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.
Showing posts with label Perez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perez. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2015
Thursday, October 16, 2014
How much blame should be on Colletti for the failed bullpen?
As Andrew Friedman gets settled into his position of the man pulling all the strings for the Dodgers, Ned Colletti is quietly getting adjusted to his new role as well. A new role that will no longer allow him to be the trigger man in player movement.
Much of the focus since news broke this week of Friedman getting hired has been about the construction of the bullpen under Ned Colletti. As the Royals have shown in the playoffs, a top-notch bullpen can carry a team a long, long way.
Something the Dodgers didn't come close to having.
So now, the question can be asked of how much blame Colletti should receive for the bullpen he put together this season. There's definitely two ways of looking at it, so let's dive right in.
1) Bringing in ex-closers like Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Chris Perez is an easy move to make. They have experience pitching in big situations.
When looking at the bullpen on paper before the season started, the breakdown looked something like this: Perez for the 7th, Wilson for the 8th, Kenley Jansen to close things out. That certainly looked like a good trio in the final innings, especially after the success of Wilson at the end of 2013.
With the great starting pitching the Dodgers have, it looked like they could turn games into six-inning affairs. It's not a stretch to say that they felt like they were going to win lots of games when they had the lead going into the late innings. Either they had a starting pitcher rolling along, or their bullpen full of former closers would close the door.
2) There's a reason League, Perez, and Wilson are ex-closers. It's because they're washed up and clearly not what they used to be.
Unfortunately for Colletti, this turned out to be the case, especially in the NLDS when the middle relief time and time again failed to bridge the gap to Jansen. It was an ugly way to end the season to say the least.
Everyone but Jansen was a disaster pretty much all season long. Perez had a 4.27 ERA in 49 games, though it seemed like it was much worse. Wilson lost all of the zip on his pitches, and ended up with a 4.66 ERA in 61 games. League was improved at 2.57 in 63 games, but that was mostly in low-pressure situations.
My guess is Colletti went with the experience of guys who have been there, done that over guys who are more comfortable pitching in the middle innings. It was a chance he was willing to take, and while the Dodgers did win the NL West, it was mostly in spite of the ex-closers.
One interesting little tidbit that has been whispered is about Colletti being handcuffed from making trades at the deadline, as management labeled the top prospects like Corey Seager, Julio Urias, and Joc Pederson as untouchable. Remember how Colletti said he wanted to improve the 'pen, yet nothing came of it? It seemed pretty strange at the time, especially considering this team's recent history of taking on all sorts of money to get more talent.
Well, it sure looks like we should cut Colletti some slack, as it appears as if he was willing to get more arms, yet was blocked. Who knows what those deals may have been, so possibly in the long run, it's a good thing to hold onto the prospects instead of getting the short-term fix.
Bottom Line:
While I can understand Colletti's thought process in regards to the ex-closers, the end result is that it completely blew up in his face. There's no way any of us thought these guys would be THIS bad, but the reality is they were. So that makes Colletti's moves to be failures.
Much of the blame needs to be with the pitchers themselves, as they not only made Colletti look like a fool, but completely dropped their stocks as well. This group was so lousy, even a little bit of improvement would have still made them bad. That's how poorly they performed.
So let's just call it even down the middle: Colletti gets half the blame for signing the wrong guys, and the ex-closers get the other half for stinking up the joint over and over. We'll settle at that.
Much of the focus since news broke this week of Friedman getting hired has been about the construction of the bullpen under Ned Colletti. As the Royals have shown in the playoffs, a top-notch bullpen can carry a team a long, long way.
Something the Dodgers didn't come close to having.
So now, the question can be asked of how much blame Colletti should receive for the bullpen he put together this season. There's definitely two ways of looking at it, so let's dive right in.
1) Bringing in ex-closers like Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Chris Perez is an easy move to make. They have experience pitching in big situations.
When looking at the bullpen on paper before the season started, the breakdown looked something like this: Perez for the 7th, Wilson for the 8th, Kenley Jansen to close things out. That certainly looked like a good trio in the final innings, especially after the success of Wilson at the end of 2013.
With the great starting pitching the Dodgers have, it looked like they could turn games into six-inning affairs. It's not a stretch to say that they felt like they were going to win lots of games when they had the lead going into the late innings. Either they had a starting pitcher rolling along, or their bullpen full of former closers would close the door.
2) There's a reason League, Perez, and Wilson are ex-closers. It's because they're washed up and clearly not what they used to be.
Unfortunately for Colletti, this turned out to be the case, especially in the NLDS when the middle relief time and time again failed to bridge the gap to Jansen. It was an ugly way to end the season to say the least.
Everyone but Jansen was a disaster pretty much all season long. Perez had a 4.27 ERA in 49 games, though it seemed like it was much worse. Wilson lost all of the zip on his pitches, and ended up with a 4.66 ERA in 61 games. League was improved at 2.57 in 63 games, but that was mostly in low-pressure situations.
My guess is Colletti went with the experience of guys who have been there, done that over guys who are more comfortable pitching in the middle innings. It was a chance he was willing to take, and while the Dodgers did win the NL West, it was mostly in spite of the ex-closers.
One interesting little tidbit that has been whispered is about Colletti being handcuffed from making trades at the deadline, as management labeled the top prospects like Corey Seager, Julio Urias, and Joc Pederson as untouchable. Remember how Colletti said he wanted to improve the 'pen, yet nothing came of it? It seemed pretty strange at the time, especially considering this team's recent history of taking on all sorts of money to get more talent.
Well, it sure looks like we should cut Colletti some slack, as it appears as if he was willing to get more arms, yet was blocked. Who knows what those deals may have been, so possibly in the long run, it's a good thing to hold onto the prospects instead of getting the short-term fix.
Bottom Line:
While I can understand Colletti's thought process in regards to the ex-closers, the end result is that it completely blew up in his face. There's no way any of us thought these guys would be THIS bad, but the reality is they were. So that makes Colletti's moves to be failures.
Much of the blame needs to be with the pitchers themselves, as they not only made Colletti look like a fool, but completely dropped their stocks as well. This group was so lousy, even a little bit of improvement would have still made them bad. That's how poorly they performed.
So let's just call it even down the middle: Colletti gets half the blame for signing the wrong guys, and the ex-closers get the other half for stinking up the joint over and over. We'll settle at that.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
8th inning could be the Dodgers downfall
Remember last season when Brian Wilson was signed, and the Dodgers had the ultimate 1-2 punch with Kenley Jansen down the stretch and in the postseason?
Well, it sure was fun while it lasted.
The combination of Jamey Wright and Brandon League were the latest to not get the job done in the setup role, as they turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Dodgers dropped one to the Brewers 6-3. At least the Phillies had a comeback of their own in beating the Giants, so the lead in the NL West remains 5 1/2.
To say the eighth inning was ugly would be an understatement. Here's the final tally: nine batters, four hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout. Most of that damage was done against Wright, who gave up four of those hits and one intentional walk. Even his one out was a hard lineout by Jonathan Lucroy leading off. Every ball hit against him was hard.
League was put in a tough situation of the bases loaded and one out, but he did get Rickie Weeks swinging for two down. But, as has been the case over his three-year deal worth $22.5 million, he couldn't get a second big out, as Lyle Overbay's double cleared the bases and any hope of the Dodgers winning. It was pathetic.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest issue the Dodgers face right now is bridging the gap to Jansen. There certainly isn't a Wilson circa 2013 Don Mattingly can turn to. Wilson, by the way, had an 0.66 ERA in 18 appearances last season. Little did we realize just how much we'd miss that version of Wilson.
About the only reliable guy in the 'pen before Jansen is J.P. Howell, but he's not your prototypical setup man. He relies on the soft stuff, and is very effective at it. In 39 1/3 innings, he has a 1.37 ERA. I think Mattingly should just ignore the lefty-righty stuff and pitch him more in the eighth regardless. It certainly can't hurt.
But other than Howell... yikes. It's just a whole lot of nothing to turn to. Here's my breakdown of the other choices, and why they're.... well, not good choices:
Wilson - 5.26 ERA, and can't seem to pitch a clean eighth
League - Much better ERA at 2.32, but the bigger the pressure, the worse he gets
Wright - Had a chance to make a positive impression, and showed why he's much more suited to pitching earlier in the game
Chris Perez - Currently on the DL, and when he's back, has absolutely no business taking the mound in any inning
Pedro Baez and Carlos Frias - Too young and inexperienced to pitch in a big situation. But then again, it's not like they can do any worse, so why not try them?
So like I said, there just aren't any solid options to turn to. I actually liked it on Friday night when Donny gave Wright a chance to do the job. It definitely backfired, but the other options are so bad, it was worth a shot.
This is definitely a big concern heading into the postseason. The only positive is that the Dodgers have really good starting pitching in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (who hopefully can rest his sore butt!). They can pitch deep into games, which would then limit the amount of relievers needed. We hope.
