The 2023 Bullpen Thread

[RZNJ]

The Mike Baumann I saw tonight could be a good setup man.  He’s had some good outings but tonight he actually had a really good curveball to go along with the 95-96 mph fastball.   Crossed fingers.

One appearance means little but I know that Cano has the stuff.  Crossed fingers on both of these guys.

[Frobby]

3.72 ERA for the bullpen so far.  We’ve only lost two games where we ever had the lead, and one of those was a game where we lost the lead in the 4th inning. The other was the Boston game where McKenna dropped what should have been the game-clinching out.  So, while I can’t say the pen has been lights-out, they haven’t been costing us wins.  

[Just Regular]

Watching roster fodder yield 3 hits on 7 pitches to finalize a loss the defense helped bleed away mostly made me mad DL Hall wasn't on the roster today.     I'll put the cliche of Kyle Gibson getting rocked by a mediocre slugger on Batter Faced 24 partly on Hyde's need to cultivate length.

DL Hall might have had a day he couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat but I believe in a zillion iterations he would have more often helped the team today.

[sportsfan8703]

Perez is officially on the struggle bus. Hyde is riding him hard too. Gilaspie has some grit but he’s nothing more than an up/down guy. Baker’s command really can’t be trusted. 
 

If Hall could just come up and throw upper 90s with one breaking pitch he’d be exactly what we need. But you know… command. 

[RZNJ]

I don’t want to go overboard on Cano just yet but I really like what I saw the last two games.  I also loved Baumann’s knuckle curve on Friday.  I believe both could be key components of the bullpen.  If and when Givens and Tate come back, we could have a very deep and RH leaning bullpen.  
 

Bautista

Baker

Tate

Coulombe

Cano

Baumann

Perez

Givens

Voth/Akins

 

[eddie83]

I’m actually feeling pretty good about the pen right now. Felix looks good. Baker I know allowed tying run yesterday but overall looks solid. Columbe has been real good. Baumann throwing well and Cano for a couple of games. 
 

I think there is a good chance Cano stays up and Gillaspie goes down. The guy we need to get going is Perez. Some regression was to be expected but he looks off right now. I know some of the arms I mentioned lack any track record but I think we are starting to settle in some. The off days will help as well this week. 

[Dunk35]

If Mike Baumann can be something out of the pen, and this year has been a great start, that would really make me feel better about the arm barn. If we can get Tate and Givens pitching to norms and they replace Gillaspie and Voth, would look promising. 

[AnythingO's]

I feel like Baumann has found his way back from his injury finally and is reborn in the BP. Of the 10 guys @RZNY named above, Voth gets sent down to AAA to start and Givens gets traded at All Star break. If Coulombe cracks I want Hall up here as a RP. Obviously, that depends on his SP performance tween now and then.

[rm5678]

I was happy to see Voth finally get a scoreless (and homerless) inning today. 

[Billy F-Face3]

Who is our backup closer/stopper if Bautista is unavailable? We've been needing to use Bautista way way way too much this early in the season, so I think it's important we have our ducks in a row with 2 backup closers. Will Mychal Givens be able to fill that role when he comes of the IL, and when does he come off the IL?

The only one I see in the pen right now that I think can close games if Bautista is unavailable while Tate and Givens are on IL, is probably Baker. (So long as he doesn't throw cutters directly after throwing his fast ball.)

[AnythingO's]

Did we not have the same worries, lack of confidence, etc., about Bautista before trading Lopez, that we are having right now about Cano??? What if Cano becomes little Mountain?????

[Spy Fox]

6 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Who is our backup closer/stopper if Bautista is unavailable? We've been needing to use Bautista way way way too much this early in the season, so I think it's important we have our ducks in a row with 2 backup closers. Will Mychal Givens be able to fill that role when he comes of the IL, and when does he come off the IL?

The only one I see in the pen right now that I think can close games if Bautista is unavailable while Tate and Givens are on IL, is probably Baker. (So long as he doesn't throw cutters directly after throwing his fast ball.)

I don't think Bautista's usage is too far out of line with other relievers. Today was his 8th game, and there were 31 relievers around the league who had 8+ appearances before today. And before today's outing Bautista was tied for 91st in MLB in RP innings. 

But I agree with you that Baker is the backup closer for now. 

[Just Regular]

I think Baker's the backup guy even when Givens and Tate get back to the mix.

Tyler Wells if they really shorten him up I could see getting to near the top of the mountain range.

From today's 13, before the trade deadline if the Org's best Arms are playable we should see at least:

-Bradish for Watkins

-Irvin for Voth

-Hall for Gillaspie

-Means for...Kremer?

I think there's a fair chance Hall or Bradish is the A guy in July's biggest deal if we get a big improvement somewhere.

 

[interloper]

Any word on Givens? Feel like this is dragging a little.

[sportsfan8703]

11 hours ago, interloper said:

Any word on Givens? Feel like this is dragging a little.

Check the Givens thread I just posted in.  Rotowire has projected returns,

Givens 4/21 (probably a handful of days too early)

Tate 5/19

Means 7/14