Balfour DFA'd (ok, kidding before someone gets excited)

[MoneyballMan]

I would hate to give up on this guy so quickly. I have been really hoping that he could step in as our closer next season. I still think he has that potential, let him get his feet wet for a few more times and we will see the real Grant soon.

 

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. While maybe I'm overreacting with releasing the guy (I tend to not think I am), I just don't see closer potential at all in him. Maybe you're using sarcasm (like I do) and I'm just not recognizing it as such!!

 

Best scenario is probably that he needs to spend a full year at AAA (for us or someone else) to prove he's healthy and then try to win a middle relief job in spring training.

[And That]

Balfour has a very live arm, with a decent fastball/slider combo. It seems to be all about control problems with him. Right now I think the Brewers will hold onto him, though that could change if they add an arm before August 1st. I don't see closer potential in the guy, but I do see a decent reliever.

[danzig6767]

On one hand, fans make comments like that all the time, where players should be expected to handle whatever situations are thrown their way. On the other, players are constantly analyzed about what roles they can handle or not (closer mentality, clutch player, etc...). While I tend to side with the "they can handle the stress" philosophy, it can't really be both, can it?

 

Earlier in the thread i said it's probably a case of Balfour either being to amped up or nervous and that's why he's struggling with command.After a nightmare first outing after so long rehabbing,you can just imagine him starting to press after that leadoff walk tonight.Throwing a pitch with command isn't easy,get a guy talking to himself and thinking instead of simply pitching and that's what i'm guessing is happening with Balfour.He has to be thinking to himself,don't blow this don't blow this.Ned though is trying to win games and i don't have a problem with him going out there and telling Balfour to stop nibbling and throw strikes.

 

 

The guy hasn't been in the majors since 2004, when he apparently blew out his shoulder and elbow. I guess I'm willing to give him a bit more slack than 3 innings, provided Melvin can't get someone clearly better.

 

I'd maybe give him one more chance,but a playoff berth could end up being decided by a game or two.If the guy can't calm down enough to pitch to his stuff,we can't keep trotting him out there because he did well in the minors.If we were 8 games under .500 like most past years,i'd gladly let him step up here awhile and work out whatever issues are plauging him.

[TheCrew07]

He's pitching differently than he did in Nashville for some reason. It's not like he's missing close, he's missing by quite a bit, and his pitch selection has left something to be desired. I was very wrong about him so far, I thought he'd keep pounding the zone... but it's tough to pound the zone when you aren't able to locate your best pitch.

[gregmag]

I realize he's been about as bad as you could imagine but judging a guy solely by 3 IP isn't exactly fair. He did great in AAA and I'd guess the scouts like his stuff as well. If Melvin can trade for a better guy, great. Otherwise, I can't see giving up on him already.

 

This is very rational, but in this case I don't think it's right. Sometimes a player's performance is so extreme that it becomes fair to judge him -- and, in strictly the baseball sense of course, execute him -- based on results. Balfour has absolutely blown two opportunities in the middle of a pennant race. I would never say this about a guy who just pitched poorly his first two times out, but Balfour was bad almost beyond redemption. He wasn't good, or even passable, for five seconds of those three innings. Like I said, it's an extreme case, but I've seen enough.

 

Greg.

[Ennder]

I'd be fine with Yost using Balfour in non important situations to see what he has. However Yost has now twice thrown away games by putting him in and seeing what he can do when the game is on the line.

[Fatter than Joey]

I'd be fine with Yost using Balfour in non important situations to see what he has. However Yost has now twice thrown away games by putting him in and seeing what he can do when the game is on the line.

 

This is exactly my sentiment. Balfour (as stated) hasn't pitched since 2004 in the MLB -- yet Yost would rather put Balfour in a tie game in the 12th inning, rather than putting in either Turnbow or Cordero. I think that while Balfour has to pitch better -- some sort of rust/nerves would be expected -- and a lot of this has to fall on Yost's shoulders.

[brewers255]

Balfour

Spurling

Villanueva

Cordero

 

Those were your options.

 

Spurling just got lit up his last outing 5 earned runs in 1/3 of a inning.

 

Cordero just pitched on Sunday and were in a stretch of 7 games 6 day stretch. Your not going to bring him in a tie game.

 

Villanueva- Since July 1st he pitched 13 innings and gave up 11 earmed runs. He has a 7.62 ERA since July 1st. He also just pitched on Sunday.

[hauser42]

Time to move Balfour out of the pen and away from this team. Team is in the pennant race and a guy like this is not going to be any help to the team.

 

The throw to 3rd base was just plain stupid. You go get the easy out.

[Two Fisted Slobber]

He's got 70 ML innings in his career and he's got a 5.128 ERA. I think that's enough of a sample size to say he can't get it done in the bigs.

 

David Weathers' first 3 seasons: 63.2 IP, 5.23 ERA

Dan Kolb's first 4 season: 79 IP, 5.01 ERA

 

I'd say there's still some hope for Grant to turn it around.

[endaround]

The throw to 3B was the only real chance of getting out of the inning.

[igor67]

I'm somewhere in between greg's feelings and the small sample issue. Scouting and minor league performance tell us Balfour can do much better. The last 3 innings have been unbelievably awful. If this was Mike Buddie or Chris Spurling I'd definitely say it's time to move on, but there is a pretty big payoff If we can get Grant turned around. With the exception of Cordero you can take just about any other relief pitcher on the staff right now and look a 3 inning window and find something to make you sick to your stomach over. With Cordero he only had the two blown saves in a row, but the point is still clearly valid that he's not looked good and to a certain extent Ned's biggest problem has been that the timing of Grant's struggle's have been forced into higher leverage situation's then you would like.

