May 7, 2007
Hard Luck Rotation
By
Amanda
Posted at 10:08 pm
Jeff Piecoro of Fox Sports just called Kyle Lohse a “hard luck loser.” It's a phrase we've been hearing a lot lately, but it's bullshit. I mean bullpen. Luck has nothing to do with it; it's all about lack of lead-protecting skill.
The offense has been on-and-off, which they're going to do, but the bullpen has been bad since week two of the season. Bringing up Brad Salmon has failed to be the magic bullet, and calling up Gary Majewski once he's available again might just make things worse.
We can't count on our relievers. We can't count on our manager. We can't count on our GM.
Are you there, Mr. Castellini?
Salmon has hardly been used. While Stanton has pitched in five of the last six games.
Maybe they should send Coffey down and call Burton up. They’re going to have to do something with Burton soon. He’s got only ten days, max, left on his “rehab assignment.”
THis is what I am talking about… we all knew Coffey was finished mentally yet Jerry had to get burned one last time with him… or is it even the last time? Who knows. And Stanton is in the doghouse too, I just can’t believe he has completely lost it as well. Its safe to assume Majewski is going to get another shot and we know how that is going to end…badly. Bray might be our best hope at this juncture. Its really hard to believe we traded Kearns and Lopez for relievers and the bullpen is in this kind of shape. Krivsky needs to have the balls to use the axe to save the season. Milton needs to be shown the door, Coffey needs to be sent down, Stanton needs to go, etc.
I think Coffey and Stanton are just overused. No one can pitch five days a week and be effective.
I don’t understand why Narron keeps sending them out there.
I agree. Although the personnel in the Reds bullpen isn’t the greatest, I’m not convinced that they’re all as crappy as they’ve pitched. I’d love to see someone who wasn’t a fucking idiot with bullpen management run this team for a while.
Until then, we’re stuck with Narron.
🙁
The Bullpen Gang usually only has to go out for a few batters, often less. I’m not buying the excuse they can’t be effective due to being used so frequently. They are ineffective because they are “the suck”.
[url=http://patf.net/blogs/index.php?blog=6&title=reds_bullpen_the_suck&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#trackbacks]http://patf.net/blogs/index.php?blog=6&title=reds_bullpen_the_suck&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#trackbacks[/url]
Welcome stjoan. It’s always a pleasure to have another person to join into the bullpen bitchfest.
It doesn’t matter if they just have to pitch to a few batters.
Heck, it doesn’t matter if they don’t technically throw any pitches at all, like Stanton a few days ago. They still warm up in the pen, with 30 pitches or so. They warm up on the mound.
Throwing one pitch every day is a lot more wear and tear than throwing 7 pitches in one day.
It’s the pace of this usage pattern that is the problem. Take Coffey for example. He’s currently on pace for 95 appearances this season. That’s utterly ridiculous. By September he’s not going to have enough zip left on his pitches to get his grandmother out, let alone the Astros.
You have a rotation for the starting pitchers, and you should also have a bullpen rotation. You have seven guys in that pen. Split ’em up! Three over here, three over there. Use these three dudes over here tonight, while those three dudes over there are getting a day of rest. Then use those three dudes over there tomorrow night. Then the night after that you go back to these first three dudes over here again.
You there in the back – yeah, you, the guy with that kickass 1990’s Savannah Sand Gnats hat on! What did you just mumble through that mouthful of Big League Chew?
What about the seventh guy?
Glad you asked! That would be your closer. I realize that’s really Everyday Eddie (now you know the significance of that nickname) and he’s on the DL right now. That doesn’t excuse ruining all the other arms in the pen so that by the time you do get your closer back, you don’t have anybody left to bridge the gap between him and the starters.
That’s my $0.02 worth for the bullpen bitchfest. I’d contribute more than $0.02 worth but I’m not making as much money as the guy who’s supposedly getting paid by the Reds to figure this stuff out for them.
But if you’re reading this, Mr. castellini – I’m available. Call me.
HMZ