Why not try Balfour?

[JohnBriggs12]

Balfour since May 17:

 

9 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 13 SO.

[Ennder]

His name is Ball Four, don't really want something like that coming out of our bullpen.

[JohnBriggs12]

"don't really want something like that coming out of our bullpen".

 

Old joke ennder.

 

You prefer Spurling??

 

Really on nights where any one of the big 3 (Villy, T-Bow, and Coco) in the pen are not available this team has a real hard time winning if the game is closer than 4 runs.

 

Wise is a one trick pony who had one good major league season and several mediocre ones. Shouse is a second rate loogy at the end of an undistiguished career. Capellan used to throw hard but doesn't any more. Spurling is a guy.

 

They need to find help in the pen from somewhere. If Sarfate ever finds a modicum of consistency, mayble he could help, but until they find someone I'm all for at least looking at what they have.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Wise is a one trick pony who had one good major league season and several mediocre ones. ]

 

I disagree. He had a great first season in Milwaukee, a good second season until it was hampered by injuries, and now a pretty good third season.

 

My problem with Wise is that he's made of glass. Going back to back for him is pretty much not an option.

 

[ They need to find help in the pen from somewhere. ]

 

I think it'll be from Gallardo. He's not going to be able to start all the way through Sept/Oct and be effective. I think this is probably going to go down in the very near future as well.

[recte44]

Quote:

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His name is Ball Four, don't really want something like that coming out of our bullpen.

---

 

It's kind of like "Oh Man" coming out of the Cubs pen.

[valpocrewsader]

Quote:

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His name is Ball Four, don't really want something like that coming out of our bullpen.

 

It's kind of like "Oh Man" coming out of the Cubs pen.

---

 

Don't forget Riske. What a name for a reliever/closer.

 

On the subject of the bullpen, I'm all for giving Balfour a shot. I'm open to anything that might improve our crapitude out there.

[brewmann04]

I agree could be no worse the Spurling or lately Shouse.

 

any one know if he can pitch on consective days ?

[Brian the Automator]

[ any one know if he can pitch on consective days ? ]

 

You can look stats like these up for yourself, as they're freely available online:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...pid=346797

 

minorleaguebaseball.com has done a much better job this year at publishing stats.

[endaround]

The problem of course is that Spurling is out of options and I don't think Melvin wants to lose him for nothing. Balfour also doesn't have any options which is likely why he didn't get the call to replace Weeks because whoever did that might sent back down when Dessens can come off the DL.

 

I think Balfour probably is the best option to come up now that he seems to be over his injury.

[Team Canada]

Balfour, Thatcher, Sarfate, I'm all for throwing everyone against the proverbial bullpen wall and see what sticks.

[homer]

How awful is our pen really? I mean, we can chalk up last night's loss to them I suppose but in reality the Brewers scored 2 lousy runs. Spurling's run in the ninth was meaningless.

 

I'm not saying I think they are good but are they as bad as we make them out to be? How many leads have the Brewers lost due to the pen? I am interested in seeing the numbers rather than anecdotal evidence is all.

[Ennder]

I dont' really have an opinion of any of these guys, unless a RP is just destroying AAA its hard to tell much from the stats since its such a small sample of innings. Thats more of the scouts job and I haven't seen any of these guys pitch so no clue which one will be better.

[endaround]

Well Balfour had two fairly good seasons with the Twins with K/9 above 9 and K/BB above 2. Thats why I think he's a fairly good option.

[craigharmann]

Something has to be done. The only guys in the bullpen I feel comfortable with is Villaneueva and Coco.

 

Wise-- Can't go back to back days

 

Turnbow-- better this year, but always the threat of a meltdown

 

Shouse--not good lately

 

Cappellan--if you're only throwing 88-90 mph fastballs, you're going to get hit around

 

Spurling--eh, he is what he is...not great, not horrible.

 

 

If we want to win, which we should be able to win this year, SOMETHING has to be done in the bullpen.

[JohnBriggs12]

"How many leads have the Brewers lost due to the pen?"

 

It's not just lost leads homer (and there have been 2 in just the past week), but it's close games that have turned into routs. That's happened 3 times in just the past week.

 

You cannot continue to allow innings of 7 runs, 3 runs, and 5 runs, in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings of close games and that's what's happened in the last 3 losses. You give your offense no chance to counter with their own rally. It's one thing to give up a lead. It's another to let the game get completely away from you.

 

Someone mentioned risking losing Spurling who is out of options? Please. We can only hope he's claimed on waivers by someone in the NL Central.

 

And it's not just what the bullpen does, but what it forces Yost to do in keeping starters in there too long to compensate for lack of depth in the pen.

 

As for Wise, in 2006 he allowed an OPS against of .759 including a slugging percentage of .429. While not horrible, it's not exactly top notch for a setup guy. He's okay, but just okay. He isn't the kind of guy who can get you out of a jam with a strikeout too often and he gives up a few too many long flys that end up being caught by some guy from Waukesha.

