Bullpen Report: March 31st, 2018
Only a few games into the season and the relief pitcher body count has already started to mount. No, none of your fantasy arms died tonight but injuries to some top rated arms seems almost unavoidable in today’s game. Earlier today the Phillies placed Pat Neshek on the 10-Day disabled list with what the Phillies are calling “Right Shoulder Strain”. This only a day after Philadelphia placed late inning reviver Tommy Hunter on the 10-Day DL as well. Neither of those two were lined directly up for save opportunities but it leaves Hector Neris on a closer island all by himself with a somewhat secure ninth inning role, even after his implosion just a night ago.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania the Pirates played a marathon game that lasted 13 innings strong. Twenty-three runs were scored in this one and Felipe Rivero wasn’t able to escape without being tagged with four of them. Rivero entered in the bottom of the ninth as planned, with a four run lead but then proceeded to walk two of his first three hitters. After awarding free passes to Nicolas Castellanos and JaCoby Jones, Rivero surrendered a two-run double, followed by another walk a few batters later and that was enough for Manager Clint Hurdle. Rivero was unceremoniously removed, having responsibility for two runners on base, which soon scored off a Dixton Machado double. Rivero’s command was far less than crisp in this one, throwing 30 pitches and only 13 of them for strikes. Despite starting the season off on the wrong foot, Rivero’s security in the role is extremely safe. His 1.55 ERA last year and his 22 successful save conversions has built him up as one of the safer situations to be in.
The Nationals Sean Doolittle pitched well in his first save opportunity of the year. He walked one but struck out two while locking down the ninth inning and giving Dave Martinez his first victory as a big league manager. Not a bad way to get on the good side of the man calling the shots.
Roberto Osuna pitched a clean ninth inning on Friday night, never allowing a baserunner, keeping the Blue Jays within striking distance while down three runs as they entered the bottom of the ninth. Aroldis Chapman entered the game, starting strong by fanning the first two batters he faced but faltered a bit after that. Chapman allowed back to back doubles to Steve Pearce and Yangervis Solarte and allowing the game tying run to come up to the plate (Randal Grichuk). Chapman would then shut the door against Grichuk with nothing other than his usually triple digit fire. David Robertson pitched the eighth inning ahead of Chapman Friday, a night after Betances got his shot in the eighth. Either of those two would easily slot straight into a closer role, if for some reason Chapman continued to struggle.
Craig Kimbrel was lights out against the Rays, facing the minimum and earning his first of likely many saves for the Red Sox this season. Kimbrel needed just 15 pitches to strikeout the side. Dominate start to the season for one of baseball’s best pitchers.
Brad Boxberger walked into the lion’s den with his first opportunity as the Diamondbacks primary closer. Facing a lethal Rockies heart of the order (LeMahieu/Arenado/Story), Boxberger walked the first man he faced on eight pitches. Arenado, up with the tying run on first base, is not exactly the formula Torey Lovullo was hoping for but Boxberger would quickly recover, popping up Arenado and striking out both Trevor Story and Carlos Gonzalez. The Diamondbacks would much prefer Boxberger be the ninth inning man, even with Archie Bradley as the best arm in the back half of that bullpen.
In a game where the Cubs pitchers threw a total of 259 pitches in 17 innings, it only took Morrow two tries before the Marlins walked it off on a single by Miguel Rojas. The game winning run was inherited so Morrow’s ERA will not be affected. His standing in the closer role won’t be questioned either this early in the season after a few pitches. The sting of the loss however will resonate in that locker room and in the mind of Joe Maddon for a while.
Even the mighty fail from time to time. Kenley Jansen took the loss last night after giving up a solo-shot to Joe Panik in the top of the ninth inning. Panik has now hit long balls in two consecutive games off Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen. “Keep working hard kids… Dreams do come true”… Joe Panik Probably.
Blake Parker recorded the first save for the Angles this year but he did so by getting Matt Joyce to groundout and then proceeded to scream something fierce into his glove. Parker didn’t have his best stuff and that much was clear. With that being said Mike Scioscia, the Angels manager, seems to lean Parker in the role for the time being.
Mmmm can we *not* call him “KKKimbrel”?
Yep, horrible choice.
I could be way off here, but “Craig KKKimbrel” seems like a precarious nickname for a white guy from Alabama
I understand the sentiment, and agree that there might be better ways to refer to him, but there’s no question the lack of ill-intent here.
Understanding and allowing it in such contexts are the first step in making those three letter synonymous with baseball, and relegating those hooded jerk-offs in the south to an afterthought.
Duh..everyone else is just having fun with it
Thanks for all the work! This may have been asked and answered (and my apologies if, so) but any chance the “grid” will be coming back? It was really helpful!
Yesterday’s column said it will be back up next week.
Very cool, thanks!
Brad hand is still pitching the 9th
kenley’s velocity down around 89
hand’s down to 91
This is what I came here to write. I have very few shares of Jansen, but he could not hit 90 yday. That is very unusual, why is he throwing so slowly? Only two possible answers, he is either hurt, or going through dead arm. Neither of which is good.
With Kershaw ‘down’ too, maybe it’s a calibration thing
Kershaw looked pretty solid. Jansen reallly did not if you were watching. There was nothing behind his pitches, the faces of some of the giants players after the pitches said that they were surprised too.
Jansen down 4.41mph. Biggest drop in the entire mlb thus far. I’d be grabbing every share of whoever is 2nd in line because he is hitting dl for sure.
But who IS second? Like you guessed, Fields? A chart would be pretty useful right now, just noting…
All pitchers that have pitched for SF and LA (pitch Info tab on Fangraphs):
Kershaw – 91.0 this year v 92.7 last year
Chargois – 95.3 / 96.2 (2016 numbers, didn’t ptich in 2017)
Cingrani – 94.3 / 94.4
Fields – 93.6 / 95.4
Wood – 90.3 / 91.8
Jansen – 89.1 / 93.3
Blach – 89.5 / 90.1
Cueto – 90.5 / 91.3
Strickland – 95.4 / 95.7
Watson – 91.4 / 93.6
Gearrin – 90.9 / 91.7
Osich – 96.2 / 95.3
It’s early so I’d expect everyone to be down a little bit and guys also always have a natural variance – they don’t throw the same every time. But yeah, Jansen’s numbers are a big, huge red flag to me. I was going to grab him early in my draft and someone in my league still beat me to him.
I did, however, get a piece of Kershaw and yes, I’m a little concerned.
Pitchers. . . . .
Whose next in line, Fields?
Does anyone know which velocity readings should be trusted more …. pitch f/x or baseball info solutions? For Kershaw, his fastball is down 1.5mph per pitch f/x but on down only 0.2mph per baseball info solutions readings (‘pitch info’ tab on player page). That’s a very big difference.
Also I hope Rivero is secure in his role, but it seems weird to say that Rivero is, but Chapman is not.
Yes, but Rivero doesn’t have Dellin Betances and David Robertson breathing down his neck. He has Michael Feliz and George Kontos (and maybe Taylor Glasnow)
So, losing a 17 inning game stings, yes, but that final sentence to the Morrow blurb is a little overly dramatic, isn’t it?
Will we be getting the Closer/Setup/Next in line grid back this year? It’s really useful..
Pretty sure Kimbrel had a ‘dominant’ start to his season, not dominate. (Sorry, pet-peeve but I see it a lot…)