Buck's Questionable Use Of The Pen

[Redskins Rick]

It seems Buck is only willing to pitch TJ when we are behind by more than 2 runs. Any time we are ahead it has to be K-Rod or Tommy. The "problem" is we have been getting leads and playing a lot of close games. I think TJ has done well enough to be used in situations like Sunday. If you exclude the Detroit game when he was brought cold (following Hammel's ejection), his ERA is 3.56. Very respectable for your long man.

I understand wanting to work K-Rod into high leverage situations but he is really pitching below his pay grade if he is limited to mop-up. Let TJ take those innings, and use K-Rod to take some pressure off of Tommy and O'Day. You have to wonder if Buck didn't like the K-Rod trade and is doing some kind of passive aggressive push-back to the front office the way he is using him.

Wait, I thought somebody already explained, that TJ's role was long man in the pen??????????????

[LAOSfan]

Haven't you heard? Every time an Oriole pitcher allows a run, it's Buck's fault!

Yep, Buck gets blamed for leaving starters in too long, but then gets blamed for using certain guys too much in the pen. Not sure how you can have it both ways. Also, not sure anyone has brought it up, but playing close games in NL parks, which we have done, will generally require the use of more relievers because we are constantly pinch hitting for the pitcher (as early as the 5th or 6th inning) and moving the lineup around.

[bpilktree]

To echo what others have said, I don't understand why McFarland is never used. On Sunday, when the O's went ahead by 5 runs in the 8th, I assumed McFarland would pitch the final 2 innings. But Buck went to O'Day for a second consecutive day. Then the O's were ahead by 8 runs in the 9th. Surely that would be a perfect time to bring in McFarland for one inning of work. Nope...K-Rod, for a second straight day.

I understand that McFarland is a rookie and that Buck wants to protect him, but if you're not willing to let him pitch with a 5-run lead or even an 8-run lead, then what's the point? You can't just keep having him rot in the bullpen because you're afraid the starting pitcher might have an early exit the next day. You're essentially restricting yourself to a 6-man bullpen, several of whom have shown clear signs of ineffectiveness when they pitch for 2-3 consecutive days.

It makes me wonder whether McFarland might have an injury that has gone unreported.

As i said TJ is the long man and that is what he is not a mop up guy for two innings at the end of the game. Buck likes to keep him for that reason. Lets say he finishes the 8-9 last night. Then Feldman goes 3 innings on Monday you have to piece guys in an inning at a time and burn the entire pen. You would need Patton for the 4th and 5th Matusz for the 6th. Krod for the 7th, Oday for tje 8th and Johnson for the 9th if we come back.

I do believe if Chen was the scheduled starter on Monday their may have been a bit more of a chance with Buck going to Tj because he has more confidence in him going well. However with Feldman going and the way he has pitched Buck can't have much confidence in him to give you 6 and could easily give you just 3 the way he is pitching.

[bpilktree]

Yep, Buck gets blamed for leaving starters in too long, but then gets blamed for using certain guys too much in the pen. Not sure how you can have it both ways. Also, not sure anyone has brought it up, but playing close games in NL parks, which we have done, will generally require the use of more relievers because we are constantly pinch hitting for the pitcher (as early as the 5th or 6th inning) and moving the lineup around.

Yeah i mentioned that in one of the threads the big part that stands out to me was having to take Norris out in the 6th for a pinch hitter and in the American league he could have got that extra inning in saved one of the men in Sunday's game.

[Malike]

When you need to ask your pen to get 22 outs in 2 days, in close games, you are bound to get burned.

[webbrick2010]

I think K-Rod is the only guy who will be a free agent in 2014. I expect to see most of these guys back. They have not been as dominant as last year, but they are still above average.

Unfortunately everybody chose the same day to melt down last night, wasting a decent start by Feldman. Unfortunately he could not get a few more outs and put pressure on the BP.

That said, I agree with the OP. If Buck goes to TJ on Sunday, then he can go to K-rod today, and that may have been the difference on Monday. Very disappointing loss, but no need to panic. That's what separates us from Yankee fans

I'm looking forward to Matusz being traded/released. I can't stand the constant reminder of a wasted #4 overall draft pick.

[Tony-OH]

Put your players in best position to succeed. Why pitch KRod last night? If you don't pitch KRod last night, you don't have to pitch Hunter in back to back games/days.

I was not a fan of Buck using K-rod in the blow out either. I felt like if he only wanted to use O'day for one inning, he could have used McFarland to mop up the game. Instead, K-Rod was unavailable last night and he would have been a better choice in the 9th against Eaton than O'day. I like O'day, but lefties are hitting .324/.380/.563/.943 off him this year. He can't be the 8th inning guy against tough lefties in one run or tie games late in games with K-Rod on the team IMHO.

[LookitsPuck]

Even after sleeping on this, I have to question Buck here. If you're going to use KRod last night, you then (SHOULD) prohibit yourself from using O'Day or KRod 3 days in a row. Especially since O'Day has not done it at all this year. And apparently in the past Buck has said routinely that guys are/aren't available in the bullpen. This would be one of those situations.

So, Feldman comes out of the game after 5 1/3 IP. Wouldn't this be the perfect spot for the long man? He hasn't pitched since August 3rd.

