Running with the Bull(pen)s
In my high school yearbook, every senior received a "Most likely" entry. These weren't the more traditional voted-on categories of "Most likely to succeed," or "Most likely to strip her way through college," but rather (rarely) good-natured chidings of each senior's foibles. My entry was "Most likely to never admit he's wrong," and I have enough self-knowledge to know that I deserved it: I am a stubborn, stubborn guy. That said, let me take this opportunity to go on the record, for posterity's sake, and say: Jon was absolutely right about Pablo Ozuna and Joe Borchard, and I was one-thousand percent wrong.
Even if Borchard were to go on to hit 40 homers with the Marlins this season (he won't), I'd stick by that admission. There was just no place for him on a roster that can barely find enough plate appearances for a much better hitter, Ross Gload. And furthermore, Ozuna's skills - speed and versatility - are much more useful at the end of a roster than Borchard's. Not to mention that Ozuna has been terrific so far; if he can keep even a semblance of this up, I think Ozzie should start him against lefties, thereby giving Pods a rest and keeping his legs (and oft-injured groin) fresh.
The title of this post alludes to the chaotic situation in which our bullpen finds itself one month into the season. On any given day, it's almost impossible to know what to expect out of individual relievers. It's the team's only visible weakness, and downright scary to any Sox fan with a serious interest in keeping his/her sanity during the late innings. As Jon wrote yesterday, Ozzie's openmindedness when it comes to pitcher usage has mitigated the problem a bit, but it's still serious. It's possible (and hopeful) that a few of the relievers will establish themselves as (at least semi-)dependable, but the team also has some options should they choose to look elsewhere.
One possible option is Jeff Nelson, whom the Sox signed to a minor league contract Tuesday. He's old (39), and hasn't been all that effective since the first half of 2003, but I still think this is a terrific low-cost, low-risk signing. First of all, given modern training regiments and medical care, more and more players (especially pitchers) are able to perform into their 40s, so perhaps Nelson can cheat the inevitable for another season or two. And secondly, he was one of the more dominant right-handed relievers in all of baseball for the better part of a decade. He possesses (or at least possessed) a nasty slider that right-handed hitters find (found?) nearly untouchable, resulting in a consistently high strikeout rate throughout his career - a valuable asset in the bullpen. I can vividly remember Nelson squashing many a rally by the righty-dominated Sox teams of the late 90s and early aughts during his days with the Mariners and Yankees. If he can even approach his old form (and the signs are decent, seeing as he gave up just one hit and no runs in 5 and two-thirds innings this spring training with the Cardinals, striking out seven), he could be a valuable part of the Sox 'pen. If he can't - well, it will only cost us the price of a minor-league contract.
Furthermore, adding Nelson (or another righty) would allow the Sox to de-sinister their bullpen. Of the current six relievers, three are lefties. I don't remember ever seeing anything like that. It may not be a problem, but seeing as our closer is one of the righties, sooner or later Ozzie is going to be forced to send Logan, Thornton, or Cotts out to face a righty masher. I think 4-2 would be a more preferable split than 3-3.
If the Sox brass feel that having so many lefties isn't a real problem, they could also opt to call up Javier Lopez. Almost two weeks ago I mentioned that Lopez was off to a terrific start. Since then he gave up his first run of the season, but has still been dominant: in 14 innings at AAA Charlotte he has an ERA of 0.64, a WHIP of 1.00, has given up no homers, and has struck out 11 batters against walking just two.
There are actually two other decent options at Charlotte, both righties. One is Jeff Farnsworth, who has been almost as good as Lopez: an ERA of 1.98, a WHIP of 0.95, 14 strikeouts and just three walks in 13 and two-thirds innings. The second is knuckleballer Charles Haeger. On the one hand, he has a couple of things working against him: he didn't pitch well during spring training against quasi-major league hitters (ERA of 11.90 in just over 11 innings); the slow pitching motion of knucklers rarely translates well to pitching out of the stretch, which relievers must (he's currently starting); and so far this season at Charlotte he's shown the typical Achilles' heal of a knuckleballer, issuing 4.5 free passes per 9 innings. On the other hand, even with the walks Haeger's been great this year - an ERA of 0.45, a WHIP of 1.13, and only 25 hits and no homers surrendered in 40 innings. And he could be a valuable and versatile member of the Sox' bullpen, providing multi-inning mop-up duty on short rest, or giving opposing hitters a drastically different look after their eyes have become accustomed to the speed of Contreras, Vazquez, and others on the staff.
Beyond AAA, there's even an option at AA Birmingham. All five Baron starters are off to great starts, but the high walk rates of Tyler Lumsden, Ray Liotta, Corwin Malone, and Ryan Rodriguez make me think they're not ready to make the jump to the majors. Top prospect Lance Broadway, however, has been lights-out: in six starts covering 35 and two-thirds innings, he has an ERA of 2.02, a WHIP of 1.07, has given up just one home run, and has struck out 30 while walking seven. Granted, those stats were compiled while pitching half his games at the pitcher heaven that is Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, so take them with a streets and sanitation truck full of salt. Broadway is also projected to be a starter in the majors, but the Sox could choose to ease him into the role, as they did with Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland.
