2022 Bullpen Thread

[mvp 78]

Going into ST, I think most of us thought the pen would be:
Barnes
2 of Wacha, Hill, Whitlock or Houck
Brasier
Sawamura
Taylor
DHern
Strahm
Diekman

Clearly, it was a left heavy pen in a division without a lot of lefties. Due to the Sale injury, Wacha and Hill both made the rotation for now. Taylor is also injured and he was replaced by Davis another lefty. DHern again showed his limitations and was optioned to AAA. He was replaced by Valdez, who I had pegged as a DFA candidate. Tyler Danish is on the team for now, but will probably be dropped when the rosters shrink back to 26. Kutter Crawford was throwing straight fire and forced his way into the picture.

The current pen:
Barnes (closer)
Whitlock (high leverage/piggyback with Hill)
Crawford (multi inning)
Brasier
Diekman
Sawamura
Strahm
Davis
Valdez
Danish

Who is the set up man? Sawamura?

What do we expect out of Diekman/Strahm?

If Barnes falters, do we go to Whitlock or try someone new like Crawford?

This bullpen still has the mediocre 2021 feel to it. Can it be better than last year?

[Bellhorn04]

Robles is in the picture too, right?

[notin]

Robles is in the picture too, right?

I would think so, but it would require a DFA for someone.

Also is Ralph Garza on the radar?

One has to wonder why Danish and Garza were placed on the 40 man ahead of Robles. Could be a simple decision to add as many arms as possible. Or it could mean Robles isn’t expected to be ready…

[mvp 78]

Robles is in the picture too, right?

Should be. I don't know how long it'll take him to ramp up. His visa issues pushed back his ST debut until this week.

[mvp 78]

I would think so, but it would require a DFA for someone.

Also is Ralph Garza on the radar?

One has to wonder why Danish and Garza were placed on the 40 man ahead of Robles. Could be a simple decision to add as many arms as possible. Or it could mean Robles isn’t expected to be ready…

Robles was given a MiLB deal because of the visa issues. I think they are going to put him on the roster, they just don't know how soon he'll be ready.

Garza seems to be at the bottom of the power rankings.

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

This bullpen still has the mediocre 2021 feel to it. Can it be better than last year?

It has to be if the Sox want to be better. Forgotten in all the '21 postseason excitement is that the bullpen blew lead after lead, even in games that the Sox walked off; Robles more than once, Braiser, Sawamura, Darwinzon, even Houck and Whitlock -- forcing Cora to burn out Eovaldi in the turning point in Game 4 of the LCS. Yes, the offense totally stalled at the end vs. Houston, but the difference between the quality of the two clubs was the pen.

Diekman looks like a Robles type: high K-rate, high pitch count, high stress level for viewers, but more unhittable, with a .219 career BA-against. Robles, Barnes, Strahm are all in the .230s. I'm pinning my hopes on newcomer Kutter's mix that hitters will have to adjust to...

[Nick]

I don't think Diekman and Robles are similar type pitchers. Maybe they share similar stats. One is a power pitcher, the other a finesse.

[dgalehouse]

Not very impressive. Let us hope that the bullpen staff performs better than they look on paper.

[vegasbob]

I assume Danish is up for the proverbial cup of coffee?

[vegasbob]

Not very impressive. Let us hope that the bullpen staff performs better than they look on paper.

Of the 10 names 4 did not pitch for Boston last year, so you could think, aha--key strategic additions ! And you'd be wrong. Strahm, Diekman and Danish are true low leverage shots in the dark.. Maybe one gets lucky and breaks through ?

Of the rest Valdez and Sawamura had a few moments but overall were backenders. Brasier has done well and not so good, appears to be losing some velo. There is no way to explain Matt Barnes , closer by default with 92-93 velo. The best pitcher in the bunch, Taylor is down with a bad back which rarely gets better while pitching. Whitlock and Crawford better be ready for a heavy first half workload.

Overall, this has to rank as a poor effort by Chaim to support a potential contending club.

[mvp 78]

I assume Danish is up for the proverbial cup of coffee?

It could be a big gulp depending on how the other guys pitch.

[harmony]

FWIW FanGraphs ranks the Red Sox bullpen ninth in Major League Baseball:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2022-pos...llpen-no-1-15/

FanGraphs ranks the Seattle bullpen 19th despite the additions of Ken Giles, Andres Munoz and Sergio Romo to a bullpen that last year ranked fourth in reliever fWAR:

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.as...ate=2021-12-31

[moonslav59]

FWIW FanGraphs ranks the Red Sox bullpen ninth in Major League Baseball:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2022-pos...llpen-no-1-15/

FanGraphs ranks the Seattle bullpen 19th despite the additions of Ken Giles, Andres Munoz and Sergio Romo to a bullpen that last year ranked fourth in reliever fWAR:

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.as...ate=2021-12-31

WOW! #19. They must believe in Cora magic.

[Bellhorn04]

WOW! #19. They must believe in Cora magic.

I had to chuckle at how short the Rockies' bar is on that graph.

[moonslav59]

I had to chuckle at how short the Rockies' bar is on that graph.

I remember a few years back they signed like 3-4 pretty good RP'ers, and I think they all failed.

They probably gave up.