Bullpen's bad...but also mismanaged

by mickey07 on Aug 3, 2007 10:50 AM EDT

We've all scratched our heads wondering sometimes who is making the bullpen/relief pitcher decisions. In yesterday's slugfest, I wore a new baldspot trying to figure it out...

How long can we leave Roger in when he clearly did not have it. Even after Cano's boot, Sox were hitting Roger hard and he continued to give up runs. If Joe thought Roger could get the final out of the inning, would he have brought him out for the third or let Karstens start the 3rd?
Myers in with 2 out, down 8-0. Walk. Joe out again to pull Myers. Is there no faith that Myers can get a RH batter out? You're down 8 runs at that point, leave him in to get the last out.
Bring in Kartens who gets the final out. Now we all know Karstens was on the DL for three months and making his first appearance. So what do they do? Hang him out to dry, giving up 5 hits and 3 runs over 3 1/3. I dont count the rehab starts, He is not ready to go longer than one or two innings.
Villone gives us 2 solid innings, one hit. Do we let him continue? No.
Farce-worth-less. Need say no more. Gives up two HRs, one on a 1-2 count.

We cannot make our bullpen moves fast enough...I know we're all looking forward to whoever that might be this weekend, but besides the pure talent, we need to have someone who can manage it, and it ain't Joe or Gator. Girardi can.

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Honestly

I think you're flawed on all aspects here.

River Ave. Blues
Yanks and prospects

by PinstripePowerhouse on Aug 3, 2007 11:23 AM EDT reply actions

i agree..

...with the point about farnsworth being worthLESS. I disagree with the other four points. Interesting that you bring up Myers though.. it seems as though the lefty specialist is failing a bit too often in situations where we need a big out with a lefty at the plate. Yesterday.. it didn't really matter.. but when its Ortiz in a big spot against Boston.. we're going to need him to deliver.

by BobbyNYC on Aug 3, 2007 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

I'll now elaborate

Sorry, I hate to cut and run like I did with the first comment, but I had work to do.

My gripe is when Torre doesn't give his starters enough time. Yeah, the White Sox were hitting the ball well, but they weren't sending any over the fence. The hardest hit ball that inning was Jermaine Dye's first hit, and it was only a double because Melky took a horrible route to it. You gotta leave him in there and try to save the bullpen.
Why use a lefty specialist at all in the second inning of an 8-run game? Karstens should have been in right there.
How can you not count the rehab starts? It's not like he's pitching imaginary innings. He was consistently throwing 5-6 innings. He was fine to go three, easy. If you want to blame anything, blame the rust. Don't blame his endurance. The Yanks wouldn't have called him up if he wasn't ready to be the long man.
Pulling Villone after two was the obvious move. When Ronnie is out there, it's only a matter of time before he gives up some runs. If he's unscathed through two, you get out while you're ahead.
Okay, there is no disagreeing with this one.

River Ave. Blues
Yanks and prospects

by PinstripePowerhouse on Aug 3, 2007 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

agreed

i thought myers was just gonna eat a couple innings when he came in, so when torre pulled him right away- i had to scratch my head.

nothing like confidence in your ball club's offense, but bringing in a lefty specialist to keep the score at 8-0 is a little strange. kartsens should have just been in there, or just leave rocket out there to clean up the mess.

if mattingly is the skip next year, i hope he is not paying attention to torre's bullpen management skills.. or lack thereof.

Well, baseball was my whole life. Nothing's ever been as fun as baseball. -Mickey Mantle

by NumberSeven on Aug 3, 2007 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe..

..Torre just really wanted that third out and thought Myers was the guy to do it. The idea of using Myers to get the big third out maybe reflects his optimism that the team could come back if the score didn't get any further out of reach. When Myers failed.. the need for the third out didn't necessarily diminish.. but Torre was less optimistic that the lefty specialist was the guy to finish the job.

by BobbyNYC on Aug 3, 2007 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

but again..

..that's just a guess. It did seem kind of weird at the time.

by BobbyNYC on Aug 3, 2007 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

and myers

has been less than automatic this year.

Well, baseball was my whole life. Nothing's ever been as fun as baseball. -Mickey Mantle

by NumberSeven on Aug 3, 2007 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions

River Ave Blues...

We're not too far apart actually...
1.Two doubles or One over the fence equals one run. Which is worse for your pitcher...we could discuss this over a keg sometime.

Agreed. I just hate the one batter ultra specialist thing, while position players are asked to show all tools. Joe did it again last nite against KC, and Myers saw one batter, got the K, then outta there.
I don't like rehab starts because even good AA teams are not the Sox.
You can't have it both ways...first you say Joe pulls them too quick, now you say Villone was gassed after two innings, giving up only one hit.

When asked what he thought of Canseco being the first to do 40/40, Mickey Mantle replied "Hell if I knew that y'all would make such a fuss, I'd 'a done it!"

by mickey07 on Aug 4, 2007 9:33 AM EDT reply actions