In any case, what's clear is that the Sox have some options. In an ideal world the six relievers currently on the team would get their collective act together, and we wouldn't need to worry about replacements. But chances are at least one or two guys will consistently falter and need some time at AAA; let's hope that in that case Kenny Williams and Ozzie are willing to give one of the above pitchers a chance.
Even if Borchard were to go on to hit 40 homers with the Marlins this season (he won't), I'd stick by that admission. There was just no place for him on a roster that can barely find enough plate appearances for a much better hitter, Ross Gload. And furthermore, Ozuna's skills - speed and versatility - are much more useful at the end of a roster than Borchard's. Not to mention that Ozuna has been terrific so far; if he can keep even a semblance of this up, I think Ozzie should start him against lefties, thereby giving Pods a rest and keeping his legs (and oft-injured groin) fresh.
* * *
The title of this post alludes to the chaotic situation in which our bullpen finds itself one month into the season. On any given day, it's almost impossible to know what to expect out of individual relievers. It's the team's only visible weakness, and downright scary to any Sox fan with a serious interest in keeping his/her sanity during the late innings. As Jon wrote yesterday, Ozzie's openmindedness when it comes to pitcher usage has mitigated the problem a bit, but it's still serious. It's possible (and hopeful) that a few of the relievers will establish themselves as (at least semi-)dependable, but the team also has some options should they choose to look elsewhere.
One possible option is Jeff Nelson, whom the Sox signed to a minor league contract Tuesday. He's old (39), and hasn't been all that effective since the first half of 2003, but I still think this is a terrific low-cost, low-risk signing. First of all, given modern training regiments and medical care, more and more players (especially pitchers) are able to perform into their 40s, so perhaps Nelson can cheat the inevitable for another season or two. And secondly, he was one of the more dominant right-handed relievers in all of baseball for the better part of a decade. He possesses (or at least possessed) a nasty slider that right-handed hitters find (found?) nearly untouchable, resulting in a consistently high strikeout rate throughout his career - a valuable asset in the bullpen. I can vividly remember Nelson squashing many a rally by the righty-dominated Sox teams of the late 90s and early aughts during his days with the Mariners and Yankees. If he can even approach his old form (and the signs are decent, seeing as he gave up just one hit and no runs in 5 and two-thirds innings this spring training with the Cardinals, striking out seven), he could be a valuable part of the Sox 'pen. If he can't - well, it will only cost us the price of a minor-league contract.
Furthermore, adding Nelson (or another righty) would allow the Sox to de-sinister their bullpen. Of the current six relievers, three are lefties. I don't remember ever seeing anything like that. It may not be a problem, but seeing as our closer is one of the righties, sooner or later Ozzie is going to be forced to send Logan, Thornton, or Cotts out to face a righty masher. I think 4-2 would be a more preferable split than 3-3.
If the Sox brass feel that having so many lefties isn't a real problem, they could also opt to call up Javier Lopez. Almost two weeks ago I mentioned that Lopez was off to a terrific start. Since then he gave up his first run of the season, but has still been dominant: in 14 innings at AAA Charlotte he has an ERA of 0.64, a WHIP of 1.00, has given up no homers, and has struck out 11 batters against walking just two.
There are actually two other decent options at Charlotte, both righties. One is Jeff Farnsworth, who has been almost as good as Lopez: an ERA of 1.98, a WHIP of 0.95, 14 strikeouts and just three walks in 13 and two-thirds innings. The second is knuckleballer Charles Haeger. On the one hand, he has a couple of things working against him: he didn't pitch well during spring training against quasi-major league hitters (ERA of 11.90 in just over 11 innings); the slow pitching motion of knucklers rarely translates well to pitching out of the stretch, which relievers must (he's currently starting); and so far this season at Charlotte he's shown the typical Achilles' heal of a knuckleballer, issuing 4.5 free passes per 9 innings. On the other hand, even with the walks Haeger's been great this year - an ERA of 0.45, a WHIP of 1.13, and only 25 hits and no homers surrendered in 40 innings. And he could be a valuable and versatile member of the Sox' bullpen, providing multi-inning mop-up duty on short rest, or giving opposing hitters a drastically different look after their eyes have become accustomed to the speed of Contreras, Vazquez, and others on the staff.
Beyond AAA, there's even an option at AA Birmingham. All five Baron starters are off to great starts, but the high walk rates of Tyler Lumsden, Ray Liotta, Corwin Malone, and Ryan Rodriguez make me think they're not ready to make the jump to the majors. Top prospect Lance Broadway, however, has been lights-out: in six starts covering 35 and two-thirds innings, he has an ERA of 2.02, a WHIP of 1.07, has given up just one home run, and has struck out 30 while walking seven. Granted, those stats were compiled while pitching half his games at the pitcher heaven that is Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, so take them with a streets and sanitation truck full of salt. Broadway is also projected to be a starter in the majors, but the Sox could choose to ease him into the role, as they did with Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland.
In any case, what's clear is that the Sox have some options. In an ideal world the six relievers currently on the team would get their collective act together, and we wouldn't need to worry about replacements. But chances are at least one or two guys will consistently falter and need some time at AAA; let's hope that in that case Kenny Williams and Ozzie are willing to give one of the above pitchers a chance.
posted by Jake Berlin | 9:50 AM
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