If I'm Jansen, I'm making sure my arm is plenty rested and ready to go in October. I absolutely think Donny will call upon him in the eighth for more than the traditional three-out save. Donny really has no choice. Might as well skip all the other bums and go with the Big Dog.
Will someone actually step up and finally claim that setup role over the final month-and-a-half? That will be the major question facing the Dodgers the rest of the season.
Well, it sure was fun while it lasted.
The combination of Jamey Wright and Brandon League were the latest to not get the job done in the setup role, as they turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Dodgers dropped one to the Brewers 6-3. At least the Phillies had a comeback of their own in beating the Giants, so the lead in the NL West remains 5 1/2.
To say the eighth inning was ugly would be an understatement. Here's the final tally: nine batters, four hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout. Most of that damage was done against Wright, who gave up four of those hits and one intentional walk. Even his one out was a hard lineout by Jonathan Lucroy leading off. Every ball hit against him was hard.
League was put in a tough situation of the bases loaded and one out, but he did get Rickie Weeks swinging for two down. But, as has been the case over his three-year deal worth $22.5 million, he couldn't get a second big out, as Lyle Overbay's double cleared the bases and any hope of the Dodgers winning. It was pathetic.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest issue the Dodgers face right now is bridging the gap to Jansen. There certainly isn't a Wilson circa 2013 Don Mattingly can turn to. Wilson, by the way, had an 0.66 ERA in 18 appearances last season. Little did we realize just how much we'd miss that version of Wilson.
About the only reliable guy in the 'pen before Jansen is J.P. Howell, but he's not your prototypical setup man. He relies on the soft stuff, and is very effective at it. In 39 1/3 innings, he has a 1.37 ERA. I think Mattingly should just ignore the lefty-righty stuff and pitch him more in the eighth regardless. It certainly can't hurt.
But other than Howell... yikes. It's just a whole lot of nothing to turn to. Here's my breakdown of the other choices, and why they're.... well, not good choices:
Wilson - 5.26 ERA, and can't seem to pitch a clean eighth
League - Much better ERA at 2.32, but the bigger the pressure, the worse he gets
Wright - Had a chance to make a positive impression, and showed why he's much more suited to pitching earlier in the game
Chris Perez - Currently on the DL, and when he's back, has absolutely no business taking the mound in any inning
Pedro Baez and Carlos Frias - Too young and inexperienced to pitch in a big situation. But then again, it's not like they can do any worse, so why not try them?
So like I said, there just aren't any solid options to turn to. I actually liked it on Friday night when Donny gave Wright a chance to do the job. It definitely backfired, but the other options are so bad, it was worth a shot.
This is definitely a big concern heading into the postseason. The only positive is that the Dodgers have really good starting pitching in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (who hopefully can rest his sore butt!). They can pitch deep into games, which would then limit the amount of relievers needed. We hope.
If I'm Jansen, I'm making sure my arm is plenty rested and ready to go in October. I absolutely think Donny will call upon him in the eighth for more than the traditional three-out save. Donny really has no choice. Might as well skip all the other bums and go with the Big Dog.
Will someone actually step up and finally claim that setup role over the final month-and-a-half? That will be the major question facing the Dodgers the rest of the season.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Start of more changes? Perez to the DL, Frias called up
After a pretty humiliating weekend in which the Dodgers not only dropped two of three to the Cubs, but looked pretty lifeless in the process, one thing they knew needed to get better was their pitching. More specifically, the back ends of both their rotation and bullpen.
Today appeared to be the first step in making changes, as Chris Perez and his 5.03 ERA was placed on the 15-day DL with bone spurs in his right ankle. In his place will be right-handed Carlos Frias from Triple-A Albuquerque.
It's obvious the Dodgers have some pretty big pitching problems, so sitting Perez is a good start. Look, I am in no way celebrating someone getting hurt. As has happened many times in the past when someone struggling mysteriously has an injury that leads to a DL stint, we have to take their word for it that something is really wrong... even when we probably know the truth.
So out goes Perez, and in comes Frias. In the article that you can click above, it says he's made 20 starts between Double-a Chattanooga and Triple-A for a 10-5 record and 4.58 ERA. Keep in mind that any ERA at Albuquerque will be high since that's considered the Coors Field of the minors. Hitters will always have better numbers, and pitchers worse. That's just the way it is.
Don Mattingly has already stated that Frias will only start if something happens to Beckett or Haren, who are both slated for starts this week. So, it appears that Frias will be used in long relief, which is needed with Paul Maholm tearing his ACL. Maybe he'll eventually get a start, who knows.
I don't care who was brought up, this is a good move. Every time Perez takes the mound, there's a losing feeling that goes with it. Now the Dodgers can put in a fresh arm and let him show what he can do. At the very worst, he performs like Perez. Let's hope he can do better.
This is a decent start, but what I want to know is, what's next?
Today appeared to be the first step in making changes, as Chris Perez and his 5.03 ERA was placed on the 15-day DL with bone spurs in his right ankle. In his place will be right-handed Carlos Frias from Triple-A Albuquerque.
It's obvious the Dodgers have some pretty big pitching problems, so sitting Perez is a good start. Look, I am in no way celebrating someone getting hurt. As has happened many times in the past when someone struggling mysteriously has an injury that leads to a DL stint, we have to take their word for it that something is really wrong... even when we probably know the truth.
So out goes Perez, and in comes Frias. In the article that you can click above, it says he's made 20 starts between Double-a Chattanooga and Triple-A for a 10-5 record and 4.58 ERA. Keep in mind that any ERA at Albuquerque will be high since that's considered the Coors Field of the minors. Hitters will always have better numbers, and pitchers worse. That's just the way it is.
Don Mattingly has already stated that Frias will only start if something happens to Beckett or Haren, who are both slated for starts this week. So, it appears that Frias will be used in long relief, which is needed with Paul Maholm tearing his ACL. Maybe he'll eventually get a start, who knows.
I don't care who was brought up, this is a good move. Every time Perez takes the mound, there's a losing feeling that goes with it. Now the Dodgers can put in a fresh arm and let him show what he can do. At the very worst, he performs like Perez. Let's hope he can do better.
This is a decent start, but what I want to know is, what's next?
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Haren, Perez continue to tumble in drubbing to Cubs
If the Dodgers thought a six-game winning streak and first place in the NL West was enough to boost the confidence of Dan Haren coming into Friday night, well... they were wrong.
Haren was awful, again, as the Dodgers looked like crap in losing 8-2 to the Cubs. The same Cubs team that came into this game 20-35 away from Wrigley Field. This is his ugly final line: 4 1/3 innings, eight hits, seven runs (six earned), two walks, three strikeouts. His record is 8-9 and his ERA is 4.76. Yuck.
The reason he got the start in the first place was because Don Mattingly wanted to give Hyun-Jin Ryu an extra day of rest, as he's historically much better with at least five days off. Plus, it doesn't hurt to give the big dogs Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke a little more time off as well.
And let's face it - they were playing the freakin' Cubs. Take away Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro, and I'm not sure anyone can even mention another player. Well, they're still one of the worst teams in baseball, but they scored eight runs on 13 hits, and played like a team that was angry at Haren getting what was designed to be an "easy" start to get him going again. Didn't work.
So Haren's story was a rough one, and Chris Perez's wasn't any better. Perez technically didn't give up any runs 2/3 of an inning, but still failed to do what he was brought in for. And it only added to his pitiful season.
In the fifth, Perez entered with one out and the bases loaded. It was not an easy situation, but Perez's own ineffectiveness didn't make it any easier. Right away, Welington Castillo hit an RBI single to make it 5-1. Nate Schierholtz lifted a sac-fly RBI to center, and then Perez uncorked a wild pitch. An infield single by Kyle Kendricks (yes, the starting pitcher...) finished things off at 7-1.
All in all, none of those three runs were charged to Perez, as they only added to Haren's sad tally. But once again, Perez just cannot get the job done. It's hard to believe this guy was once an All-Star closer. His pitches are all over the place, and when he does throw strikes, they're hammered. His ERA stands at 4.97.
If you want more bad pitching news, long reliever Paul Maholm said he felt something "pop" in his right knee while covering first, immediately coming out of the game. Who knows what that could lead to.
Ned Colletti wasn't too harshly criticized for not making any moves on Thursday before the Trade Deadline expired, but there was a bit of surprise that he didn't bring in more pitching help. It's pretty much the worst timing in the world to have this game happen a day later. The Dodgers need some serious help in the back ends of both the rotation and bullpen.
Will it happen? We've seen plenty of August waiver deals in the past, so it definitely can. I have to think Colletti is trying very hard on this. There's always a balancing act between making a move and protecting the prospects on a team that's not getting any younger.
We'll see if Friday night was the last straw for Haren and Perez, who can't possibly be in the team's postseason's plans at this point. Right???
Haren was awful, again, as the Dodgers looked like crap in losing 8-2 to the Cubs. The same Cubs team that came into this game 20-35 away from Wrigley Field. This is his ugly final line: 4 1/3 innings, eight hits, seven runs (six earned), two walks, three strikeouts. His record is 8-9 and his ERA is 4.76. Yuck.
