Rays will start relievers in all three O’s games this weekend

[OFFNY]

o

 

The Rays' pitching rotation for the weekend series against the Orioles could have a familiar look ........ Romo, Romo, Romo.

Manager Kevin Cash said that using veteran right-handed reliever Sergio Romo as the "opener" in all three upcoming games against the righty-heavy Orioles was a possibility, as the Rays sort out their plans after Tuesday's injury to RHP Jake Faria, who could be out until August.

 

 

Could Sergio Romo Be Looking at Pitching 3 Straight Games?

(By Marc Topkin)

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/2018/05/24/rays-journal-could-sergio-romo-be-looking-at-pitching-3-straight-games/

 

o

[allquixotic]

I really like this idea. Hats off to the Rays for trying it at least!

• It's cool because it's a change of pace -- something different and radical. Now, whether it ends up being as common as the shift, or just something that teams do when they have a certain composition, is yet to be seen. Or maybe it won't gain any traction at all beyond a few games with the Rays.
• It shows a willingness by the Rays organization to actually change things when their season isn't going so well. Sometimes change for change's sake backfires, but once in a while, change is what your team needs to win.
• If this turns out to be an awesome tactic, maybe the Rays can bump either the Yankees or the Red Sox out of the first wildcard spot (At this time it appears that the second place team in the AL East will take the first AL wildcard). That would be good for baseball - I'm sick of the Yankees and Red Sox winning. It's boring.
• Maybe it'll inspire other teams (cough cough, AL East teams that wear orange and black, for instance) to also try different things.....

[rudyrooster]

Considering their annual payroll, the Ray's are a well run organization. The Warehouse should take notice.

[sportsfan8703]

We should do this with Britton when he comes back. How many save opportunities will he get before the deadline?

Kudos to the rays for trying this. At least it’s something different. 

I hope they blank us all three 1st innings and maybe it will make Buck think.  Remember the Rays were the first to shift. Then Buck jumped on that bandwagon. 

A team has to be in the right situation to try this. Nothing to lose. Have a bet reliever, who is not making big bucks, and isn’t scared. That’s Romo. Our equivalent would be O’day he he is under contract next year for $10ish million. 

[weams]

7 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I believe it, but our lineup is crap no matter what.

Not if they would start taking EPO.

[Enjoy Terror]

Do teams do this in the minors? I see it mostly on rehab assignments and piggybacked starters; I’d have at least thought they’d experiment on the farm with this before moving it to production.

[SteveA]

8 hours ago, ChipTait said:

I'm pretty sure that Johnny Oates used "starter-by-committee" a few times as well.  Long before the "Norfolk Shuttle" existed.

That's been done many times.  But deliberately starting a reliever who will definitely only go 1 or 1.2 innings is pretty much a totally new thing the Ray's are doing.

[allquixotic]

If we put a reliever in for the first inning, would Tillman pitch any better from inning 2 onward? He always seemed to me to be a guy who needs more time to warm up, since his first inning is always terrible, but if he makes it to the second inning, he settles down big time. You only get so much time to warm up, because of the way they organize the games. So maybe if he was able to spend the first inning still warming up, and pitching like he would pitch the first inning, he could start in the second inning after he's worked out his issues and be effective?

I guess we might never know the answer when it comes to Tillman, but Cobb is kind of the new Tillman (or the new Ubaldo) so maybe we'll try it with him.

Or maybe Cobb will finally get into midseason form in mid to late August and we won't need to worry about him anyway. He got a ridiculously, almost criminally late start on the season for some dumb reason, so as far as his arm is concerned the date is probably about April 3rd. By the time he's as ready to go as Gausman/Bundy are now, we'll be winding down the season.

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

That's been done many times.  But deliberately starting a reliever who will definitely only go 1 or 1.2 innings is pretty much a totally new thing the Ray's are doing.

It is a new thing in practice but the theory has been around for a few years now.

[Just Regular]

The Statcast podcast guys recollected the Pirates did this in Game 6 of the 1990 NLCS:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN199010120.shtml

Ted Power was a middle reliever who got the job in an elimination game.  Browsing the series boxes, it may have been more desperation than strategy - Drabek and Walk had each gone twice in the first 5 games, and the Reds had hit Zane Smith pretty hard in Game 3.

[blid]

They think they're so smart, but this will backfire when Buck bats Chris Davis leadoff.

[SteveA]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

It is a new thing in practice but the theory has been around for a few years now.

The same thing you can say the day they perfect the hyperspace warp drive.

[Tx Oriole]

13 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Because with so much money on the line, buttholes clench up and people are afraid to try new things.  It's the same reason NFL coaches rarely go for it on 4th down.  Job security.  

IIRC, the Orioles did this once in 1989.  Bullpen committee night.  Didn't use a starter, just let the bullpen throw the whole game.  

EDIT:  Yes, August 9th, 1989.  Mark Thurmond started.  Didn't go too well, they lost to the Twins 7-0.  https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL198908090.shtml

 

 

Uncleanch those butts.

[TGO]

1 hour ago, blid said:

They think they're so smart, but this will backfire when Buck bats Chris Davis leadoff.

Followed by Jace Peterson (.538 OPS) and Chance Sisco (.684 OPS). Too bad Rasmus isn't available. 

[Tx Oriole]

10 hours ago, allquixotic said:

I really like this idea. Hats off to the Rays for trying it at least!

• It's cool because it's a change of pace -- something different and radical. Now, whether it ends up being as common as the shift, or just something that teams do when they have a certain composition, is yet to be seen. Or maybe it won't gain any traction at all beyond a few games with the Rays.
• It shows a willingness by the Rays organization to actually change things when their season isn't going so well. Sometimes change for change's sake backfires, but once in a while, change is what your team needs to win.
• If this turns out to be an awesome tactic, maybe the Rays can bump either the Yankees or the Red Sox out of the first wildcard spot (At this time it appears that the second place team in the AL East will take the first AL wildcard). That would be good for baseball - I'm sick of the Yankees and Red Sox winning. It's boring.
• Maybe it'll inspire other teams (cough cough, AL East teams that wear orange and black, for instance) to also try different things.....

I'd love for the O's to try something different. Who really cares if it doesn't work out? This season has has been toasted and buttered. I'd love for Davis to sit out three or four times a week. Mancini to 1st. Bring in some young guys. To me the season is over. I think it be more fun to watch younger players instead of the washed up veterans like Davis.