The biggest name is Peralta, who's coming off of three straight seasons of more strikeouts than innings pitched. But, he's also seen his ERA creep up the last few seasons as well. Like Peralta, Hatcher relies on his fastball to blow hitters away, so the strikeout is always a possibility.
Howell will look to pitch more like the guy the first few months of the season, and less like the one who was knocked around at the end. Baez will look to step up into a bigger role, and Nicasio will look to play the swingman role of long reliever and spot starter.
Individual Breakdown:
Jansen (2014 stats): 2-3, 44 SV, 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 101 K's in 65 1/2 IP
After some bumps in the road to start the season, he really turned it on as the summer months got hotter and hotter. The result was another terrific season in which he by far posted his most career saves. He's in love with the cutter, and when it has a sharp bite, it's practically unhittable. When he mixes in softer stuff like a slider, he's even more effective. He's only 27 with not much mileage, so the Dodgers have very little worry that he'll continue that success.
Peralta (with Rays): 3-4, 1 SV, 18 HLD, 4.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 74 K's in 63 1/3 IP
The good news is that he can't possibly be worse than Wilson in the setup role (right?). The bad news is that he appears to be going in the same direction as Wilson. Of course, that's not to say he'll completely fall off the map too, as I can't imagine he'll get roughed up nearly as bad as The Beard did. The strikeouts are still there, and he only walked 15 last season in 69 appearances, which is very good. With an improved defense behind him, those are reasons to believe he'll be effective. Is he an everyday setup man? That might be a stretch, but we shall see.
Howell: 3-3, 27 HLD, 2.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 48 K's in 49 IP
It's a shame he started getting shelled in September, because before that, he was really, really good. And what do you know, he's once again the only lefty in the bullpen. Like it or not, he's the man to face tough lefties. He's not going to blow you away, as he's a location and breaking ball type of guy. When it's working, it's good. When it's not, it's practically batting practice. Maybe he just ran out of steam last season, so hopefully he can be fresher down the stretch, because he'll be needed.
Baez: 0-0, 5 HLD, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 18 K's in 24 IP
In his first season, he only appeared in 20 games, so the sample size is small. Even with that, he was thrust right into the spotlight of the postseason, giving up a huge three-run shot to Matt Holliday in that epic meltdown in Game 1 against the Cardinals. Still, I like what he offers, as he throws hard and seems to have good composure on the mound. With Chris Withrow most likely out for all of 2015, his role will be increased even more.
League: 2-3, 11 HLD, 2.57 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 38 K's in 63 IP
What a roller coaster ride it's been for him since being traded to the Dodgers from the Mariners in 2012. He went from closer of the future to a complete waste of a big money deal. Then he posted a fantastic ERA last season, but a very high WHIP showed just how often he was playing with fire. At this point, he is what he is - a guy who will fool some with his breaking stuff, and will go through awful stretches where he lets everyone on base. He survived the offseason without getting canned, but if he falters once again, he'll be sent packing.
Nicasio (with Rockies): 6-6, 1 HLD, 5.38 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 63 K's in 93 2/3 IP
The best thing for any young pitcher is to finally get out of Coors Field, as he owns a 5.24 career ERA at home. It's not like he lit it up on the road, though, with a 4.81 ERA. Still, he has to feel great about coming to the Dodgers and taking the ball in a much friendlier ballpark. If there's a silver lining, he's made six career starts in LA (seven games overall), and owns a 3.63 ERA. That's something to build on.
Hatcher (with Marlins): 0-3, 6 HLD, 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 60 K's in 56 IP
Like Jansen, he was once a catcher who converted to a hard throwing reliever. His first few seasons weren't so hot, but after getting called up in late May with the Marlins last season, put together a good season. He throws hard and keeps his walks low, which is always a good combination. Right now he's a young, power arm on the rise, so if he can keep missing bats and avoid the free passes, he'll be a good weapon.
Other Names to Remember: Daniel Coulombe, Carlos Frias, Yimi Garcia, Paco Rodriguez
Is Now Better Than Then?
The Dodgers could pair just about anyone up with Jansen and be considered better this season. They absolutely needed to dump Wilson, even if it cost them $10 million in dead salary. Big deal, it needed to be done. And thank the Lord that it did.
The guys who were brought in - Peralta, Hatcher, and Nicasio - aren't names that will jump off the page, and will have to prove that they can be the answer. Peralta appears to be the first in line to pitch the eighth, and finally give a reliable bridge to Jansen in the ninth. That, in my opinion, was the biggest Achilles' heel of the Dodgers last year, so that's something that absolutely needs to get better if they want to take the next step in the playoffs. If not Peralta, then maybe a surprise name such as Baez or Hatcher can be that guy.
Two other guys who are gone from last year are Wright and Perez, as their best days are clearly behind them. Because of those subtractions, I'll easily take this year's squad as an upgrade over last year's. But, does that mean this year's group is good? There's always a huge plus with Jansen at the end, but the newcomers and young guys like Baez will have to show they can put up consistent numbers all season long to be one of the better bullpens in baseball.
So, have the flurry of moves made this unit stronger heading in '15? Let's take a look.