The reason he got the start in the first place was because Don Mattingly wanted to give Hyun-Jin Ryu an extra day of rest, as he's historically much better with at least five days off. Plus, it doesn't hurt to give the big dogs Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke a little more time off as well.
And let's face it - they were playing the freakin' Cubs. Take away Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro, and I'm not sure anyone can even mention another player. Well, they're still one of the worst teams in baseball, but they scored eight runs on 13 hits, and played like a team that was angry at Haren getting what was designed to be an "easy" start to get him going again. Didn't work.
So Haren's story was a rough one, and Chris Perez's wasn't any better. Perez technically didn't give up any runs 2/3 of an inning, but still failed to do what he was brought in for. And it only added to his pitiful season.
In the fifth, Perez entered with one out and the bases loaded. It was not an easy situation, but Perez's own ineffectiveness didn't make it any easier. Right away, Welington Castillo hit an RBI single to make it 5-1. Nate Schierholtz lifted a sac-fly RBI to center, and then Perez uncorked a wild pitch. An infield single by Kyle Kendricks (yes, the starting pitcher...) finished things off at 7-1.
All in all, none of those three runs were charged to Perez, as they only added to Haren's sad tally. But once again, Perez just cannot get the job done. It's hard to believe this guy was once an All-Star closer. His pitches are all over the place, and when he does throw strikes, they're hammered. His ERA stands at 4.97.
If you want more bad pitching news, long reliever Paul Maholm said he felt something "pop" in his right knee while covering first, immediately coming out of the game. Who knows what that could lead to.
Ned Colletti wasn't too harshly criticized for not making any moves on Thursday before the Trade Deadline expired, but there was a bit of surprise that he didn't bring in more pitching help. It's pretty much the worst timing in the world to have this game happen a day later. The Dodgers need some serious help in the back ends of both the rotation and bullpen.
Will it happen? We've seen plenty of August waiver deals in the past, so it definitely can. I have to think Colletti is trying very hard on this. There's always a balancing act between making a move and protecting the prospects on a team that's not getting any younger.
We'll see if Friday night was the last straw for Haren and Perez, who can't possibly be in the team's postseason's plans at this point. Right???
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Bullpen flaws front and center in Pittsburgh
Normally if the Dodgers score seven runs, they're going to win. They have excellent starting pitching, and a closer with 29 saves.
The downside, however, is the back end of the bullpen. And on Tuesday night, they showed just how shaky they are.
Josh Beckett didn't do much in his return from injury, but the trio of Paul Maholm, Jamey Wright, and Chris Perez did even worse in a 12-7 loss. Heck, even Brandon League was bad giving up two hits in 2/3 an inning, but escaped from getting charged with a run.
The Dodgers actually had the deficit at only 8-7 entering the bottom of the eighth... and then Perez got the call. That was already a mistake considering he entered the game with a 4.37 ERA. He got the first out on a popup to short.
Then he walked Gregory Polanco. And he walked Travis Snider. And he walked Andrew McCutchen. And to top it all off, he walked Neil Walker to force in a run. The floodgates opened after that, as League gave up three runs that were all charged to Perez, and just like that it was 12-7.
It was an absolutely embarrassing, pathetic performance by Perez. His ERA shot up nearly one full run to 5.35, and his WHIP is 1.42. The guy literally walked four straight batters. You would think he was imitating Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn early in the movie Major League, only this wasn't nearly as funny. It was frustrating and sad.
As I tweeted out during the game, if I'm Ned Colletti, I'm releasing his sorry ass and recalling someone like Paco Rodriguez or Jose Dominguez. Why not? Those guys can't possibly be any worse. The idea to bring the former closer Perez in was a good one, but it's clearly not working out. Get rid of him!
The two long relievers, Maholm and Wright, didn't exactly do much to encourage confidence in their abilities either. Maholm started off OK, getting four straight outs. But with the game tied 4-4 in the sixth, he gave up consecutive leadoff singles to Russell Martin and Ike Davis. Wright was brought in to clean up the mess, but instead made it was worse by giving up a two-run single to Polanco, an RBI single to Snider, and uncorking a wild pitch to score another, making it 8-4.
I've already stated plenty of times in the past how bad I think Maholm is, but Wright has certainly taken a turn for the worse as well. After pitching a scoreless inning on June 29 against the Cardinals, his ERA was 2.11. In his six appearances since then, he's given up 10 runs to raise it to 3.74. I don't know if he's tired or what, but he's obviously not the same pitcher as he was early in the year.
Right now, the Dodgers have a good closer in Jansen who's improved his numbers over the course of the season. J.P. Howell has been fantastic with a 1.30 ERA and 20 holds. League still has a 2.01 ERA, even if he still doesn't pitch big innings.
After that... UGH. That's about all I can say about some of these numbers. Brian Wilson, Pedro Baez, and Perez all have ERA's above five. The two long relievers aren't getting people out. It's not like Don Mattingly can call on Jansen and Howell every night, and when he doesn't, the results aren't pretty.
Let's see what, if anything, Colletti and the Dodgers do about this. Do they start to rev up the trade machine for bullpen help? Do they call up some arms from the minors? I would hope he does SOMETHING. If he doesn't, then don't expect to see these numbers change much.
The downside, however, is the back end of the bullpen. And on Tuesday night, they showed just how shaky they are.
Josh Beckett didn't do much in his return from injury, but the trio of Paul Maholm, Jamey Wright, and Chris Perez did even worse in a 12-7 loss. Heck, even Brandon League was bad giving up two hits in 2/3 an inning, but escaped from getting charged with a run.
The Dodgers actually had the deficit at only 8-7 entering the bottom of the eighth... and then Perez got the call. That was already a mistake considering he entered the game with a 4.37 ERA. He got the first out on a popup to short.
Then he walked Gregory Polanco. And he walked Travis Snider. And he walked Andrew McCutchen. And to top it all off, he walked Neil Walker to force in a run. The floodgates opened after that, as League gave up three runs that were all charged to Perez, and just like that it was 12-7.
It was an absolutely embarrassing, pathetic performance by Perez. His ERA shot up nearly one full run to 5.35, and his WHIP is 1.42. The guy literally walked four straight batters. You would think he was imitating Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn early in the movie Major League, only this wasn't nearly as funny. It was frustrating and sad.
As I tweeted out during the game, if I'm Ned Colletti, I'm releasing his sorry ass and recalling someone like Paco Rodriguez or Jose Dominguez. Why not? Those guys can't possibly be any worse. The idea to bring the former closer Perez in was a good one, but it's clearly not working out. Get rid of him!
The two long relievers, Maholm and Wright, didn't exactly do much to encourage confidence in their abilities either. Maholm started off OK, getting four straight outs. But with the game tied 4-4 in the sixth, he gave up consecutive leadoff singles to Russell Martin and Ike Davis. Wright was brought in to clean up the mess, but instead made it was worse by giving up a two-run single to Polanco, an RBI single to Snider, and uncorking a wild pitch to score another, making it 8-4.
I've already stated plenty of times in the past how bad I think Maholm is, but Wright has certainly taken a turn for the worse as well. After pitching a scoreless inning on June 29 against the Cardinals, his ERA was 2.11. In his six appearances since then, he's given up 10 runs to raise it to 3.74. I don't know if he's tired or what, but he's obviously not the same pitcher as he was early in the year.
Right now, the Dodgers have a good closer in Jansen who's improved his numbers over the course of the season. J.P. Howell has been fantastic with a 1.30 ERA and 20 holds. League still has a 2.01 ERA, even if he still doesn't pitch big innings.
After that... UGH. That's about all I can say about some of these numbers. Brian Wilson, Pedro Baez, and Perez all have ERA's above five. The two long relievers aren't getting people out. It's not like Don Mattingly can call on Jansen and Howell every night, and when he doesn't, the results aren't pretty.
Let's see what, if anything, Colletti and the Dodgers do about this. Do they start to rev up the trade machine for bullpen help? Do they call up some arms from the minors? I would hope he does SOMETHING. If he doesn't, then don't expect to see these numbers change much.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Not the greatest day for Dodger pitching
Josh Beckett. Hyun-Jin Ryu. Jamey Wright. What do they all have in common?
They're either hurt, or pitching like they're hurt.
We already knew before Tuesday night's game in Detroit that Beckett's sore hip would land him on the 15-day DL. Then the Dodgers went out and put up a five spot on Justin Verlander, with the big blows being a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and two-run shot by Juan Uribe.
And then Ryu took the mound. And boy was it ugly.
Ryu walked leadoff hitter Austin Jackson, but managed to get out of the first. Then the second inning hit, and my oh my was Ryu just pounded into the ground. A combination of a tough strike zone by home plate umpire Paul Schrieber, who was terrible, in addition to not putting hitters away with two strikes did him in.
All in all, the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Of course, I should point out that a questionable overturned replay on a great throw by Yasiel Puig to nail Torii Hunter leading off completely changed the momentum. I only say "questionable" because I'm not at all convinced that there's "clear and convincing evidence" to overturn the call.