Using KRod in mop up the day after he already pitched is poor bullpen management. Not using McFarland last night (if he's not hurt) is poor bullpen management since O'Day, KRod, and honestly Tommy Hunter shouldn't have been available today. McFarland is the perfect choice last night to eat some innings..especially if Buck likes to use a long man to give a different look to hitters. What gives, Buck?

[Aristotelian]

Wait, I thought somebody already explained, that TJ's role was long man in the pen??????????????

What I am saying is that Buck needs to have some flexibility. We have gone through a long stretch where a long man, strictly defined, hasn't been needed. If TJ is limited to one specific role, and that situation doesn't arise, then stress is going to be placed on the other guys. You saw the results yesterday.

[LookitsPuck]

I was not a fan of Buck using K-rod in the blow out either. I felt like if he only wanted to use O'day for one inning, he could have used McFarland to mop up the game. Instead, K-Rod was unavailable last night and he would have been a better choice in the 9th against Eaton than O'day. I like O'day, but lefties are hitting .324/.380/.563/.943 off him this year. He can't be the 8th inning guy against tough lefties in one run or tie games late in games with K-Rod on the team IMHO.

Agreed. At some point you have to play the matchups and if you're not..use your damn long man. Statistically speaking the Diamondbacks as a whole hit lefties just as well as righties. So if Feldman is only going to go 5 or 5 1/3, you put in your long man. Especially to rest a BP that has just been used back to back days in O'Day, KRod...and then again in Hunter.

[Tony-OH]

To echo what others have said, I don't understand why McFarland is never used. On Sunday, when the O's went ahead by 5 runs in the 8th, I assumed McFarland would pitch the final 2 innings. But Buck went to O'Day for a second consecutive day. Then the O's were ahead by 8 runs in the 9th. Surely that would be a perfect time to bring in McFarland for one inning of work. Nope...K-Rod, for a second straight day.

I understand that McFarland is a rookie and that Buck wants to protect him, but if you're not willing to let him pitch with a 5-run lead or even an 8-run lead, then what's the point? You can't just keep having him rot in the bullpen because you're afraid the starting pitcher might have an early exit the next day. You're essentially restricting yourself to a 6-man bullpen, several of whom have shown clear signs of ineffectiveness when they pitch for 2-3 consecutive days.

It makes me wonder whether McFarland might have an injury that has gone unreported.

This is right one. At this point though, I've conceded that Buck/Adair do not have a great feel for their bullpen management when it comes to knowing who is fresh and who needs rest. I don't think they put much stock in the stats for consecutive days pitched and they rely on a strict adherence to "roles." The adherence to roles can be good at times since it allows pitchers to generally know when they will be expected to pitch, but at the same time, a little flexibility to the situation and particular match up needs to be taken into consideration more.

It appears they have decided that K-rod is 3rd in line behind O'Day and Hunter in those tough 8th innings or late inning match ups. The problem is that O'day is struggling against lefties this year and Hunter has pitched to a 6.75 ERA since July12th and batters are hitting .346/ .370/.404/.774 off him over that span. Dan Duquette gave a up a top ten prospect for K-rod but he has been relegated to mop up work for the most part which tells me there is a bit of a disconnect between Buck and Dan on this topic.

[Guest rochester]

Gee, for a minute there I thought this was the same thread that began with Buck's questionable use of the bullpen, included someone saying that Hunter and/or O'Day would be better closers than JJ, and all that sort of lemmings stuff. This may sound like a Buck apologist post but when I see him bypassing a KR, etc. I also wonder if there may be other issues like the player telling Buck he is not able to pitch that night due to sniffles, or something else as serious. Yes, in hindsight it is perplexing and may very well be a chink in the armor but it would be interesting to know the exact reason(s).

Either way, what makes OH great is the differing views, reactionary or not; my fault for opening this thread - I think it may be like that toothache you keep sticking your tongue in...

[bpilktree]

If Hunter and even Matusz does his job then O'Day may not have come in. They had three guys possible in Matusz, Hunter and Patton to get 6 outs and they were unable to do it. They get it down and hand the ball to Johnson then none of this happens. Buck was hoping to get O'day to give him an inning and then he would have used TJ in teh 10th. The manager should use teh guy he is most comfortale in first and then work your way down the chain with keeping Johnson til the end.

[Say O!]

This is a by-product of Buck creating a bullpen of 1-inning relievers.

Without starters who pitch into 7-8th innings, you wind up using 3-4 relievers a game. If you try to avoid pitching on back to back days, then it's basically an every other game scenario for the bullpen.

What happened to middle-relievers who could go more than 1-inning?

Patton used to be that guy, but Buck has curtailed that practice. Last year at this date, Patton had pitched more than 1-inning in 17 appearances which was roughly 40% of his appearance load. This year, Patton has not gone 2 innings since June 17th.

[Malike]

This is a by-product of Buck creating a bullpen of 1-inning relievers.

Without starters who pitch into 7-8th innings, you wind up using 3-4 relievers a game. If you try to avoid pitching on back to back days, then it's basically an every other game scenario for the bullpen.

What happened to middle-relievers who could go more than 1-inning?

Patton used to be that guy, but Buck has curtailed that practice. Last year at this date, Patton had pitched more than 1-inning in 17 appearances which was roughly 40% of his appearance load. This year, Patton has not gone 2 innings since June 17th.

Seems he tried to make Hunter that guy and Hunter kept getting burned.