2014
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Jamey Wright
Pedro Baez
2015
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Joel Peralta
J.P. Howell
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Juan Nicasio
Chris Hatcher
Then Compared to Now:
Right off the bat, what jumps out is the addition by subtraction. That is, getting rid of dead weight in Wilson and Perez. They both were so horrendous last season, it's hard to imagine those two signings going any worse. Wilson had a 4.66 ERA in 61 games, and Perez collected a 4.27 in 49. Awful, just awful. Good riddance!
In their places come Peralta, Nicasio, and Hatcher. The biggest name is Peralta, who's coming off of three straight seasons of more strikeouts than innings pitched. But, he's also seen his ERA creep up the last few seasons as well. Like Peralta, Hatcher relies on his fastball to blow hitters away, so the strikeout is always a possibility.
Howell will look to pitch more like the guy the first few months of the season, and less like the one who was knocked around at the end. Baez will look to step up into a bigger role, and Nicasio will look to play the swingman role of long reliever and spot starter.
Individual Breakdown:
Jansen (2014 stats): 2-3, 44 SV, 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 101 K's in 65 1/2 IP
After some bumps in the road to start the season, he really turned it on as the summer months got hotter and hotter. The result was another terrific season in which he by far posted his most career saves. He's in love with the cutter, and when it has a sharp bite, it's practically unhittable. When he mixes in softer stuff like a slider, he's even more effective. He's only 27 with not much mileage, so the Dodgers have very little worry that he'll continue that success.
Peralta (with Rays): 3-4, 1 SV, 18 HLD, 4.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 74 K's in 63 1/3 IP
The good news is that he can't possibly be worse than Wilson in the setup role (right?). The bad news is that he appears to be going in the same direction as Wilson. Of course, that's not to say he'll completely fall off the map too, as I can't imagine he'll get roughed up nearly as bad as The Beard did. The strikeouts are still there, and he only walked 15 last season in 69 appearances, which is very good. With an improved defense behind him, those are reasons to believe he'll be effective. Is he an everyday setup man? That might be a stretch, but we shall see.
Howell: 3-3, 27 HLD, 2.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 48 K's in 49 IP
It's a shame he started getting shelled in September, because before that, he was really, really good. And what do you know, he's once again the only lefty in the bullpen. Like it or not, he's the man to face tough lefties. He's not going to blow you away, as he's a location and breaking ball type of guy. When it's working, it's good. When it's not, it's practically batting practice. Maybe he just ran out of steam last season, so hopefully he can be fresher down the stretch, because he'll be needed.
Baez: 0-0, 5 HLD, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 18 K's in 24 IP
In his first season, he only appeared in 20 games, so the sample size is small. Even with that, he was thrust right into the spotlight of the postseason, giving up a huge three-run shot to Matt Holliday in that epic meltdown in Game 1 against the Cardinals. Still, I like what he offers, as he throws hard and seems to have good composure on the mound. With Chris Withrow most likely out for all of 2015, his role will be increased even more.
League: 2-3, 11 HLD, 2.57 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 38 K's in 63 IP
What a roller coaster ride it's been for him since being traded to the Dodgers from the Mariners in 2012. He went from closer of the future to a complete waste of a big money deal. Then he posted a fantastic ERA last season, but a very high WHIP showed just how often he was playing with fire. At this point, he is what he is - a guy who will fool some with his breaking stuff, and will go through awful stretches where he lets everyone on base. He survived the offseason without getting canned, but if he falters once again, he'll be sent packing.
Nicasio (with Rockies): 6-6, 1 HLD, 5.38 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 63 K's in 93 2/3 IP
The best thing for any young pitcher is to finally get out of Coors Field, as he owns a 5.24 career ERA at home. It's not like he lit it up on the road, though, with a 4.81 ERA. Still, he has to feel great about coming to the Dodgers and taking the ball in a much friendlier ballpark. If there's a silver lining, he's made six career starts in LA (seven games overall), and owns a 3.63 ERA. That's something to build on.
Hatcher (with Marlins): 0-3, 6 HLD, 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 60 K's in 56 IP
Like Jansen, he was once a catcher who converted to a hard throwing reliever. His first few seasons weren't so hot, but after getting called up in late May with the Marlins last season, put together a good season. He throws hard and keeps his walks low, which is always a good combination. Right now he's a young, power arm on the rise, so if he can keep missing bats and avoid the free passes, he'll be a good weapon.
Other Names to Remember: Daniel Coulombe, Carlos Frias, Yimi Garcia, Paco Rodriguez
Is Now Better Than Then?
The Dodgers could pair just about anyone up with Jansen and be considered better this season. They absolutely needed to dump Wilson, even if it cost them $10 million in dead salary. Big deal, it needed to be done. And thank the Lord that it did.
The guys who were brought in - Peralta, Hatcher, and Nicasio - aren't names that will jump off the page, and will have to prove that they can be the answer. Peralta appears to be the first in line to pitch the eighth, and finally give a reliable bridge to Jansen in the ninth. That, in my opinion, was the biggest Achilles' heel of the Dodgers last year, so that's something that absolutely needs to get better if they want to take the next step in the playoffs. If not Peralta, then maybe a surprise name such as Baez or Hatcher can be that guy.
Two other guys who are gone from last year are Wright and Perez, as their best days are clearly behind them. Because of those subtractions, I'll easily take this year's squad as an upgrade over last year's. But, does that mean this year's group is good? There's always a huge plus with Jansen at the end, but the newcomers and young guys like Baez will have to show they can put up consistent numbers all season long to be one of the better bullpens in baseball.
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