Then again, I'm also a Raiders' fan, and I'll never believe that damn Tuck Rule should've happened. But I digress.
Ryu was chased in the third, and Wright had to come in to get the last two outs.
Still, the Dodgers were only down 7-5, and while they looked like they were dead, perhaps they could find some offense and put together a rally, and perhaps their bullpen could put up some zeroes.
Then again, perhaps not.
Wright was flat out atrocious, failing to get one damn out in the fourth as six straight hitters reached. Chris Perez had to relieve the long reliever, which is kind of embarrassing.
Here's the final line for each pitcher:
Ryu: 2 1/3, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Wright: 2/3, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Perez: 1 2/3, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Maholm: 2 1/3, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Baez: 1, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Here are the inflated ERA's after this beatdown:
Ryu: 3.08 to 3.65
Wright: 2.41 to 3.24
Perez: 4.65 to 4.68
Maholm: 5.07 to 5.18
Baez: 18.00 to 9.00 (Hey, at least something went right!)
The final tally? Detroit scored 14 straight runs to win 14-5. I think the Dodgers should've at least double teamed Megatron and forced Matthew Stafford to throw somewhere else.
I also think days like Tuesday will only make Ned Colletti hungrier for pitching of any sort. Beckett going down and Ryu getting shelled makes him want another starter for insurance. Wright, Perez, and Maholm make him want bullpen help, which in my opinion is the bigger need.
Any way you slice it, Tuesday was as ugly as can be. Hopefully a big start by Zack Greinke on Wednesday afternoon will help the Dodgers get a split and move on.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .275. The downside is that he's pretty much a singles hitter at this point. All seven hits this month are singles, and his slugging % is .443. In his near MVP season of 2011, it was .586. The next year, which was full of one injury after another, it was still .538. I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't give him eight years and $160 million to hit singles and lose his center field position.
* Going back to that replay in the second, I still hold firm that there's no conclusive evidence to overturn that call. But, the bigger problem was Miguel Rojas not making the easy tag on Hunter's leg. He went higher, which made the play a lot closer than it should've. Bottom line is that Rojas absolutely has to make that play. Puig made a PERFECT throw to second, and Rojas didn't do the easy part. Wow.
* I wouldn't be surprised if Puig keeps swinging for the fences the next few games now that he's officially in the Home Run Derby. And that's not a good thing. He'll swing hard, hit a fly ball, then stand there and react like he just missed it. That's why his numbers have been tumbling - he just can't resist going for the long ball.
* About the only positive from the pitching staff was the work of Pedro Baez. He threw really hard and had a sharp breaking ball. Maybe he gets more looks. Better than watching clowns like Perez and Maholm, who are awful.
As I said before, the Dodgers really need Greinke to step up and be an ace on Wednesday. Getting a split after a horrific first game would be a good boost. It won't be easy, as reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and wannabe billionaire Max Scherzer goes for the Tigers.
They're either hurt, or pitching like they're hurt.
We already knew before Tuesday night's game in Detroit that Beckett's sore hip would land him on the 15-day DL. Then the Dodgers went out and put up a five spot on Justin Verlander, with the big blows being a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and two-run shot by Juan Uribe.
And then Ryu took the mound. And boy was it ugly.
Ryu walked leadoff hitter Austin Jackson, but managed to get out of the first. Then the second inning hit, and my oh my was Ryu just pounded into the ground. A combination of a tough strike zone by home plate umpire Paul Schrieber, who was terrible, in addition to not putting hitters away with two strikes did him in.
All in all, the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Of course, I should point out that a questionable overturned replay on a great throw by Yasiel Puig to nail Torii Hunter leading off completely changed the momentum. I only say "questionable" because I'm not at all convinced that there's "clear and convincing evidence" to overturn the call.
Then again, I'm also a Raiders' fan, and I'll never believe that damn Tuck Rule should've happened. But I digress.
Ryu was chased in the third, and Wright had to come in to get the last two outs.
Still, the Dodgers were only down 7-5, and while they looked like they were dead, perhaps they could find some offense and put together a rally, and perhaps their bullpen could put up some zeroes.
Then again, perhaps not.
Wright was flat out atrocious, failing to get one damn out in the fourth as six straight hitters reached. Chris Perez had to relieve the long reliever, which is kind of embarrassing.
Here's the final line for each pitcher:
Ryu: 2 1/3, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Wright: 2/3, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Perez: 1 2/3, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Maholm: 2 1/3, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Baez: 1, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Here are the inflated ERA's after this beatdown:
Ryu: 3.08 to 3.65
Wright: 2.41 to 3.24
Perez: 4.65 to 4.68
Maholm: 5.07 to 5.18
Baez: 18.00 to 9.00 (Hey, at least something went right!)
The final tally? Detroit scored 14 straight runs to win 14-5. I think the Dodgers should've at least double teamed Megatron and forced Matthew Stafford to throw somewhere else.
I also think days like Tuesday will only make Ned Colletti hungrier for pitching of any sort. Beckett going down and Ryu getting shelled makes him want another starter for insurance. Wright, Perez, and Maholm make him want bullpen help, which in my opinion is the bigger need.
Any way you slice it, Tuesday was as ugly as can be. Hopefully a big start by Zack Greinke on Wednesday afternoon will help the Dodgers get a split and move on.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .275. The downside is that he's pretty much a singles hitter at this point. All seven hits this month are singles, and his slugging % is .443. In his near MVP season of 2011, it was .586. The next year, which was full of one injury after another, it was still .538. I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't give him eight years and $160 million to hit singles and lose his center field position.
* Going back to that replay in the second, I still hold firm that there's no conclusive evidence to overturn that call. But, the bigger problem was Miguel Rojas not making the easy tag on Hunter's leg. He went higher, which made the play a lot closer than it should've. Bottom line is that Rojas absolutely has to make that play. Puig made a PERFECT throw to second, and Rojas didn't do the easy part. Wow.
* I wouldn't be surprised if Puig keeps swinging for the fences the next few games now that he's officially in the Home Run Derby. And that's not a good thing. He'll swing hard, hit a fly ball, then stand there and react like he just missed it. That's why his numbers have been tumbling - he just can't resist going for the long ball.
* About the only positive from the pitching staff was the work of Pedro Baez. He threw really hard and had a sharp breaking ball. Maybe he gets more looks. Better than watching clowns like Perez and Maholm, who are awful.
As I said before, the Dodgers really need Greinke to step up and be an ace on Wednesday. Getting a split after a horrific first game would be a good boost. It won't be easy, as reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and wannabe billionaire Max Scherzer goes for the Tigers.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
It all could come down to the bullpen for the Dodgers
One night after Kenley Jansen's horrific blown save against the Padres, the Dodgers bounced right back behind seven shutout innings from Josh Beckett. Saturday was a solid night, as Dee Gordon scored twice and stole his 39th base, Hanley Ramirez drove in two, and Justin Turner had two hits. Jansen even got the save, regaining some momentum from the night before.
The Dodgers have been better in June with an 11-8 record, but one issue remains that could hold them back: the bullpen has got to get better.
The last two games in San Diego are the perfect example. Friday night was just brutal to watch. Dan Haren was pretty good, giving the Dodgers 5 2/3 innings for three runs. J.P. Howell and Brandon League both got a couple of outs to get into the eighth up 5-3.
Before the season, if you were to be told that the Dodgers have a two-run lead heading into the eighth, you would've been happy since Brian Wilson and Jansen were coming in. But reality has been much different than on paper, and both have underachieved.
Wilson was very fortunate to escape the eighth unharmed, as Scott Van Slyke, subbing for an injured Yasiel Puig, made a great running catch in right to prevent a run from being scored.
Then Jansen blew the save in the ninth, getting knocked all over the place, and raising his ERA from 3.72 to 4.55 in the process.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers found themselves up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Don Mattingly rightfully didn't put Wilson back in there, but Paul Maholm gave up a leadoff triple to Cameron Maybin, and a two-out walk to Seth Smith. League came in and immediately let both runs score on two singles. Thankfully Jansen was much better in closing it out the next inning.
Right now, the bullpen is clearly sticking out as the weak link. The offense looks better with guys like Gordon, Hanley, and Matt Kemp swinging the bats better. The defense has settled in, save for Hanley's error during Clayton Kershaw's (almost) perfect game. The starting rotation has been superb all along.
Then there's the bullpen, which still can't seem to figure things out. Ideally, Wilson should've been one of the top setup men in baseball, but that certainly hasn't been the case. His ERA has actually gone way down to 5.33, but an enormous 1.89 WHIP shows that way too many men reach base against him. He looks like he's ready to implode at any point again.
The guys behind him have been a mixed bag as well. The best has been Howell with a 1.89 ERA and 16 holds. League had a good stretch to lower his ERA to 2.21, but still doesn't look comfortable in tight situations late in games. Chris Perez has been awful with a 5.61 ERA, and doesn't deserve any big innings at all.
