2018 Bullpen

[JohnBriggs12]

I agree with the Hoover being added to the roster and Knebel being put on the 60 day. Spring performance doesn't count for guys assured of being on the team, but Hoover was fighting for a job and didn't allow a run all spring. Williams is closer material but needs a bit more seasoning in the role rather than as a 6th inning guy on the major league roster.

[benji]

I agree with the Hoover being added to the roster and Knebel being put on the 60 day. Spring performance doesn't count for guys assured of being on the team, but Hoover was fighting for a job and didn't allow a run all spring. Williams is closer material but needs a bit more seasoning in the role rather than as a 6th inning guy on the major league roster.

 

 

I am not convinced a hamstring will be a full 60 days. The MRI will be key on the grade of injury.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I agree with the Hoover being added to the roster and Knebel being put on the 60 day. Spring performance doesn't count for guys assured of being on the team, but Hoover was fighting for a job and didn't allow a run all spring. Williams is closer material but needs a bit more seasoning in the role rather than as a 6th inning guy on the major league roster.

 

High leverage situations are high leverage situations, though, whether they are in the 6th or 7th inning, or the 9th. That idea, and the fact that, despite his lack of experience, Williams wasn't sent down until the very last moments of Spring Training, make me think that he'll be up soon, if not today. I think the Brewers' pen is still strong, even without Knebel, but that nasty high-90s stuff from Williams would make it even better. If the team can't throw gas with their starters, at least they will be able to out of the pen. Albers, Jeffress and even Drake dial it up into the mid-90s, while Hader and Barnes hit the upper 90s. Jennings is lower 90s, but with movement and deception. None of them are consistently close to triple-digits like Williams was showing in spring, though.

[Madhawk23]

I agree with the Hoover being added to the roster and Knebel being put on the 60 day. Spring performance doesn't count for guys assured of being on the team, but Hoover was fighting for a job and didn't allow a run all spring. Williams is closer material but needs a bit more seasoning in the role rather than as a 6th inning guy on the major league roster.

 

 

I am not convinced a hamstring will be a full 60 days. The MRI will be key on the grade of injury.

 

 

I'm not a doctor, but I'm guessing a torn hamstring could keep Knebel out the remainder of the season. This looked much, much worse than a guy limping off the field with a hamstring strain. Sounded like there may have been a "pop" and with the amount of pain he was in - I'm guessing that this isn't going to be good news today. I don't know what the recovery is like from a torn hammy, but I'm guessing we may have seen the last of Knebel for 2018. Really hope I'm wrong.

[TJH123]

I agree with the Hoover being added to the roster and Knebel being put on the 60 day. Spring performance doesn't count for guys assured of being on the team, but Hoover was fighting for a job and didn't allow a run all spring. Williams is closer material but needs a bit more seasoning in the role rather than as a 6th inning guy on the major league roster.

 

 

I am not convinced a hamstring will be a full 60 days. The MRI will be key on the grade of injury.

 

 

I'm not a doctor, but I'm guessing a torn hamstring could keep Knebel out the remainder of the season. This looked much, much worse than a guy limping off the field with a hamstring strain. Sounded like there may have been a "pop" and with the amount of pain he was in - I'm guessing that this isn't going to be good news today. I don't know what the recovery is like from a torn hammy, but I'm guessing we may have seen the last of Knebel for 2018. Really hope I'm wrong.

 

If he tore his hamstring it’s unlikely he’s on the field again this year, and if he is it wouldn’t be until September/October at the earliest. Khris Middleton on the Bucks tore his a year or two ago and was out like 6 months

[istanbultaye]

So, from what I've been reading, a full tear generally takes 6-10 weeks to recover from after surgery. Considering the need to work back into professional baseball form after that, I would guess he could be out 3-4 months if it's a full tear. I think for football they end up being season ending injuries when it's a full tear due to the shorter season.

[istanbultaye]

After reading a bit further, I've seen a couple MLB torn hamstrings where it took 6-8 months (Charlie Morton, 2016, late April), and where it only took 2 months (Hunter Pence, 2016, early June). I guess we'll just have to wait and see what comes out from the tests.