[Fatter than Joey]

The throw to 3B was the only real chance of getting out of the inning.

 

That's just as much on Estrada if JE pointed him to throw in that direction -- I tend to agree though -- you probably have to try and get that out.

[gregmag]

I'd say there's still some hope for Grant to turn it around.

 

You're right, of course -- we can't make a judgment about his ultimate level of ability based only on these two games. But I don't think we can wait and hope for him to turn it around here, now. We have other options. As Brett, I think, said -- cycle through the guys who look like they can help. The ones that show something get more chances.

 

Greg.

[kmcasper23]

Balfour and Spurling should both be DFA'd. I could stomach holding on to Balfour more than Spurling though. Balfour appears to have good stuff, just not controlling it right now. Spurling is just bad and I am not sure what Melvin ever saw in him.

 

Fact of the matter is they need to add another reliable reliever or two before next weeks deadline.

[hauser42]

The throw to 3B was the only real chance of getting out of the inning.

 

Take another look at the play and you will see that the batter was only a couple of steps up the line when Grant gets the ball. Bill even thought the play was at third until he looked at the replay.

 

It was a guy that was trying to make a big play and not take the sure out. I will put some blame also on Johnny as he is suppose to be directing traffic out there.

[DuWayne Steurer]

If you get the out at first, you can walk the next batter, and hope for a groundball you can turn over.

 

Speaking about Balfour....

 

I'm willing to give a little rope, considering it is a 3 inning sample we're talking here. However, in those 3 innings he's looked completely lost, and god willing, he should not be used in a "tight game" situation until he proves he can handle the nerves of pitching in a big league game.

 

I'll also grant that despite early career struggles, Weathers and Kolb both turned out to be decent pitchers, but that doesn't mean it's the rule. Balfour is 29, has been injured, and wasn't very good when he WAS in the majors.

 

I'll agree the guy has "stuff", and there's (slight) potential to be a quality bullpen arm, but before people start calling this guy next year's closer based on what he did against minor league hitting, let's see him get through at least a few weeks of major league ball without having a nervous breakdown on the mounc.

[L8ManChecker]

Seriously, Balfour has cost Milwaukee two games out of the three he has pitched in. He may be able to throw in the mid 90's with a slider in the mid to high 80's, but is demonstrating that he is not a very good pitcher right now.

If it can be helped, for the sake of the team, his replacement needs to be found quickly.

[Two Fisted Slobber]

I'll also grant that despite early career struggles, Weathers and Kolb both turned out to be decent pitchers, but that doesn't mean it's the rule.

 

Of course it's not the rule. Just pointing out that, with very little effort, I was able to find two former Brewers with similar numbers at the start of their career who later became major league closers.

 

Balfour is 29, has been injured, and wasn't very good when he WAS in the majors.

 

The same could be said about Weathers at age 29 and Kolb at age 28.

[monty57]

I'm sure I'm wrong on the rules, but I thought that since he had been in the minors this season, the Brewers could send him back to the minors without him going through waivers. He is a good arm to give up on, but as has been said, he's losing games for us now, and therefore probably shouldn't be on the roster, as we have other options we can try.

 

All told, the Brewers have been pretty lucky that (barring injuries) everyone they've brought up from the minors recently has played to the top of their abilities. We were probably due for a player to come up and seriously underperform.

[MoneyballMan]

As I stated before in this thread or another, I think Balfour just needed a full season in AAA to get over his arm troubles and then compete in spring training for a middle relief role. This could be with Milwaukee or another team. But it's probably not the best time to bring someone like this into the fold while every game is so critical. And I know, some will argue that he did so well at Nashville this year that he didn't have anything left to prove. Hindsight is 20/20, so I can't blame DM/NY for calling him up, but now they should realize that he probably needs a full season at AAA.

[DuWayne Steurer]

The same could be said about Weathers at age 29 and Kolb at age 28.

 

 

Like I said, they're definately exceptions, not the rule. I don't think it's worth finding out in the middle of a very tight pennant race if Grant Ballfour is the next Dan Kolb.

[Bucky Rules]

Quote:

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Seriously, Balfour has cost Milwaukee two games out of the three he has pitched in.

---

 

Balfour didn't cost us this game. This game was lost because we couldn't touch Harang, and blew a golden opportunity in the 11th with bases loaded and nobody out.

 

He's no more to blame than Johhny Estrada for his AB in the 11th, or JJ for not busting it and ending up on 2nd on Lopez' error (he could've scored on Braun's follow-up single).

 

But, rather than placing blame, I'd rather tip my cap to Aaron Harang. The guy was very tough last night. I don't expect similar pitching performances from the Reds for the rest of this series.

[TGJforPrez]

I know I have stated this before, but how come Greg Aquino hasn't been brought back up. He looked very dominating in a couple of his early outings (see the FLA extra inning game) and then has two bad appearances in early April and is sent out.

 

Balfour has pitched in 3 games, lost 2 of them and will probably get a another chance in the middle of a pennant race. I just don't get it.

[biedergb]

While stating that Balfour has "cost us the game" is a bit extreme, obviously one player in one inning doesn't lose the entire game. But the track record for Balfour has been to give up runs, with those runs being the deciding runs in 2 of his 3 outings. That leaves one of two possible outcomes -- let him go, or let him "pitch through his struggles" in a low stress situation (ie, Spurling him).

 

If we keep him, I favor the latter. Why has Ned been so eager to get him in the game in tie games? Why not let him get his feet wet in a few lower stress situations?