Jamey Wright has been good with a 2.43 ERA, although his role is hard to figure out since he was supposed to be a long reliever. Does Donny strictly keep him for that role, or use him as a setup man occasionally? It's a tough call. The other long reliever, Maholm, looks lost with a 5.04 ERA. I wonder if he'll be sent packing.
Two guys relied upon for most of last year were Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez. Well, Withrow is done for the year with Tommy John surgery, and Paco is in Triple-A.
Jansen is going through some tough times for the first time in his career. He used to just show up, blow everyone away, then leave. Now, it looks as if hitters are more comfortable against him, and know what to expect. Supposedly there was a mechanical flaw that was being worked on after Friday's meltdown, so maybe that will work. I still think he needs to mix his pitches up more as I've said for awhile now. Mariano Rivera he is not, so throwing the same cutter over and over won't work all the time. It's time to accept some change.
I definitely expect Ned Colletti to be active over the next month-and-a-half in acquiring relief help. I can't imagine they can continue to watch games like these last two nights where the offense and starting pitching gets a lead, and they have to scratch and claw to hold on. That's pretty frustrating.
For in-house replacements, there's guys down at Triple-A like Paco, Jose Dominguez, and Pedro Baez who could get another shot in LA. Don't forget about those names.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers need to try something new with the 'pen. Most guys haven't pulled their weight, so some fresh arms will only do them good. We all know Colletti isn't afraid to pull the trigger on trades and roster moves, so keep an eye out for what happens. It should be interesting.
The Dodgers have been better in June with an 11-8 record, but one issue remains that could hold them back: the bullpen has got to get better.
The last two games in San Diego are the perfect example. Friday night was just brutal to watch. Dan Haren was pretty good, giving the Dodgers 5 2/3 innings for three runs. J.P. Howell and Brandon League both got a couple of outs to get into the eighth up 5-3.
Before the season, if you were to be told that the Dodgers have a two-run lead heading into the eighth, you would've been happy since Brian Wilson and Jansen were coming in. But reality has been much different than on paper, and both have underachieved.
Wilson was very fortunate to escape the eighth unharmed, as Scott Van Slyke, subbing for an injured Yasiel Puig, made a great running catch in right to prevent a run from being scored.
Then Jansen blew the save in the ninth, getting knocked all over the place, and raising his ERA from 3.72 to 4.55 in the process.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers found themselves up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Don Mattingly rightfully didn't put Wilson back in there, but Paul Maholm gave up a leadoff triple to Cameron Maybin, and a two-out walk to Seth Smith. League came in and immediately let both runs score on two singles. Thankfully Jansen was much better in closing it out the next inning.
Right now, the bullpen is clearly sticking out as the weak link. The offense looks better with guys like Gordon, Hanley, and Matt Kemp swinging the bats better. The defense has settled in, save for Hanley's error during Clayton Kershaw's (almost) perfect game. The starting rotation has been superb all along.
Then there's the bullpen, which still can't seem to figure things out. Ideally, Wilson should've been one of the top setup men in baseball, but that certainly hasn't been the case. His ERA has actually gone way down to 5.33, but an enormous 1.89 WHIP shows that way too many men reach base against him. He looks like he's ready to implode at any point again.
The guys behind him have been a mixed bag as well. The best has been Howell with a 1.89 ERA and 16 holds. League had a good stretch to lower his ERA to 2.21, but still doesn't look comfortable in tight situations late in games. Chris Perez has been awful with a 5.61 ERA, and doesn't deserve any big innings at all.
Jamey Wright has been good with a 2.43 ERA, although his role is hard to figure out since he was supposed to be a long reliever. Does Donny strictly keep him for that role, or use him as a setup man occasionally? It's a tough call. The other long reliever, Maholm, looks lost with a 5.04 ERA. I wonder if he'll be sent packing.
Two guys relied upon for most of last year were Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez. Well, Withrow is done for the year with Tommy John surgery, and Paco is in Triple-A.
Jansen is going through some tough times for the first time in his career. He used to just show up, blow everyone away, then leave. Now, it looks as if hitters are more comfortable against him, and know what to expect. Supposedly there was a mechanical flaw that was being worked on after Friday's meltdown, so maybe that will work. I still think he needs to mix his pitches up more as I've said for awhile now. Mariano Rivera he is not, so throwing the same cutter over and over won't work all the time. It's time to accept some change.
I definitely expect Ned Colletti to be active over the next month-and-a-half in acquiring relief help. I can't imagine they can continue to watch games like these last two nights where the offense and starting pitching gets a lead, and they have to scratch and claw to hold on. That's pretty frustrating.
For in-house replacements, there's guys down at Triple-A like Paco, Jose Dominguez, and Pedro Baez who could get another shot in LA. Don't forget about those names.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers need to try something new with the 'pen. Most guys haven't pulled their weight, so some fresh arms will only do them good. We all know Colletti isn't afraid to pull the trigger on trades and roster moves, so keep an eye out for what happens. It should be interesting.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Extra innings have been unkind, but why?
After another extra-innings loss on Thursday night to the Giants 3-1, the Dodgers dropped to 3-6 in such games. It's actually pretty amazing that of the 36 games played so far, nine have gone into "overtime."
So the simple question is, Why?
Here's why: the bullpen ERA is 3.92 overall, but shoots up to 5.40 after the ninth inning. The breakdown goes something like this:
Brandon League - 4 1/3 IP, 2.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, .333 AVG
Jamey Wright - 6 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .286 AVG
Chris Perez - 2 IP, 9.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .333 AVG
J.P. Howell - 2 2/3 IP, 10.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .231 AVG
Kenley Jansen - 1 2/3 IP, 10.80 ERA, 3.60 WHIP, .500 AVG
Simply put, those numbers range from a little taste of good to a whole lot of bad.
Even more surprising is the order in which this list appears. I would think if you had these five guys as your choices before the season started, you would've had it flipped completely, as there's no way anyone would think League would have a better ERA than Jansen when the pressure is on. But, that's certainly been the reality.
Look, the Dodgers just have to play better on both sides of the field if they want to breakout and stop treading water. Better pitching in extra innings is just one part of it. It's not like the offense lights it up either, as their .266 AVG is about in the middle of the pack. That's not that great, but it's better than the poor pitching at least.
Then again, the Dodgers just need to go on a 42-8 run again. That would solve plenty of problems.
So the simple question is, Why?
Here's why: the bullpen ERA is 3.92 overall, but shoots up to 5.40 after the ninth inning. The breakdown goes something like this:
Brandon League - 4 1/3 IP, 2.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, .333 AVG
Jamey Wright - 6 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .286 AVG
Chris Perez - 2 IP, 9.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .333 AVG
J.P. Howell - 2 2/3 IP, 10.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .231 AVG
Kenley Jansen - 1 2/3 IP, 10.80 ERA, 3.60 WHIP, .500 AVG
Simply put, those numbers range from a little taste of good to a whole lot of bad.
Even more surprising is the order in which this list appears. I would think if you had these five guys as your choices before the season started, you would've had it flipped completely, as there's no way anyone would think League would have a better ERA than Jansen when the pressure is on. But, that's certainly been the reality.
Look, the Dodgers just have to play better on both sides of the field if they want to breakout and stop treading water. Better pitching in extra innings is just one part of it. It's not like the offense lights it up either, as their .266 AVG is about in the middle of the pack. That's not that great, but it's better than the poor pitching at least.
Then again, the Dodgers just need to go on a 42-8 run again. That would solve plenty of problems.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Crawford makes us forget about the bullpen... sort of
* Carl Crawford hit a game-winning two-run homer in the 11th to beat the Marlins 9-7.
* Yasiel Puig hit an enormous three-run bomb measured at 452 feet, his longest as a pro.
* Dee Gordon went 5-for-6 to raise his average to .357, stole three bases, and made a great diving stop to boot.
* Matt Kemp had three hits with a double.
* Juan Uribe and Miguel Olivo each had two hits and two runs.
* Brandon League (yes, Brandon League) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.
(What I just did was list the positives in Saturday night's game. Because the reality is the bullpen turned a 7-2 laugher into an extra-innings battle thanks to another frustrating night.)
The bottom line is that the Dodgers got the win, but on a night where Kenley Jansen was resting due to a heavy workload, the other guys who appeared at the end did absolutely nothing to give Don Mattingly confidence in resting Jansen again. Talk about nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, or something like that.
It started with Brian Wilson, who took over in the seventh after Paul Maholm gave up three runs in six innings. Wilson, quite frankly, sucked. Any good vibes he had from three straight scoreless appearances was thrown out the window in this one, as Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer to cut the lead to 7-6. J.P. Howell had to get out of the inning with the last out.
Chris Withrow wasn't a whole lot better, loading the bases in the eighth on two walks and a double. He set himself up for some huge failure with Giancarlo Stanton at the plate, but two fastballs and a sharp breaking ball later, Stanton struck out.
