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.
Showing posts with label Withrow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Withrow. Show all posts
Sunday, June 22, 2014
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.
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.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Middle relief will play key role for the Dodgers
A lot went right for the Dodgers in taking down the Braves in the NLDS. Carl Crawford hitting three home runs. Hanley Ramirez hitting .500. Juan Uribe's series-clinching two-run shot. Clayton Kershaw's one earned run in 13 innings. Kenley Jansen being untouchable.
But for all that went right, one thing definitely needs improvement against the Cardinals in the NLCS: middle relief.
It wasn't all doom and gloom, at least. Brian Wilson pitched three scoreless innings in three appearances. J.P. Howell was also scoreless over three appearances covering 2 1/3 innings. Chris Capuano relieved an ineffective Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 3 and didn't allow a run in three innings, though did have control problems with three walks. But hey, no runs is no runs.
As for the rest of the 'pen (minus closer Jansen)... yuck. Chris Withrow took over for Zack Greinke in the seventh inning of Game 2 and only got two outs, getting charged with two runs. Paco Rodriguez relieved Withrow, gave up a huge two-run single to Jayson Heyward, then was yanked. Ronald Belisario walked Justin Upton, then he too was yanked.
In Game 3, Capuano, Howell, and Belisario were effective, but Rodriguez was not. All he had to do was get the final three outs with a nine-run lead, and three hits and a walk later, including a massive two-run bomb by Heyward, Jansen had to get the last out. It was very disappointing.
Then there was Belisario in Game 4, who was horrible. After taking over for Kershaw in the seventh, he got the first out, but then allowed a triple to Elliot Johnson and an RBI single to Jose Constanza. And just like that, he was done.
All in all, here are the ERA's for the following: Belisario - 9.00, Withrow - 27.00, Rodriguez - 27.00. UGLY.
A case can be made that those are small sample sizes, but in the playoffs, everything is. There's really no way of spinning those numbers into something positive at all. They all pitched only 2 1/3 innings, yet gave up five runs, seven hits, and four walks.
At this point, I'm sure Don Mattingly will use Howell, Wilson, and Jansen in the late innings with a lead. But what happens when they need innings if they're losing or the game is tied? That means more of the guys with the ballooned ERA's. Advantage, Cardinals.
However, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Dodgers make some roster changes for the NLCS. I think Belisario will stick around, mostly because he never seems to go away. But Withrow and Rodriguez could get ousted in favor of guys like Carlos Marmol and/or Brandon League. I was a little surprised Marmol wasn't on the NLDS roster, so I would lean towards him making the championship series round.
Friday night is Game 1 in St. Louis, so keep an eye out for the final 25-man roster. The Dodgers know these games will be tight, so the boys in the bullpen will have extra importance. Getting a fresh arm or two in there can only help.
But for all that went right, one thing definitely needs improvement against the Cardinals in the NLCS: middle relief.
It wasn't all doom and gloom, at least. Brian Wilson pitched three scoreless innings in three appearances. J.P. Howell was also scoreless over three appearances covering 2 1/3 innings. Chris Capuano relieved an ineffective Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 3 and didn't allow a run in three innings, though did have control problems with three walks. But hey, no runs is no runs.
As for the rest of the 'pen (minus closer Jansen)... yuck. Chris Withrow took over for Zack Greinke in the seventh inning of Game 2 and only got two outs, getting charged with two runs. Paco Rodriguez relieved Withrow, gave up a huge two-run single to Jayson Heyward, then was yanked. Ronald Belisario walked Justin Upton, then he too was yanked.
In Game 3, Capuano, Howell, and Belisario were effective, but Rodriguez was not. All he had to do was get the final three outs with a nine-run lead, and three hits and a walk later, including a massive two-run bomb by Heyward, Jansen had to get the last out. It was very disappointing.
Then there was Belisario in Game 4, who was horrible. After taking over for Kershaw in the seventh, he got the first out, but then allowed a triple to Elliot Johnson and an RBI single to Jose Constanza. And just like that, he was done.
All in all, here are the ERA's for the following: Belisario - 9.00, Withrow - 27.00, Rodriguez - 27.00. UGLY.
A case can be made that those are small sample sizes, but in the playoffs, everything is. There's really no way of spinning those numbers into something positive at all. They all pitched only 2 1/3 innings, yet gave up five runs, seven hits, and four walks.
At this point, I'm sure Don Mattingly will use Howell, Wilson, and Jansen in the late innings with a lead. But what happens when they need innings if they're losing or the game is tied? That means more of the guys with the ballooned ERA's. Advantage, Cardinals.
However, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Dodgers make some roster changes for the NLCS. I think Belisario will stick around, mostly because he never seems to go away. But Withrow and Rodriguez could get ousted in favor of guys like Carlos Marmol and/or Brandon League. I was a little surprised Marmol wasn't on the NLDS roster, so I would lean towards him making the championship series round.