[djoctagone]

obvious recall candidates would be j.j. hoover (would need spot on the 40-man), jorge lopez or taylor williams. all three pitched yesterday. tyler webb didn't pitch yesterday, and could be recalled for just one game, and then optioned down, with one of the three aforementioned guys taking his place.

 

it'd be a gamble, but the brewers could also recall one of keon broxton or brett phillips just for a day for outfield depth, but that could be taxing on the bullpen--especially if brandon woodruff can't go deep tonight.

[BrewCrewBlueDevil]

The pen is a little sketchy with undefined roles but there is a ton of talent. Barnes looks uncomfortable and low pressure inning may be needed. I think setting roles may help stabilize late innings. A healthy Knebel and they would be lights out.

 

Closer: Albers

Set Up: Hader, Williams

LH: Jennings

Relief: Jeffers, Hoover, Drake, Barnes

[kfizz]

Hey hey hey! It’s Maaaatt Albers!

 

Using him to close is like school in the summertime.

[Jenkins5]

Dream would be to stretch Hader out more & more out of pen. Starters can’t make it 5 innings over half the time. Work him up in innings & pitch count to open door to rotation without needing to go down. Won’t happen but love he has ability to give us 1-3 innings of outstanding relief.

 

Overall I think our pullpen can survive with depth without him.... our rotation has mostly been a joke & could use a stud like Hader in there. Excitement every 5th day of know we have that kind of talent to try to win a game alone would be a bright spot.

[brooks_quichenick]

Dream would be to stretch Hader out more & more out of pen. Starters can’t make it 5 innings over half the time. Work him up in innings & pitch count to open door to rotation without needing to go down. Won’t happen but love he has ability to give us 1-3 innings of outstanding relief.

 

Overall I think our pullpen can survive with depth without him.... our rotation has mostly been a joke & could use a stud like Hader in there. Excitement every 5th day of know we have that kind of talent to try to win a game alone would be a bright spot.

 

Agreed. Brewers have a handful of flamethrowers down in AAA/AA ready for MLB bullpen innings at some point this season (we've already seen Williams and Houser), I'd love to see Hader eased into a SP role as the season goes on. Highly unlikely I know, but I'm with you that 5 innings of Hader starting is probably better than ~5 innings from Suter/Guerra/Woodruff/Miley + Hader out of the pen. Giving your offense the chance to jump in front by putting up zeroes in the first 5 innings is so huge and something the Brewers have been struggling mightily with.

[djoctagone]

the brewers have talked about having flexibility in the back end of their bullpen. when you look at it, there isn't as much flexibility as one would think (assuming that no players are dfa'd). when a player is optioned, he has to spend at least 10 days optioned, unless replacing a player placed on the disabled/paternity/bereavement/restricted list.

 

thus, someone like adrian houser, who was optioned 9 april, is off limits for an overworked bullpen. if taylor williams is optioned today for junior guerra, he's off limits for 10 days.

 

it's conceivable that the brewers could option brett phillips for guerra, and then option guerra and recall jorge lopez (the only true reliever on the 40-man eligible to be recalled barring a disabled list move). of course, that would mean guerra is off limits for 10 days.

 

management and fans will also have to take note of this when boone logan is ready to come off the disabled list, and again for corey knebel.

 

relievers on the 40-man and number of remaining options:

 

jacob barnes (2)

oliver drake (0)

josh hader (2)

adrian houser (1)

dan jennings (0)

jeremy jeffress (0)

j.j. hoover (0)

corey knebel (1)

boone logan (unclear on remaining options, but if he does have an option, he can refuse the minor league assignment, void his contract and become a free agent)

jorge lopez (1)

taylor williams (2)

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Guerra and Lopez up, Phillips optioned and Hoover DFA'd. Tough break for Hoover, as he was put in a pretty rough situation last night. Wouldn't surprise me to see him claimed after the spring he had. Somehow, Drake continues to collect a ML paycheck.