OK, so at least the Dodgers were up 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth, and even with Jansen unavailable, Chris Perez and his 1.35 ERA was. You know, the former All-Star closer for the Indians. All was good, right? Wrong.
Perez coughed up the lead, and was lucky he didn't blow the game in the process. He had to get two outs with the bases loaded just to send the game into extras. Two hits and two walks were his undoing.
The final tally for the bullpen from innings 7-9: four runs, four hits, five walks.
And nearly an embarrassing loss.
The bullpen's 3.80 ERA puts them 10th in the National League. That's not terrible, but certainly not very good either. All things considered, it's a little below average. And definitely not worth the millions upon millions of dollars that Ned Colletti threw at them to shutdown the final few innings.
I'll chalk up Wilson's and Perez's performances to rough nights, as they both still have sparkling ERAs. Wilson, on the other hand, not so much. As loyal as Mattingly is to him, and understandably so after how good he was last season, it's time to slide him down in the pecking order even more than he has been. If he has trouble holding onto a five-run lead in the seventh, I'm not sure what he can do.
The Dodgers have to be exhausted after playing two long games in Minnesota on Thursday, flying right to Miami for a Friday game, and then 11 innings on Saturday. Well, the offense has done the job for the most part, now the bullpen needs to step up and do theirs. It seems like two steps forward, two steps back on a day-to-day basis.
With Hyun-Jin Ryu on the shelf, old friend Stephen Fife gets the call on Sunday afternoon in Miami. His opponent? Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, who has not given up an earned run in three starts covering 23 innings. Yikes.
* Yasiel Puig hit an enormous three-run bomb measured at 452 feet, his longest as a pro.
* Dee Gordon went 5-for-6 to raise his average to .357, stole three bases, and made a great diving stop to boot.
* Matt Kemp had three hits with a double.
* Juan Uribe and Miguel Olivo each had two hits and two runs.
* Brandon League (yes, Brandon League) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.
(What I just did was list the positives in Saturday night's game. Because the reality is the bullpen turned a 7-2 laugher into an extra-innings battle thanks to another frustrating night.)
The bottom line is that the Dodgers got the win, but on a night where Kenley Jansen was resting due to a heavy workload, the other guys who appeared at the end did absolutely nothing to give Don Mattingly confidence in resting Jansen again. Talk about nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, or something like that.
It started with Brian Wilson, who took over in the seventh after Paul Maholm gave up three runs in six innings. Wilson, quite frankly, sucked. Any good vibes he had from three straight scoreless appearances was thrown out the window in this one, as Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer to cut the lead to 7-6. J.P. Howell had to get out of the inning with the last out.
Chris Withrow wasn't a whole lot better, loading the bases in the eighth on two walks and a double. He set himself up for some huge failure with Giancarlo Stanton at the plate, but two fastballs and a sharp breaking ball later, Stanton struck out.
OK, so at least the Dodgers were up 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth, and even with Jansen unavailable, Chris Perez and his 1.35 ERA was. You know, the former All-Star closer for the Indians. All was good, right? Wrong.
Perez coughed up the lead, and was lucky he didn't blow the game in the process. He had to get two outs with the bases loaded just to send the game into extras. Two hits and two walks were his undoing.
The final tally for the bullpen from innings 7-9: four runs, four hits, five walks.
And nearly an embarrassing loss.
The bullpen's 3.80 ERA puts them 10th in the National League. That's not terrible, but certainly not very good either. All things considered, it's a little below average. And definitely not worth the millions upon millions of dollars that Ned Colletti threw at them to shutdown the final few innings.
I'll chalk up Wilson's and Perez's performances to rough nights, as they both still have sparkling ERAs. Wilson, on the other hand, not so much. As loyal as Mattingly is to him, and understandably so after how good he was last season, it's time to slide him down in the pecking order even more than he has been. If he has trouble holding onto a five-run lead in the seventh, I'm not sure what he can do.
The Dodgers have to be exhausted after playing two long games in Minnesota on Thursday, flying right to Miami for a Friday game, and then 11 innings on Saturday. Well, the offense has done the job for the most part, now the bullpen needs to step up and do theirs. It seems like two steps forward, two steps back on a day-to-day basis.
With Hyun-Jin Ryu on the shelf, old friend Stephen Fife gets the call on Sunday afternoon in Miami. His opponent? Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, who has not given up an earned run in three starts covering 23 innings. Yikes.
Friday, April 25, 2014
The "dominant" Dodgers' bullpen... is pretty average
Oh boy. One night after Brian Wilson completely melted down against the Phillies in a 7-3 loss, getting burned for four runs and only one out in the ninth, it's time we take a look at how exactly the Dodgers' bullpen is doing.
Let's break it down, starting with team stats, and then looking at some individual arms in the 'pen.
Team Stats:
2-7, 83 1/3 IP, 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 saves, 4 blown saves, 40 BB, 92 K, .235 BAA
NL Averages:
4-3, 69 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 6 saves, 3 blown saves, 28 BB, 68 K, .236 BAA
Analysis:
Like the headline says, all things considered, the bullpen is pretty average. Not terrible by any means, but not exactly the shutdown group of arms Ned Colletti thought he was getting. The number that jumped out to me the most is the innings pitched, as only Arizona at 92 has more. No surprise, both teams lost their aces (Patrick Corbin for the year, Clayton Kershaw for over a month). The amount of walks is third in baseball. Even with more innings, that's still way too high. Blowing one out of every three saves isn't great, either.
Individual Stats:
Chris Withrow - 0-0, 11 1/3 IP, 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 7 BB, 16 K
J.P. Howell - 1-2, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K
Chris Perez - 0-1, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Jamey Wright - 1-1, 11 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8 BB, 10 K
Paco Rodriguez - 0-0, 5 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K
Kenley Jansen - 0-1, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5 BB, 24 K, 8 SV
Brandon League - 0-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Paul Maholm - 0-0, 2 1/3 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Dominguez - 0-0, 5 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 BB, 7 K
Brian Wilson - 0-2, 4 IP, 15.75 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 4 K
Analysis:
Who would've thought Wilson's name would be dead last in ERA? He could not have possibly been any better last season, with only one run allowed in 13 2/3 innings. Now he's just getting hit all over the place, and his location has been abysmal. He's already spent time on the DL this season, so don't be surprised if it's right back to that soon.
Don Mattingly has recently stated that he wants to give Jansen more time off. That's a smart thing since he leads the bullpen in innings. But, Thursday night it was Wilson in the closer's role of keeping the scored tied in the ninth, and he flunked with flying colors. This is why Mattingly rides his horse so much. Even with an ERA higher than normal, with nearly twice the amount of strikeouts as innings, it's easy to see why he's used to much.
The top three names on that list should be getting more cracks in the late innings as Wilson works through whatever mechanical or physical issues he has. Withrow has emerged as a legit power arm. Howell continues to get batters out on both sides of the plate. Perez looks more like the All-Star closer he was with the Indians, and not the guy who fell apart last year.
Final Verdict:
All in all, the bullpen isn't quite as bad as people may think. It's completely understandable to be disappointed that a group of relievers making around $35 million this season are in the middle of the pack. That type of money is dished out to ensure zeros late in games, not blown saves and big hits.
Jansen is still the clear-cut closer, as he has four straight shutout appearances of late, including seven strikeouts and no walks. Mixing up his pitches a little more has really paid off. Even if he was still throwing cutter after cutter, he's the best closer they have, especially with Wilson being so bad.
Instead of Wilson as the primary setup guy, I'd move Perez up to that spot, with Withrow and Howell right behind. Perez has only given up runs in one of his 12 appearances. If there's a big lefty to get out, then of course send in Howell.
I'd also like to see is the return of Rodriguez from Triple-A. Right now the Dodgers have only one left-handed reliever in Howell, which is way too few. At least give Mattingly one more option from the left side.
Once Kershaw comes back, then Maholm can be moved to the long relief role, as Wright doesn't look like he's really in that role right now. Unless Maholm is sent packing, which wouldn't be a bad thing, quite honestly. I just think that if anything, he can be brought in for multiple innings if necessary.
Finally, I would address League, but if the Dodgers haven't canned him yet, I doubt they ever will. He's been better than Wilson, at least.
Let's break it down, starting with team stats, and then looking at some individual arms in the 'pen.
Team Stats:
2-7, 83 1/3 IP, 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 saves, 4 blown saves, 40 BB, 92 K, .235 BAA
NL Averages:
4-3, 69 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 6 saves, 3 blown saves, 28 BB, 68 K, .236 BAA
Analysis:
Like the headline says, all things considered, the bullpen is pretty average. Not terrible by any means, but not exactly the shutdown group of arms Ned Colletti thought he was getting. The number that jumped out to me the most is the innings pitched, as only Arizona at 92 has more. No surprise, both teams lost their aces (Patrick Corbin for the year, Clayton Kershaw for over a month). The amount of walks is third in baseball. Even with more innings, that's still way too high. Blowing one out of every three saves isn't great, either.
