Crazy idea to save the bullpen

[AJAY]

I am alarmed at how many relievers the Brewers have to use night after night. For the most part, the starting rotation seems to be keeping us in the game, but they aren't going deep enough in terms of eating innings. Our bullpen guys are losing their effectiveness and seemed burned out. I would like to see the Brewers think outside the box and do something creative.

 

Here is my crazy plan . . . .

 

Let Jeff Suppan be the savior. Once the starter is out of the game, let Suppan finish it out no matter what the score is or what the results are. Let him do this two nights in a row and just give everyone in the bullpen a few days off. Suppan seems to be doing okay as a reliever. Even if he gives up some runs, it is no different than what our bullpen has been doing anyway. So at least let the guys in the pen rest and then maybe we start fresh in a few days.

 

I also think Trevor Hoffman has to be used a tad more just to keep him sharp and to also give others a rest. He needs to earn his money this year, and that might mean using him in roles he is not accustomed to.

 

I realize that the Doug Davis situation might force Suppan into the rotation. However, I would rather see a Triple A starter come up and fill that spot because I want Suppan to save the bullpen instead. He has already failed as a starter, so I don't see any benefit in throwing him back in the rotation. Give some minor league kid a shot, and let's see what we have down there.

 

Time to think outside the box now.

[danzig6767]

The team is already 7 games under .500, i can't see how Macha could justify just waving the white flag in games two times a week by inserting Suppan for the rest of those games unless the score was already so far out of hand that any comeback hopes were remote at best. Doing what you propose is almost like forfeiting from the moment Macha will have chosen to put in Suppan for the rest of the game. Don't think the rest of the team wouldn't know this also.

 

It's one thing to do that if say you're down 7-8-9 runs in the 6th or 7th inning, but another thing if the deficit is 5 runs or less.

[Baldkin]

Macha has really gotten in the terrible habit of using 3 guys in 5 run games.

 

There is never a reason to use 3 guys from the bullpen in 5 run games. That's what Suppan and Parra are in the pen for. It's a bit ridiculous.

Coffee and Villanueva have both been in 18 games already. Parra and Vargas, 15 each.

[DougJones43]

This is an intriguing idea, but I think it would only need to be maybe once every 5 games or so. The entire pen having a night off every 5 games in addition to off-days should be plenty. And it should theoretically be done during a game that is at a margin of 4+ runs (losing OR winning) at the time of Suppan's entrance. That scenario should pop up around once every 5 games I would think.

 

So (for example's sake), one game we're losing 7-2 or something after the 4th inning, just let Soup pitch the remaining 4-5 innings. We might end up losing by a little more than we would have otherwise, but a loss is a loss and was going to be the likely outcome anyway. A handful of days later, the team is winning 9-1 after 6 innings, and the starting pitcher is over 100 pitches. Let Suppan finish it! As bad as he is, the game is still likely to be won.

[dlk9s]

They should just let me be the mop up guy. I was a crafty lefty, just what the Brewers like. I'll play for the league minimum. I won't be offended or upset if I only pitch out of the pen once a week and only when it's a blow out. Just give me a few weeks to get my arm in shape and to get my curveball back.

[AJAY]

Let me clarify in case people misunderstood my original post . . .

 

I am not saying Jeff Suppan should be closing out two games a week. I am suggesting that he closes out two games in a row for THIS WEEK ONLY . . preferably starting tomorrow. After that, hopefully things can get a little more back to normal with our bullpen.

 

I do not see it as waving the white flag because the bullpen has been giving up so many runs anyway as it is. I just hate chewing up so many relievers when someone like Suppan alone can pretty much give us the same results. Suppan is already conditioned to go several innings, and I think the Brewers should take advantage of it to give everyone else a much-needed break for the next few days.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Here's my ridiculous idea. Granted this is in my fantasy land where the players go along with it, which probably wouldn't ever happen, but...

 

Forget about starting pitchers. We don't have any, so let's stop pretending that we do. I say pitch every game by committee. Stop calling them relievers, closers, starters, etc. Just treat every guy like you now treat a reliever. Everyone on the pitching staff pitches 1, 2 or 3 innings. Use like seven pitchers a game, and just use them more often. They shouldn't be throwing more than 40 pitches a night so they shouldn't be throwing anymore innings than they do now. I am still kinda drunk. Off to bed.