[bjkrautk]

While most of the denizens of the forum have their hate on for Oliver Drake, it's Jacob Barnes who I dread seeing on the mound. I'll concede that by the stats, Drake has been the worse pitcher for the Brewers.

 

However, the thing that makes Barnes so dreadful is that his failures have been more impactful on the team, presumably because Counsell has more confidence in Barnes than he does Drake. In 2017, Barnes blew more save opportunities in the second half of the season (5) than Drake did all year (3). This year, Drake's only blown save came in the 6th inning on Tuesday (4/10), in what wasn't really a save situation; Barnes' 2 blown saves this past week have come in the 9th inning.

 

Which leads me to something I thought about posting yesterday. I get that the Brewers are operating their bullpen in reverse, trying to get their best relievers to pitch in the critical moments of the game...but I'd really like to see someone we can trust come in and pitch the 9th inning of a game we're leading. Knebel is really good in those situations, but with him out of the lineup, I'd really prefer to see Jeffress in the save situation than Barnes. If the club wants to save Hader to be the "bullpen ace" then so be it...but I hate to see us losing when we have the lead in the 9th inning.

[And That]

I like Drake and Barnes.

 

(runs into a corner and hides)

[reillymcshane]

Lopez will be interesting to see. He could be a decent reliever.

 

I'm not sold on Drake. He just seems too hittable. A 1.571 WHIP last year - worse so far this year. At 31, he pretty much is what he is.

 

Barnes is frustrating. The talent is there, but everything just isn't clicking. Perhaps he needs some time in lower pressure spots to get his mind back in the right place. Or a spell in Colorado. I certainly don't want to give up on him, but he has been immensely frustrating.

[Outlander]

I know in this day and age the closer role isn't thought as highly by some but it sure seems like Barnes isn't comfortable in the closer role or when the game is on the line. In other situations he appear dominant.

[TJH123]

But did you hear that Drake is good against lefties?

[young guns]

Drake, to me, seems like a guy who for the most part gets the job done, but i will never trust because of how many guys he puts on base.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Drake would probably be fine in low-leverage situations. Unfortunately, nearly every inning the pen has thrown so far this season has been pretty high leverage.

[pacopete4]

I like Drake and Barnes.

 

(runs into a corner and hides)

 

 

.....and now you need to ban yourself.

[benji]

I like Barnes. Last night was weird and not typical. He has stretches where he is just dominate. The blown save Saturday was not his fault at all. Luck and defense let him down.

 

Drake to me should go. I know the peripherals with him are what keeps him around. Pulling Suter and putting him in that situation last night really frustrated me. Last night in general was one of the first times I have really disagreed with Counsel’s bullpen use.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[coolhandluke121]

Drake, to me, seems like a guy who for the most part gets the job done, but i will never trust because of how many guys he puts on base.

 

>1 K/inning helps an awful lot with that. As far as your 6th or 7th reliever goes, he's fine. Probably even above average. Jeffress had a WHIP of about 1.6 over his last year and a third, and is over 1.4 for his career, and his K rate has consistently dipped under 7 since the trade to Texas. But Jeffress should be the closer and Drake should be dfa'ed? That's just painfully biased.

[pacopete4]

Drake, to me, seems like a guy who for the most part gets the job done, but i will never trust because of how many guys he puts on base.

 

>1 K/inning helps an awful lot with that. As far as your 6th or 7th reliever goes, he's fine. Probably even above average. Jeffress had a WHIP of about 1.6 over his last year and a third, and is over 1.4 for his career, and his K rate has consistently dipped under 7 since the trade to Texas. But Jeffress should be the closer and Drake should be dfa'ed? That's just painfully biased.

 

I know you hate Jeffress but no, it is not. Jeffress has got the job done, over and over, in a Brewers uniform. He has been a constant producer, something that cannot be said about Drake. They aren't even comparable. Don't let the numbers fool you, and create a biased viewpoint from yourself.