Individual Stats:
Chris Withrow - 0-0, 11 1/3 IP, 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 7 BB, 16 K
J.P. Howell - 1-2, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K
Chris Perez - 0-1, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Jamey Wright - 1-1, 11 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8 BB, 10 K
Paco Rodriguez - 0-0, 5 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K
Kenley Jansen - 0-1, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5 BB, 24 K, 8 SV
Brandon League - 0-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Paul Maholm - 0-0, 2 1/3 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Dominguez - 0-0, 5 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 BB, 7 K
Brian Wilson - 0-2, 4 IP, 15.75 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 4 K
Analysis:
Who would've thought Wilson's name would be dead last in ERA? He could not have possibly been any better last season, with only one run allowed in 13 2/3 innings. Now he's just getting hit all over the place, and his location has been abysmal. He's already spent time on the DL this season, so don't be surprised if it's right back to that soon.
Don Mattingly has recently stated that he wants to give Jansen more time off. That's a smart thing since he leads the bullpen in innings. But, Thursday night it was Wilson in the closer's role of keeping the scored tied in the ninth, and he flunked with flying colors. This is why Mattingly rides his horse so much. Even with an ERA higher than normal, with nearly twice the amount of strikeouts as innings, it's easy to see why he's used to much.
The top three names on that list should be getting more cracks in the late innings as Wilson works through whatever mechanical or physical issues he has. Withrow has emerged as a legit power arm. Howell continues to get batters out on both sides of the plate. Perez looks more like the All-Star closer he was with the Indians, and not the guy who fell apart last year.
Final Verdict:
All in all, the bullpen isn't quite as bad as people may think. It's completely understandable to be disappointed that a group of relievers making around $35 million this season are in the middle of the pack. That type of money is dished out to ensure zeros late in games, not blown saves and big hits.
Jansen is still the clear-cut closer, as he has four straight shutout appearances of late, including seven strikeouts and no walks. Mixing up his pitches a little more has really paid off. Even if he was still throwing cutter after cutter, he's the best closer they have, especially with Wilson being so bad.
Instead of Wilson as the primary setup guy, I'd move Perez up to that spot, with Withrow and Howell right behind. Perez has only given up runs in one of his 12 appearances. If there's a big lefty to get out, then of course send in Howell.
I'd also like to see is the return of Rodriguez from Triple-A. Right now the Dodgers have only one left-handed reliever in Howell, which is way too few. At least give Mattingly one more option from the left side.
Once Kershaw comes back, then Maholm can be moved to the long relief role, as Wright doesn't look like he's really in that role right now. Unless Maholm is sent packing, which wouldn't be a bad thing, quite honestly. I just think that if anything, he can be brought in for multiple innings if necessary.
Finally, I would address League, but if the Dodgers haven't canned him yet, I doubt they ever will. He's been better than Wilson, at least.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Wright's role was all wrong
To start off with, the Dodgers' offense scored two runs in 12 innings, which were a couple of solo shots from Scott Van Slyke and Juan Uribe. So when they eventually lost 4-2 to the Diamondbacks, five hits and two runs in over four hours of baseball is usually not going to win many games.
With that said, I was surprised to see how Jamey Wright and Chris Perez were used. More specifically, the long guy went too short, and the short guy went too long.
With the Dodgers down 1-0 in the seventh, Wright came on and only gave up a single. The strange thing was that his spot in the order was due up fourth, and sure enough, he ended up getting pinch-hit for by Chone Figgins after Van Slyke's homer tied the game up. Sure enough, Figgins grounded out, which was pretty much an automatic.
Don Mattingly used both Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen the day before in San Francisco, so it's understandable that they were being avoided. That's fine, but it also meant that when Wright, Chris Withrow, and even Brandon League were already used, it came down to Perez and J.P. Howell to pitch in extras. Perez plowed through the 11 unscathed.
But hold on, the game was still tied, so back out went Perez. The first two guys got on, and following a sacrifice, a two-run single by Aaron Hill effectively ended the game. Perez gave up his first runs of the season, and threw the most pitches at 26.
So that brings me back to my original point. Shouldn't Perez pitch the seventh, and Wright be saved in case of extra innings? Especially since Wilson and Jansen probably weren't going to pitch? It just didn't seem to make much sense to me. I would think Perez would be much more comfortable pitching closer to the ninth, and not afterwards.
It's not like Wright needs to only be used for extended innings, but of his nine appearances this season, only two have gone more than one inning. Friday night was the perfect chance to give the ball to him in extra innings and let him go. Instead, Perez was put out there longer than usual, and the Dodgers paid the price. And Howell wasn't even used at all. Just some weird stuff.
Of course, if the offense could do anything then probably none of this would have mattered.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Yasiel Puig was back at leadoff, took three walks, but struck out the three other times. Right now opposing pitchers are blowing it by him up in the zone. There's just way too many swings and misses right now, and he needs to adjust in those situations. I'm guessing he's not the easiest guy to get to adjust, though.
* Justin Turner hit second and went 0-for-5, dropping him to .185. Yuck. If I'm Alex Guerrero, I'm taking grounders at second until my hands go numb so my bat is back in the LA lineup. If I'm Turner, I'm nervous about that happening.
* Zack Greinke only gave up one run in six innings, which was a fortunate thing considering his location was all over the place. Still, he struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 2.42. He's fifth in the NL in strikeouts.
Dan Haren and his sparkling 2.04 ERA will take the mound on Saturday night. He'll look to get the Dodgers back on track after dropping their first game to the Diamondbacks following five straight wins.
With that said, I was surprised to see how Jamey Wright and Chris Perez were used. More specifically, the long guy went too short, and the short guy went too long.
With the Dodgers down 1-0 in the seventh, Wright came on and only gave up a single. The strange thing was that his spot in the order was due up fourth, and sure enough, he ended up getting pinch-hit for by Chone Figgins after Van Slyke's homer tied the game up. Sure enough, Figgins grounded out, which was pretty much an automatic.
Don Mattingly used both Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen the day before in San Francisco, so it's understandable that they were being avoided. That's fine, but it also meant that when Wright, Chris Withrow, and even Brandon League were already used, it came down to Perez and J.P. Howell to pitch in extras. Perez plowed through the 11 unscathed.
But hold on, the game was still tied, so back out went Perez. The first two guys got on, and following a sacrifice, a two-run single by Aaron Hill effectively ended the game. Perez gave up his first runs of the season, and threw the most pitches at 26.
So that brings me back to my original point. Shouldn't Perez pitch the seventh, and Wright be saved in case of extra innings? Especially since Wilson and Jansen probably weren't going to pitch? It just didn't seem to make much sense to me. I would think Perez would be much more comfortable pitching closer to the ninth, and not afterwards.
It's not like Wright needs to only be used for extended innings, but of his nine appearances this season, only two have gone more than one inning. Friday night was the perfect chance to give the ball to him in extra innings and let him go. Instead, Perez was put out there longer than usual, and the Dodgers paid the price. And Howell wasn't even used at all. Just some weird stuff.
Of course, if the offense could do anything then probably none of this would have mattered.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Yasiel Puig was back at leadoff, took three walks, but struck out the three other times. Right now opposing pitchers are blowing it by him up in the zone. There's just way too many swings and misses right now, and he needs to adjust in those situations. I'm guessing he's not the easiest guy to get to adjust, though.
* Justin Turner hit second and went 0-for-5, dropping him to .185. Yuck. If I'm Alex Guerrero, I'm taking grounders at second until my hands go numb so my bat is back in the LA lineup. If I'm Turner, I'm nervous about that happening.
* Zack Greinke only gave up one run in six innings, which was a fortunate thing considering his location was all over the place. Still, he struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 2.42. He's fifth in the NL in strikeouts.
Dan Haren and his sparkling 2.04 ERA will take the mound on Saturday night. He'll look to get the Dodgers back on track after dropping their first game to the Diamondbacks following five straight wins.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Taking a look at the loaded Dodgers' bullpen
If you're a Dodger fan looking for quality arms, then Christmas was very kind. Ned Colletti announced the signings of Chris Perez, Jamey Wright, and J.P. Howell on Tuesday, giving the Dodgers one of the deepest, and hopefully best, bullpens in all of baseball.
To go along with the signings of those three is the return of Brian Wilson, who was re-signed about three weeks ago. With that in mind, let's take a look at the arms that could form the 'pen in April, with their 2013 stats in parenthesis.
Shoo-Ins:
Closer - RHP Kenley Jansen (28 saves, 16 holds, 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP)
Enters the season as the clear-cut closer, and there's little reason to believe that will change. Then again, in a crazy spot like closer, anything can happen. Didn't Brandon League enter 2013 as the closer? And wasn't Jonathan Broxton once a "shutdown" closer? You get the point. Still, with a great fastball and cutter, it's hard to believe Jansen will flop.
Setup - RHP Brian Wilson (3 holds, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
In a great move by Colletti, was brought back as both the primary eighth inning guy, and a fallback option in case Jansen has some troubles. Was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for and more in 2013, and with more time ticking away since his Tommy John surgery in 2012, should have even stronger stuff for 2014.
