(It's never too soon:) Any problems with Buck's bullpen usage yesterday?

[Can_of_corn]

It happened tonight. Chen didn't get out of the 5th inning and Buck had to bring in his long reliever, Kevin Gausman. Other than one costly mistake, Gausman did his job well.Who would you have used rather than Gausman?

I would hope that anyone in the pen could hold a three run lead.

Using an appearence in which he gave up two runs, was overthrowing his fastball and shaking off his catcher might not be doing your argument any favors.

[MarylandAaron]

A few thoughts.

- Hunter is always bad early in the season. It was the same last year and then he started blowing people away after a month or so. His velocity is good, he'll be fine.

- I think it's clear that O'Day might be seeing the 7th inning a bit more this year and I think that Buck wants to use Brach in the 8th more, if he pitches well. His stuff plays as a setup guy, and O'Day seems like he's lost a little snap to his pitches recently.

- The two hits Brach allowed: a double that JUST snuck through the inside of 1B and a single that JUST snuck by Flaherty at SS. He suffered from that BABIP-itus last night, and his stuff looked good. Not too worried. I would have left him out there; didn't really see the point of bringing in Hunter, but no biggie.

Good post, I'm a big Brach guy myself. I'd be good with switching O'Day to more of a MR role and letting Brach/Hunter set up. I like using higher velocity guys in that setup spot, and as you said, O'Day seems not quite as sharp as he used to. Even though he got the job done, I think he gave up two deep flyballs that were almost HR's.

[DrungoHazewood]

No way Angelos fires Buck with that much money and years left on his contract.

Yea, but when you're this bad at handling a pen. I mean, I've been here 15+ years and I don't remember anyone complaining about bullpen usage before.

[DrungoHazewood]

I would hope that anyone in the pen could hold a three run lead.

In 2003 Mike Williams had a 6.14 ERA, more walks than strikeouts, was credited with one win and seven losses, was worth -0.6 fWAR, a WPA of almost -3, and yet had 28 saves and more shutdowns than meltdowns.

[eddie83]

Today is another example, in a normal situation Matusz isn't put in that spot, he needed to pitch.

[backwardsk]

I like that Garcia got his feet wet in a tie ballgame.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[24fps]

I wouldn't be surprised if Buck spent the entire month of April calibrating his trust level insofar as the bullpen is concerned.

[sportsfan8703]

Looks like seasons past where Buck has a different BP depending if we are winning or losing. Even if it's only by 1-2 runs. Hunter, Oday, Britton if we have a lead. Matusz, Garcia, Wright if we're losing. With Brach in between and using the Lefties to matchup.

[LookitsPuck]

I like that Garcia got his feet wet in a tie ballgame.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Weren't we losing 1-0 when he came in?

[backwardsk]

Weren't we losing 1-0 when he came in?

You are correct. I meant to write "tight ballgame."

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[webbrick2010]

Brings in O'day to pitch to Bautista who has owned O'day.

Bautista promptly hits his 4th career HR against O'day

That was a head scratcher.

[eddie83]

I did not get the O'Day move yesterday. Buck said O'Day needed to pitch. Ok but what would have happened had Brach got the 3rd out before Bautista gets up? If we are tied or trailing in the 9th he would pitch but if we had scored 2 in the 8th and had the lead I bet we see Britton. I almost thought Buck was trying making a more long term view of the season move, allowing O'Day to face Bautista knowing he will need to get him out during the season.

[Number5]

Managers make decisions that backfire. All of them. 100%. Buck fares very well overall. Better than most, from what I've seen. I have no problems with him being the one making in-game decisions.

[JayThomas]

Wow, how did this thread not get hit after the game????

How on earth did Buck not put in Matusz in the 7th to face the 3 left-hand hitters that the Yankees weren't going to pinch hit for? Brian was warming up.

It's early in the year for sure, but it's starting off looking a lot like 2013 when we couldn't trust Hunter or O'Day at all against lefties. Wow, Hunter just got smoked tonight.

I've never been a fan of either of these guys (but I will give them their due - they've both made me eat my words a lot). I don't trust either of them at all, and expecially not against a leftie. Buck has really got his hands tied with this bullpen.

[crissfan172]

Wow, how did this thread not get hit after the game????

How on earth did Buck not put in Matusz in the 7th to face the 3 left-hand hitters that the Yankees weren't going to pinch hit for? Brian was warming up.

It's early in the year for sure, but it's starting off looking a lot like 2013 when we couldn't trust Hunter or O'Day at all against lefties. Wow, Hunter just got smoked tonight.

I've never been a fan of either of these guys (but I will give them their due - they've both made me eat my words a lot). I don't trust either of them at all, and expecially not against a leftie. Buck has really got his hands tied with this bullpen.

I was baffled by the move. He wasn't ready when Jones PH, but I assumed he was up for Ellsbury and Gardner. It just made no sense not to use him.