Friday night is Game 1 in St. Louis, so keep an eye out for the final 25-man roster. The Dodgers know these games will be tight, so the boys in the bullpen will have extra importance. Getting a fresh arm or two in there can only help.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Dodgers by the numbers
I haven't done this in awhile, but it's always fun to look at exactly where the boys in blue rank in certain categories. Today I'll focus on the bullpen, which has been a huge part of turning things around.
ERA: 3.57 (15th best)
Saves: 34 (7th)
Save %: 68 (19th - still feeling the effects of Brandon League)
Walks: 122 (22nd)
BAA: .244 (15th)
OPS: .669 (7th)
Total Bases: 451 (25th)
K/9: 8.29 (12th)
Trust me, these numbers listed above were not pretty back in April, May, and June. The League experiment as closer was a colossal flop, which mercifully ended after four blown saves and a 6.00 ERA in early June. Then Kenley Jansen was inserted as closer, and after blowing his first save in Pittsburgh, has gone 14-15 since.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the numbers for the boys in the 'pen right now:
Kenley Jansen: 58 1/3 IP, 4-3, 17 SV, 16 HLD, 2.01 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 84 K
J.P. Howell: 48 1/3 IP, 2-0, 10 HLD, 2.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 K
Paco Rodriguez: 42 IP, 2-2, 2 SV, 14 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 45 K
Chris Withrow: 18 1/3 IP, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 K
Ronald Belisario: 51 1/3 IP, 5-6, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 3.33 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 K
Carlos Marmol: 7 IP, 0-0, 5.14 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 4 K
Brandon League: 42 2/3, 6-3, 14 SV, 1 HLD, 5.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 22 K
The top four in that list are as good as it gets. Jansen's success in the closer's role has made everything else fall into place. Howell and Rodriguez are fantastic from the left side, and Withrow has forced the Dodgers to keep him with the big club. They get big outs whenever necessary.
Belisario is his typical streaky self, but he's been on a hot one the last couple of months. He had an 8.31 ERA in June, lowered it all the way to 1.42 in July, and hasn't surrendered a run in August. When he's on, he's tough to catch up to. The Dodgers will ride this hot streak as long as they can.
The numbers for Marmol and League obviously aren't pretty, but there is a silver lining for both. League has put up blanks in nine of last 12 appearances since the beginning of July, lowering his ERA by over a run. Marmol doesn't have a large sample size, but is scoreless in his last five trips to the mound.
Keep in mind that Brian Wilson will soon be coming, as his rehab is just about done. Don't be surprised to see him move right into a setup role. He's been scoreless in three innings of work, and if reports are true that he's more than recovered from Tommy John surgery last year, then look out. He's another big chip to be added to this great team in the postseason push.
ERA: 3.57 (15th best)
Saves: 34 (7th)
Save %: 68 (19th - still feeling the effects of Brandon League)
Walks: 122 (22nd)
BAA: .244 (15th)
OPS: .669 (7th)
Total Bases: 451 (25th)
K/9: 8.29 (12th)
Trust me, these numbers listed above were not pretty back in April, May, and June. The League experiment as closer was a colossal flop, which mercifully ended after four blown saves and a 6.00 ERA in early June. Then Kenley Jansen was inserted as closer, and after blowing his first save in Pittsburgh, has gone 14-15 since.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the numbers for the boys in the 'pen right now:
Kenley Jansen: 58 1/3 IP, 4-3, 17 SV, 16 HLD, 2.01 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 84 K
J.P. Howell: 48 1/3 IP, 2-0, 10 HLD, 2.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 K
Paco Rodriguez: 42 IP, 2-2, 2 SV, 14 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 45 K
Chris Withrow: 18 1/3 IP, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 K
Ronald Belisario: 51 1/3 IP, 5-6, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 3.33 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 K
Carlos Marmol: 7 IP, 0-0, 5.14 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 4 K
Brandon League: 42 2/3, 6-3, 14 SV, 1 HLD, 5.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 22 K
The top four in that list are as good as it gets. Jansen's success in the closer's role has made everything else fall into place. Howell and Rodriguez are fantastic from the left side, and Withrow has forced the Dodgers to keep him with the big club. They get big outs whenever necessary.
Belisario is his typical streaky self, but he's been on a hot one the last couple of months. He had an 8.31 ERA in June, lowered it all the way to 1.42 in July, and hasn't surrendered a run in August. When he's on, he's tough to catch up to. The Dodgers will ride this hot streak as long as they can.
The numbers for Marmol and League obviously aren't pretty, but there is a silver lining for both. League has put up blanks in nine of last 12 appearances since the beginning of July, lowering his ERA by over a run. Marmol doesn't have a large sample size, but is scoreless in his last five trips to the mound.
Keep in mind that Brian Wilson will soon be coming, as his rehab is just about done. Don't be surprised to see him move right into a setup role. He's been scoreless in three innings of work, and if reports are true that he's more than recovered from Tommy John surgery last year, then look out. He's another big chip to be added to this great team in the postseason push.
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