LHP J.P. Howell (11 holds, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)
Got the multi-year deal he was searching for, and with a .164 average against left-handed hitters, will find himself in plenty of big situations once again. Two straight seasons of great numbers with the Rays and Dodgers shows he's up for the challenge.
LHP Paco Rodriguez (20 holds, 2 saves, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
About the only thing that went wrong for him in an incredible rookie year was the nosedive he took at the end of last year, as he was actually left off of the NLCS roster. But with a fresh arm and deceptive delivery, showed what he could do for many months. The hope, of course, is that his arm strength can last during the rigors of a full season.
RHP Chris Perez (25 saves, 1 hold, 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP with Indians)
He's a two-time All-Star, so he certainly knows how to get the big outs. Last season was a disaster in every way for him, whether he was getting hurt, blowing saves, or getting busted by the law. The best thing for him could very well be pitching in friendly Dodger Stadium against weaker offenses and away from the closing spotlight. I like the addition, as I'll take a chance on him over a bum like Ronald Belisario any day of the week.
Long Relief - RHP Jamey Wright (6 holds, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with Rays)
As Colletti recently admitted, he wished he was more aggressive in re-signing him after the 2012 season. A year of long relief success later, that's exactly what he did in bringing him back to LA for the same role. There really aren't a whole heck of a lot of pitchers who actually embrace the role of getting ready quickly to pitch multiple innings at a moment's notice, and he's one of the best, so it's a good move.
Battling it Out:
RHP - Chris Withrow (4 holds, 1 save, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
Like Rodriguez, is another young arm who got plenty of big outs. I bet people will look at those numbers above and be pleasantly surprised. I can see him teaming with Perez and Rodriguez in the middle innings to bridge the gap to Wilson and Jansen. He's got the hard stuff to do it.
RHP Jose Dominguez (1 hold, 2.16 ERA, 1.68 WHIP)
A young man with electric stuff, as he can reach 100 MPH at any point. He's very fortunately to have such a low ERA, as opponents hit .314 off of him, albeit in a small sample size with 8 1/3 innings. Still, there's something about power arms out of the bullpen that is so intriguing, and if he can learn to pitch to corners and mix in some soft stuff, he can be a huge weapon.
RHP Brandon League (14 saves, 2 holds, 5.30 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)
Ahhh, good old League, the guy who won't go anywhere thanks to two years left on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. What a shame it would be if he beats out better arms like Withrow and Dominguez, but that's a definite possibility. Maybe Rick Honeycutt found something in his delivery that will improve him? I'm searching for something here, because it's hard to get even a little bit excited to see him pitch again.
Don't Forget About:
LHP Scott Elbert (Did not pitch in 2013)
Still recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be out until around the All-Star break at best guess. Pitched mostly in 2011 and 2012, and with ERA's of 2.43 and 2.20, respectively, it's easy to see why a lefty with hard stuff like him sticks around. Suppose Rodriguez gets worn down again, then possibly Elbert steps in down the stretch. It might not be entirely realistic to count on him for any of 2014, but like it says above, don't forget about him.
Bottom Line:
By my count, that's nine guys duking it out for between 7-8 spots in the bullpen (taking out an injured Elbert). Plus, you have to remember that when fully healthy, the starting rotation sports six guys in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, and Josh Beckett. You know those first three names won't be anywhere near the bullpen, so one of Haren, Billingsley, or Beckett may have to be do the Chris Capuano act of bouncing between starter and reliever.
With the way this team gets hurt, Don Mattingly might not need to make many tough decisions on who stays and who goes, much like the outfield situation from last season. But of the three names on the "Battling it Out" list, I'd say as of right now Withrow gets the nod, with League and then Dominguez. League is awful, but has that damn contract, so he can't be ignored. Dominguez has to show more consistency before getting a permanent stay in LA.
Colletti has stated that he's all but done with roster moves, so it would be a surprise to see another reliever signed. Then again, if the Dodgers bid and are successful in getting Masahiro Tanaka, then that throws a wrench into all of these plans, not that that's a bad thing if this kid is the real deal. We shall see.
To go along with the signings of those three is the return of Brian Wilson, who was re-signed about three weeks ago. With that in mind, let's take a look at the arms that could form the 'pen in April, with their 2013 stats in parenthesis.
Shoo-Ins:
Closer - RHP Kenley Jansen (28 saves, 16 holds, 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP)
Enters the season as the clear-cut closer, and there's little reason to believe that will change. Then again, in a crazy spot like closer, anything can happen. Didn't Brandon League enter 2013 as the closer? And wasn't Jonathan Broxton once a "shutdown" closer? You get the point. Still, with a great fastball and cutter, it's hard to believe Jansen will flop.
Setup - RHP Brian Wilson (3 holds, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
In a great move by Colletti, was brought back as both the primary eighth inning guy, and a fallback option in case Jansen has some troubles. Was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for and more in 2013, and with more time ticking away since his Tommy John surgery in 2012, should have even stronger stuff for 2014.
LHP J.P. Howell (11 holds, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)
Got the multi-year deal he was searching for, and with a .164 average against left-handed hitters, will find himself in plenty of big situations once again. Two straight seasons of great numbers with the Rays and Dodgers shows he's up for the challenge.
LHP Paco Rodriguez (20 holds, 2 saves, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
About the only thing that went wrong for him in an incredible rookie year was the nosedive he took at the end of last year, as he was actually left off of the NLCS roster. But with a fresh arm and deceptive delivery, showed what he could do for many months. The hope, of course, is that his arm strength can last during the rigors of a full season.
RHP Chris Perez (25 saves, 1 hold, 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP with Indians)
He's a two-time All-Star, so he certainly knows how to get the big outs. Last season was a disaster in every way for him, whether he was getting hurt, blowing saves, or getting busted by the law. The best thing for him could very well be pitching in friendly Dodger Stadium against weaker offenses and away from the closing spotlight. I like the addition, as I'll take a chance on him over a bum like Ronald Belisario any day of the week.
Long Relief - RHP Jamey Wright (6 holds, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with Rays)
As Colletti recently admitted, he wished he was more aggressive in re-signing him after the 2012 season. A year of long relief success later, that's exactly what he did in bringing him back to LA for the same role. There really aren't a whole heck of a lot of pitchers who actually embrace the role of getting ready quickly to pitch multiple innings at a moment's notice, and he's one of the best, so it's a good move.
Battling it Out:
RHP - Chris Withrow (4 holds, 1 save, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
Like Rodriguez, is another young arm who got plenty of big outs. I bet people will look at those numbers above and be pleasantly surprised. I can see him teaming with Perez and Rodriguez in the middle innings to bridge the gap to Wilson and Jansen. He's got the hard stuff to do it.
RHP Jose Dominguez (1 hold, 2.16 ERA, 1.68 WHIP)
A young man with electric stuff, as he can reach 100 MPH at any point. He's very fortunately to have such a low ERA, as opponents hit .314 off of him, albeit in a small sample size with 8 1/3 innings. Still, there's something about power arms out of the bullpen that is so intriguing, and if he can learn to pitch to corners and mix in some soft stuff, he can be a huge weapon.
RHP Brandon League (14 saves, 2 holds, 5.30 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)
Ahhh, good old League, the guy who won't go anywhere thanks to two years left on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. What a shame it would be if he beats out better arms like Withrow and Dominguez, but that's a definite possibility. Maybe Rick Honeycutt found something in his delivery that will improve him? I'm searching for something here, because it's hard to get even a little bit excited to see him pitch again.
Don't Forget About:
LHP Scott Elbert (Did not pitch in 2013)
Still recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be out until around the All-Star break at best guess. Pitched mostly in 2011 and 2012, and with ERA's of 2.43 and 2.20, respectively, it's easy to see why a lefty with hard stuff like him sticks around. Suppose Rodriguez gets worn down again, then possibly Elbert steps in down the stretch. It might not be entirely realistic to count on him for any of 2014, but like it says above, don't forget about him.
Bottom Line:
By my count, that's nine guys duking it out for between 7-8 spots in the bullpen (taking out an injured Elbert). Plus, you have to remember that when fully healthy, the starting rotation sports six guys in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, and Josh Beckett. You know those first three names won't be anywhere near the bullpen, so one of Haren, Billingsley, or Beckett may have to be do the Chris Capuano act of bouncing between starter and reliever.
With the way this team gets hurt, Don Mattingly might not need to make many tough decisions on who stays and who goes, much like the outfield situation from last season. But of the three names on the "Battling it Out" list, I'd say as of right now Withrow gets the nod, with League and then Dominguez. League is awful, but has that damn contract, so he can't be ignored. Dominguez has to show more consistency before getting a permanent stay in LA.
Colletti has stated that he's all but done with roster moves, so it would be a surprise to see another reliever signed. Then again, if the Dodgers bid and are successful in getting Masahiro Tanaka, then that throws a wrench into all of these plans, not that that's a bad thing if this kid is the real deal. We shall see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)