[AJAY]

And by the way, if Suppan does go back into the rotation, he will be shelled by the fourth or fifth inning. Then we will be looking at having to burn more relievers and thus compounding the bullpen problems even more. This is why I hope he stays in relief.

[Funketown]

That's a little too crazy for me, but an interesting idea nonetheless. What I'd do is just use Suppan as the true long reliever. Put him in any time the Brewers' starter goes less than 5 IP and the Crew is down by 5 or more runs, and let him throw 100 pitches, no matter how ugly it gets.

[DHonks]

AJAY, why not just piggyback.

 

Gallardo with bullpen

Wolf with bullpen

Naveson with bullpen

Davis with Suppan

Bush with Parra

[djoctagone]

i'm all for it if it's in an american league park and suppan doesn't have to hit.

 

but seeing that i'm going to two brewers games in an american league park this weekend, i hope it doesn't happen then.

[owbc]

I really like Ajay's idea. The bullpen needs a few days off. Ideally, it would be done in a game that we are already losing--and the plan could be abandoned if the offense gets us back into the game. It doesn't have to be set in stone.

 

As I have previously suggested, my own crazy idea is to have us stop pretending that we have a #2 hitter and move Braun-Fielder-McGehee to 2-3-4 in the lineup.

[monty57]

I'm with the group that says just use Suppan as your "normal" long reliever. We've had a lot of games we were getting shelled, and Macha still burned through multiple relievers, when Suppan could have been brought in to pitch 4-5 innings, giving the rest of the pen a night off to be rested when they are needed. If that's not the role Suppan's there for, then what is he doing on the team? We have two started in the pen, and Macha won't pitch either of them for more than two innings at a time.

[Invader3K]

As I have previously suggested, my own crazy idea is to have us stop pretending that we have a #2 hitter and move Braun-Fielder-McGehee to 2-3-4 in the lineup.

I'd love to see that. Give those three and Rickie Weeks as many ABs as possible.

[twobrewers]

I'm with DHonks.

 

If the Brewers want to save their bullpen, calling up a 13th pitcher (as was the plan with Axford) to overuse doesn't help the cause. I'd prefer they called up another starter (Loe) to piggy back with one of our starters. That way the bullpen gets a day off at least 1 out of 5 games.

[paul253]

Why don't we just get 12 closers and one long guy? We could have 9 pitchers pitch one inning, and four pitchers would get a night off, unless of course it goes into extras. Then you use the long guy for up to 5 innings and three guys would still get the night off.

[DHonks]

how about we get a knuckleballer to pitch every day? Heck, I'm 29, but my 65 mph heater puts little stress on the arm and I could take the punishment. Plus, I wonder if they could hit my 40 mph changeup. Heck, my buddy has a secret pitch that is lethal. At Speedpitch at state fair, he regularly hits the low 40s. His sinker doesn't really sink, it's just gravity--hence why I've dubbed it the gravityball.

[AJAY]

I hate to sound like an ego-maniac, but Todd Coffey and his burned-out arm just gave up five runs in one inning. So not only did he not get the rest he badly needed, but he also needed a million pitches to get through that inning and will be in even worse shape in the future.

 

As I stated at the top of this thread, Jeff Suppan could have produced the same results and also helped rest our bullpen tonight.

 

I hate to say "I told you so", but I told you so. And to be honest, I really hate it when I am right because I don't like it when fans are smarter than the people running the team. It doesn't exactly restore confidence in the franchise.

[bork]

I just noticed the Suppan now has the 2nd best ERA as a reliever, behind Villaneuva.

[bacon06]

Take a getaway day before an off day and just dedicate position players to pitch that day. Sure the game will most likely result in a loss, but then the entire pitching staff gets two days of rest. Who knows, maybe one of them can pitch better than anything the Brewers have trotted out to the mound thus far this season.

[dlk9s]

AJAY, why not just piggyback.

 

Gallardo with bullpen

Wolf with bullpen

Naveson with bullpen

Davis with Suppan

Bush with Parra

That's pretty much what the Brewers do now, except not always in that order.