Should we kick the tires on Hector Neris?

[SteveA]

I don't usually start these "XXX got released by a team not as good as us, should we be interested?".

But given the state of our bullpen, would he be worth a look?

He does have what appears to be one of the major qualifications to be in the 2024 Elias Orioles Bullpen:   he spent many years in the Philly bullpen.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40929004/cubs-releasing-former-closer-hector-neris

[HowAboutThat]

As soon as I read that article on MLB trade rumors, I knew somebody would mention this possibility.

I’m saying no. After reading five glowing pages on Brandon Young, I would much rather give him a whirl.

At the moment we have at least two basically unusable guys in the bullpen. Adding a third would be unwise.

[dystopia]

I'd pick him up. He can't be worse than Soto.

[Dunk35]

Why would we not? He has an ERA under 4. Last year was under 2. He has more postseason innings than everyone in our pen not named Kimbrel or Dominguez. 

[LookitsPuck]

Pretty funny that Jorge Lopez has made Hector Neris expendable, whereas if the O's just picked up Jorge Lopez *FOR FREE*, we aren't having this conversation.

You have to ask yourself the following:

• Is Hector Neris better than any of the following:
  • Seranthony Dominguez - no
  • Craig Kimbrel - maybe
  • Yennier Cano - no
  • Cionel Perez - maybe
  • Colin Selby - yes
  • Burch Smith - no (situationally)
  • Gregory Soto - yes
  • Keegan Akin - no

I don't think there's a world in which Elias admits that Kimbrel is cooked and cuts him. Just not going to happen. So he's off the table.

That leaves Perez with 2 years left of control, so don't think he's going anywhere.

Gregory Soto who was just acquired by drastically overpaying for him and his extra year of service and his inability to get righties out with all of his control issues, but I don't think Elias admits defeat with Soto since he just overpaid for him *and* talked about his extra year of service. So he's not going anywhere, unfortunately.

So this really leaves Colin Selby. Selby has options, something Elias loves. Neris doesn't have options. 

Rosters expand soon, but you can only have 14 pitchers. So that's 1 extra arm. I could see a world where they option Selby, pickup Neris and then when rosters expand bring up Young and Selby and do funny things with the rotation to keep guys fresh.

To me I like Hector Neris more than a couple guys in the bullpen right now. The WHIP sucks, similar to Soto, he also stinks against righties, similar to Soto. But if we look at his last, let's call 20 game sample, Neris has only allowed earned runs in 5 of them. 2 of the 5 have been more than 1 run. 

So, maybe you don't anoint him the closer, but he's definitely better than some of the guys in the pen. Why not? Elias already missed on one bullpen arm that cost nothing, and instead we are calling up Selby and giving time to Kimbrel, Soto and putting guys like Perez in sticky situations more often than not. 

Edited August 20 by LookitsPuck

[LookitsPuck]

23 minutes ago, HowAboutThat said:

As soon as I read that article on MLB trade rumors, I knew somebody would mention this possibility.

I’m saying no. After reading five glowing pages on Brandon Young, I would much rather give him a whirl.

At the moment we have at least two basically unusable guys in the bullpen. Adding a third would be unwise.

I think the issue with Brandon Young is he's both unproven and has not operated as a reliever much at all this year. He's apparently made, what, 3 appearances as a reliever with 33 PA (which would be more like a middle/long reliever).

Personally, I'd like Young as an option in September when rosters expand, and I'd like Rogers optioned as Povich given the rotation spot. Young is intriguing, though. But there's a world in which you can have Young *and* Neris. 

[interloper]

26 minutes ago, Dunk35 said:

Why would we not? He has an ERA under 4. Last year was under 2. He has more postseason innings than everyone in our pen not named Kimbrel or Dominguez. 

If you look closer than just ERA, he's been terrible. 

[Dunk35]

13 minutes ago, interloper said:

If you look closer than just ERA, he's been terrible. 

And last year he was outstanding. Wouldnt hurt to see. He just needs to be better than Selby/Soto. 

[Allan Bryant]

33 minutes ago, LookitsPuck said:

Pretty funny that Jorge Lopez has made Hector Neris expendable, whereas if the O's just picked up Jorge Lopez *FOR FREE*, we aren't having this conversation.

You have to ask yourself the following:

• Is Hector Neris better than any of the following:
  • Seranthony Dominguez - no
  • Craig Kimbrel - maybe
  • Yennier Cano - no
  • Cionel Perez - maybe
  • Colin Selby - yes
  • Burch Smith - no (situationally)
  • Gregory Soto - yes
  • Keegan Akin - no

I don't think there's a world in which Elias admits that Kimbrel is cooked and cuts him. Just not going to happen. So he's off the table.

That leaves Perez with 2 years left of control, so don't think he's going anywhere.

Gregory Soto who was just acquired by drastically overpaying for him and his extra year of service and his inability to get righties out with all of his control issues, but I don't think Elias admits defeat with Soto since he just overpaid for him *and* talked about his extra year of service. So he's not going anywhere, unfortunately.

So this really leaves Colin Selby. Selby has options, something Elias loves. Neris doesn't have options. 

Rosters expand soon, but you can only have 14 pitchers. So that's 1 extra arm. I could see a world where they option Selby, pickup Neris and then when rosters expand bring up Young and Selby and do funny things with the rotation to keep guys fresh.

To me I like Hector Neris more than a couple guys in the bullpen right now. The WHIP sucks, similar to Soto, he also stinks against righties, similar to Soto. But if we look at his last, let's call 20 game sample, Neris has only allowed earned runs in 5 of them. 2 of the 5 have been more than 1 run. 

So, maybe you don't anoint him the closer, but he's definitely better than some of the guys in the pen. Why not? Elias already missed on one bullpen arm that cost nothing, and instead we are calling up Selby and giving time to Kimbrel, Soto and putting guys like Perez in sticky situations more often than not. 

What do we have to lose ?  The trade deadline is gone . Only way we can get help is call up pitcher from our farm OR pick up reclamation projects . 
Nice post btw 

[Aristotelian]

Lots not to like. K's down, walks up. Still, I think I'd rather have him than Smith and Selby, who both have options. I'm on the fence on this one. 

[LookitsPuck]

28 minutes ago, interloper said:

If you look closer than just ERA, he's been terrible. 

He has some qualities that the O’s like. A good vertical movement fastball with decent spin, a plus splitter and a decent sinker. That’s workable if you change his pitch mix. I do worry about the walks, but the O’s bullpen is full of those guys. 

He was excellent as recent as July after a rough June, but was also very good in April and May. Might have some juice left.

[LookitsPuck]

7 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Lots not to like. K's down, walks up. Still, I think I'd rather have him than Smith and Selby, who both have options. I'm on the fence on this one. 

K’s aren’t that down, tbh. A 9.4 SO/9 is only 0.7 off from last year. The walk rate is a concern.

That said, he’s a former Philly so I fully anticipate him being in an O’s uniform tomorrow.

[eddie83]

I would give him a look myself.

Beggars can’t be choosers. Guy has pitched in playoff games last two years. 

[eddie83]

Pehaps they can get him to agree to come up on Sept 1 so that way they don’t have to make a roster move for him. 
 

Edit. I guess technically needs to be on 40 man and up by Aug 31 

Edited August 20 by eddie83

[Aristotelian]

12 minutes ago, LookitsPuck said:

K’s aren’t that down, tbh. A 9.4 SO/9 is only 0.7 off from last year. The walk rate is a concern.

That said, he’s a former Philly so I fully anticipate him being in an O’s uniform tomorrow.

And Astro!