We can't ignore Riske's pathetic play either

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

If we are going to pile on Gagne, we might as well pile on Riske. The guy has been flat out horrible this year. He has a 1.701 WHIP with a 5.31 ERA. I know it's only 42 innings, but COME ON! If you want to get into periphials, then look at his 27 K's in 42 innings. That is what you call pathetic. How much did we pay this guy? If I recall correctly, we are stuck with him for one more year.

[pitchleague]

nope, two more years.

 

I agree that he has been less than advertised, especially for the last few weeks.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Two more years of that stiff. He has been flat out awful and he is getting worse it seems with each outing. How is it possible that Dillard and even Stetter cant get a legit shot of pitching meaningful innings and Riske and Gagne get opportunity after opportunity to blow games.

[dlk9s]

Considering we have a "Bullpen, Melvin's Biggest Failure" thread, many people do know Riske has not been good.

 

I'm wondering if he's still having some lingering arm issues. His numbers, while not earth shattering by any means, were serviceable before his stint on the DL, but have been terrible since. He was a good pitcher in the AL.

[Gobias Industries]

Yeah, this drop off doesn't make sense if he's healthy.

 

What I want to know is what kind of pitches does this guy throw? It seems like he's been a one-pitch guy this year (87 mph fastball).

[Brewtacular]

" It seems like he's been a one-pitch guy this year (87 mph fastball)."

 

I believe it's called a meatball.

[SeriesFinale]

I've been more disappointed with Riske than any other off-season signing...I had more than an inkling that Gagne would be a disaster. Riske I expected to be more reliable if unspectacular.

[pretendastronaut]

I'm also the camp that is curious if he has lingering issues from his earlier elbow problems this year. He performed fairly well before that point, but he's just all over the place now.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

He supposedly throws a split fingered fastball along with his meatball fastball, but it sure doesn't seem effective. I remember reading in the Journal Sentinal about the reason we signed this guy was because he "throws strikes". Well he throws strikes alright. It's called batting practice.

[Ennder]

I think this is the injury at play myself. His BB rate is way up over his norms. I also think he was doomed for regression to the mean since his peripherals didn't match his ERA last year.

 

Before the injury he had 21 IP, 8 BB, 14 K, .711 OPS against. Yeah he had a 4.71 ERA but over 21 IP that is going to be very erratic, those are pretty good basic stats for a RP.

 

After the injury he has 21.1 IP, 17 BB, 13 K, .981 OPS againstf or a 5.91 ERA. He has been a complete wreck since the injury

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

He has been a complete wreck since the injury

Then why is he still pitching in high leverage situations? Grrr.

[Ennder]

He has been a complete wreck since the injury

Then why is he still pitching in high leverage situations? Grrr.

I dunno, why does Sabathia throw 130 pitches with an 8 run lead but only 105 with a 1 run lead. Why is Hall still our 3B against righties when he is hitting like .170 against them and is a mediocre fielder at best. I've given up on trying to understand Yost.

 

The bullpen should probably be Torres, Villanueva/Shouse, Mota/Stetter, whatever disaster is left right now. The fact he keep sending Riske/Gagne out there ahead of those guys baffles me. (not that I am a big Mota fan, but I think he is better than the rest of the junk we have).

[giffted1]

Then why is he still pitching in high leverage situations? Grrr.

Lack of better options.

 

I loved the Riske signing but also have been very disappointed with him so far. I still hold out hope that he can turn it around. Heck, next year Riske could be our stopper and Torres could be the one throwing in-game bp. Relievers are funny like that.

[naivin]

Riske provides as much evidence as any as to why Gagne continues to be used. Mota has been better of late, but lets not forget that BF.net had him DFA'd a couple times already this year. Shouse can't regularly pitch against RHers. That leaves an awful lot of outs for Torres and Villanueva to get. Perhaps guys like Stetter and DeFelice can help, but somebody has to get the outs, and right now the options aren't all that great. This is not a Yost issue, its a Melvin issue.

[Klements Bratwurst]

As Naivin said, there are alot of outs to get amongst a bunch of sub par relievers. I think though that the guy that will get those outs is Yovanni Gallardo.

 

I think as we have read on the Gallardo thread, that he is really getting close with his pitch count (50-60 pitches in simulated games) and hopefully also his leg strength so that he can come in and get 3-4 outs in high leverage situations 3-4 times per week, and hopefully in the playoffs. It is still only September 8th, he has time to prove he is strong enough to get back to help the big club down the most important stretch of the season. I honestly believe that Melvin is being coy about this (with his long shot at best comments about Gallardo), but considering that he has all of his chips on the table, I think the Gallardo chip has to be played, if he is ready.

 

Other than that, I vote that Riske and Gagne pitch in those 8-3 games and hope we are winning those and that they are more frequent in occurrence that the tight 2-1 games where these two have been giving up gopher balls with regularity.

[TooLiveBrew]

This is not a Yost issue, its a Melvin issue.

 

Imo it becomes a Yost issue when, with Dillard & DeFelice presented as alternative choices to Riske/Gagne/et al, the high-leverage work continues to go to David & Eric.

[Ennder]

I have absolutely no problem with the Riske signing just to make that clear from my post. He has been bad since the injury but to me that isn't anyones fault, guys get hurt and sometimes they dont' come back sharp. His stats were just fine before he got hurt so for my money it is obviously related to the injury. But at this point Yost has to realize he is not a good option and rearrange the bullpen accordingly.

[endaround]

Melvin also handed Yost the hardest working starting rotation so no there aren't that many outs to get. Fact is the first reliever often is Gagne in the 8th. Its a deliberate choice. Villaneuva should have been moved out of middle relief a while ago, now with loads of pitchers, there is just no excuse.

[RockCoCougars]

Riske's performance this year makes me long for Scott Linebrink back as the set-up man. Never thought that I'd say that...

 

If Torres doesn't come from nowhere to stabilize the closer role, this team would have been in deep, deep doo doo. Good thing that he didn't retire.

[jeffh]

Brewers.com says Riske may fighting a sore arm.

[biedergb]

Brewers.com says Riske may fighting a sore arm.

 

I think the sore arm is winning.

[Baldkin]

Didn't see this posted... but apparently he's had a bone spur in his right elbow....

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=792933