The Pen, Period.

by Allen Chace on Jul 22, 2008 6:13 PM EDT in Open Thread

OMG. WTF can I say here people?

Atrocious, plus a side of excruciatingly painful to watch.

Signs it's going to get better? None. And the only acquisition I'm really interested in, Damaso Marte, hasn't pitched in the AL in awhile, and could easily be cost-prohibitive. Out of 8 full-type seasons, his WHIP has only been above 1.266 twice, and he has struck out 483 hitters in 453 1/3 career innings. It's all but assured that we need to get better on an internal basis.

Masterson. I'm cautiously optimistic, if only because his sinker should make him reasonably effective in those IH situations that we've to this point only been able to use Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen, Mike Timlin, Javy Lopez, David Aardsma absolutely no one in. I'm concerned about his control and HR issues, however, which basically means he'll fit right in in our bullpen.

Delcarmen. All right buddy, I'm losing faith here. I've been one of your biggest defenders, I think, as others have clearly lost all thought of using him in close situations. He's simply been easier to hit this season. Last year he threw 44 innings and walked 17 while striking out 41. This season he's at 40 2/3 with 16 BB and 40 Ks. Hits? 28 last year, 37 this year.

Oki. Same issue, really, and this could've been predicted for both. Control in terms of walk rate and strikeout rate have not changed too much.

Timlin. Am I serious? His last 5 1/3 of ridiculouslysmallsamplesize: 4 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks. I've given up on trying to figure Timlin out, but his ability to not be afraid to f'n throw strikes means I'm ready for him to try higher-leverage work again, if only because I'm ready for hits rather than walks/gift-wrapped hitters' counts to beat us in close games.

Paps. Pass. Good job buddy, even if you haven't been as crazy-dominant as the past two seasons.

Javy. Just not sure here. He had a good stretch to begin the season, but has come WAY back to Earth. Predictable, yes, and he probably doesn't need to see the kind of work he got earlier anymore. Surprisingly enough, he's looking more like a lefty specialist, with a .741 OPS against LHHs and an .814 OPS against RHHs. That .741 isn't that great, I suppose, but it means maybe we should only throw him against weak LHHs from now on. Doesn't seem that useful.

Chris Smith. 0.97 WHIP in Pawtucket this season. 45 Ks in 48 1/3. He might be a quad-A guy, certainly, but we'll never know until he gets an extended look. Seems like a guy (8 BB this season) who would make the other team beat him rather than beating himself. Refreshing?

Daniel Bard. Well. 82 Ks in 62 innings and a 0.94 WHIP. Next season, certainly, even if he doesn't make it up to help us this season.

Aardsma. Injured, and we'll see how that velocity is when he comes back. Walks too many. Walks too many. Walks too many.

EDIT:

Conclusions. Manny D and Oki just have to become more deceptive and get into less hitters' counts. Timlin might need to see more late-inning work, if only because he'll throw strikes. Lopez would be good if he got on another run, but as of now should be mop-up and vs. LHH's only. Aardsma shows promise, less IP than MDC with great strikeout rates over his career. Some control (we could say this about a lot of people) and he'll be a rock. Hopefully Masterson can defy his BB and HR issues as a starter during his conversion to the pen.

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Good post

I agree with everything you said…..mainly that we are in deep sh-t with this bullpen, which is why I’ve hoped Francona could go into the eighth with Paps. I don’t mean every time, just in these must-win situations like we’ve had (and blown) in the past month. I know you have to be careful with him and his shoulder but he handle an extra inning here and there, like he did last night.

Whatever – I’m not that optimistic. If the Sox pitching coach hasn’t figured out what’s wrong with Oki, Hansen, Delcarmen, Aardsma, etc by now – almost Aug. 1 – how he’s going to do it in the next two months? Like you, I am puzzled at what’s going on with Manny D. We really need him. I think Okajima’s weird delivery messed up people last year, but they’ve figured him out this year and he doesn’t have good enough stuff to overcome it.

I’m glad you focused on the bullpen because that has become THE KEY AREA in baseball the past few years as starters go fewer and fewer innings. I don’t care how much talent we have – without a decent bullpen, we’re toast. Man, I hope these guys figure it out.

by ccthemovieman on Jul 22, 2008 7:05 PM EDT reply actions

It's time

to start questioning the coaching of the pitching staff. Guys that have been back to Pawtucket after pitching in Boston, haven’t pitching as well after being exposed to Boston coaching staff. Smith, Buchholz and Masterson are all examples.

by 4thturn on Jul 22, 2008 7:19 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not really sure what you mean

I have a ton of faith in Tito and Farrell, and think both do a very good job. Are you talking about pitchers being called up to the majors and then when they’re sent down, they struggle? If so, this is common. Young pitchers, once they get a taste of the majors, often are frustrated at being sent down. This phenomenon isn’t unique to Boston.

Aside from Delcarmen, who seems to have taken a step back, most of the young Sox pitchers have improved. Even Hansen, despite his inconsistency, is light years better than he was when he first came to the Sox. Jon Lester has developed nicely. I expect Buchholz will improve, and I have high hopes for Bowden. Masterson has really given the Sox a lift. With the exception of Wake (41), Timlin (42), Oki (32), and J-Lo (31), this is a pretty young pitching staff. Masterson and Buchholz are 23. Lester and Hansen are 24. MDC and Aardsma are 26. Dice-K is 27 and Beckett is an old 28.

If you have any doubts about John Farrell, take a look at the difference between Josh Beckett in 2006 and 2007. The Sox’ coaching staff worked with Beckett to alter his delivery.

The Sox have the 3rd best record in the AL right now and won the WS last year, so I wouldn’t really blame the coaching staff if certain players haven’t performed. Relief pitchers’ performances are hard to guage from year-to-year (which is why acquiring one at the Deadline is often a bad move). The Sox have a lot of young pitchers. Sometimes you just have to be patient.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jul 22, 2008 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Well said.

Manny ain't the only bad man.

by tommy.otm on Jul 22, 2008 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree

A good post. What I find even more frustrating then coughing up leads in the 6th and 7th is when we are behind by just a run or two, then cough up extra runs in the 6th and 7th. Followed of course by us adding an additional 3 runs in the 8th in 9th and still losing the game because the pen couldn’t keep it close. All we need the pen to do is no cough up a run an inning. Is it really that effing hard?

ccthemman hit the nail on the head. Games in the last 4-5 years seem to have largely been won in innings 6-8 so you need to be solid in that middle relief. Look, our team is great except for this one area. If we were tighter in this area we’d have at least another 8 wins thus far.

by sydneysox on Jul 22, 2008 7:22 PM EDT reply actions

Trade for Street if we can get him cheap

I could be mistaken, but that dude looked awesome in the past and he isn’t old, so he could be awesome again. I hate the notion of trading with Beane, but what do you guys think?

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 22, 2008 9:33 PM EDT reply actions

Cheap is a must

Call me nervous, but after last year I don’t think I can take an infamous billy beane fleece.

by drabidea on Jul 22, 2008 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Brian Fuentes anyone?

His numbers this year aren’t too bad: 39 IP, 41 K, 11 BB, 1 HR. Plus he’s a lefty. I’d take it, as long as the Rockies don’t try to gorge the Sox’s farm.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 22, 2008 9:59 PM EDT reply actions