[FVBrewerFan]

I know nothing about this guy, other than his numbers in Huntsville. The numbers have me intrigued:

 

Mark DiFelice 3-1 2.11ERA 42.2IP 6BB 43K 0.80 WHIP

[Klements Bratwurst]

The Brewers do seem to have a problem with that sixth and seventh inning lately. If Villy is not available, it seems that Ned is stuck between a rock and a hard place with either leaving his starter to go another inning or pulling him to put in the Spurling's, Capellan's and Shouse's, (who isn't even getting lefties out lately).

 

It is that handoff to our top bullpen arms that seems to be a problem. It is a tough call sometimes, like last night. Yost had a chance to take out Bush before that 7th inning after Counsell walked in the bottom of the sixth. Does Yost put in a pinch hitter and try a hit and run? Does Yost put in a power bat like Gross? Or does he do what he did last night, let the pitcher bunt Counsell over to second and then stick with him in the 7th inning?

 

If Yost had one more decent option, preferrably a lefty option, he might have pinch hit Bush in the sixth. I am not saying Ned was wrong last night, but with Shouse's struggles lately and the rest of that Motley Crue named listed above, what can you do?

 

All teams have holes in their bullpens, but we seem to have three with Spurling, Capellan, and unfortunately Shouse, whose job of getting out lefties is the reason he is on the roster, make it difficult for Ned to make decisions late in the game.

 

I think Brian the Automator said that Yo could fix this. I might have to agree at this point.

[geothite]

Quote:

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[ They need to find help in the pen from somewhere. ]

 

I think it'll be from Gallardo. He's not going to be able to start all the way through Sept/Oct and be effective. I think this is probably going to go down in the very near future as well.

---

 

I hate that they might do it but I am starting to think that Gallardo is going to be here before the All Star break. I just hope he is inserted in the rotation and one of the vets is put in the bullpen.

 

Hopefully Parra gets promoted to AAA when Gallardo is called up and is the next major promotion to give us another LHP out of the pen.

[Brian the Automator]

[ I hate that they might do it but I am starting to think that Gallardo is going to be here before the All Star break. I just hope he is inserted in the rotation and one of the vets is put in the bullpen. ]

 

Do you think he could handle starting all year, including September? Given that the Brewers have five good starters (when handled correctly), I think it'd be a great move for him and the club.

[MNBrew]

Castro especially, and Maddux, have worked wonders with some of the apparent "leftovers" from other teams they've picked up for the Brewers' pen over the years. Sometimes they've really helped the guy tap into his true ability. And other times it seems like they catch lightning in a bottle.

 

So it shouldn't come as any great surprise from time to time that we all figure out -- or maybe it's the other teams' hitters who figure out -- that that particular emperor isn't wearing any clothes, so to speak.

 

Some guys are the real thing and some are flashes in the pan. The key is figuring out who is who. Lately it seems like the bullpen's performance is making some of that obvious.

[rluzinski]

Balfour, Thatcher, Sarfate, I'm all for throwing everyone against the proverbial bullpen wall and see what sticks.

 

Relievers don't get enough innings to just throw in there and figure out who's best as they play. If you bring a guy up and give him 9 innings of total work to prove himself you don't give him enough time to prove anything. As end said, Balfour has actually had some limited success at the major league level, so he's probably one of the more safe bets.

[Fike85]

Cordero

Turnbow

Gallardo

Wise

Villy

 

That looks like a good bullpen to me. The problem we have now is that Shouse is becoming dead weight and Spurling really isn't that good.

 

I am not all that concerned about the bullpen because unlike last season we have solutions. There will be no garbage men coming in to clean up the mess. ZING!

[Postseason2006]

Matt Wise stinks. Look at the inherited runners scoring at will. And Shouse? He can't ven get lefties. Melvin blew it in the offseason thinking he could get by adding Aquino and Dessens.

[rluzinski]

Quote:

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Matt Wise stinks. Look at the inherited runners scoring at will. And Shouse? He can't ven get lefties.

---

 

I'm going to guess that you didn't put a whole lot of research into the above before deciding to share it with the rest of us. It sounds better suited for the vent thread.

[Klements Bratwurst]

Regarding the bullpen and Shouse's struggles, over lunch, I even tried looking at Shouse's stats so I could say that he stinks, but I can't say that yet.

 

In 2006 he seemed to start slow, but came on nicely before struggling down the stretch and as I recall he was forced to pitch against a lot of righthanders due to injuries and ineffectiveness of the guys in the '06 bullpen:

 

2006 Game Log- Brian Shouse

 

This year, he started strong and has struggled lately, but again his ERA is less than last year.

 

2007 Game Log- Brian Shouse

 

I think again with Shouse it is a case of "what have you done for me lately" particularly with last night's failure and juicing one to Brian McCann is his last outing that resulted in a three run double.

 

If he is still struggling badly a month from now, then maybe it may be time to look for another LOOGY.

 

In regards to Matt Wise, he has been fine this year and was last year at this point. He struggled with injury last year and his second half went down hill. Lets hope for a reverse in fortune.

 

2007 Matt Wise Game Log

 

2006 Matt Wise Game Log