Fangraphs: Building a bullpen

[weams]

The "least risky" way to build a bullpen is internally. Ideally, you develop your own guys and ease them in, in a less stressful role, then put them into the fire. You augment by adding a player here or there? via free agency or trade to round out your relief staff.

...

"If you draft somebody, or sign somebody internationally, and he comes up through the system and you're counting on him to take over somebody's role, and it?s cost-efficient for the organization, and he gets injured, or for some reason doesn-t perform to expectations, that puts a whole monkey wrench in your organization. It creates a hole and you have to go out and get somebody else."

All too often, "somebody else" has ended up being a failed fireman.

...

"There is more than one way to put a bullpen together, and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't."

Sometimes, your best is not good enough.