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Just watched the end of today's game. Can't fault the bullpen on this one, but it seems we aren't finding ways to win. Poor Charlie doesn't look well, he looks beleagured.
This was a good one Andrew (although they are all good). Thanks! The bullpen is going to cost us the year. Yes, they were great in April, but as you say the bullpen was constructed based on reclamation projects and those with injury red flags. You can pretty much put every reliever in one of those categories. There's no way we reach the playoffs this year with the existing bullpen. No way at all. Particularly when bullpens have been relied upon more than ever before. I'm dating myself, but it reminds me of the early Bobby Cox years when the bullpen consistently let us down.
Charlie has made some frustrating decisions in his bullpen usage for sure, but this situation falls firmly on the front office and their bullpen construction, which pretty much is done on the cheap. Where is quality help going to come from? Not within our system. The lack of pitching depth is glaring. Maybe in a few years it'll be better, but that doesn't help us now. I'm not a front office hater at all, but they seem to be extremely cautious when it comes to trades, focussing on fringe, under the radar acquisitions rather than going after serious high end talent. Even if they do this year, the trade deadline might be too late.
As you mention, it could be a wasted year/opportunity. And what is the plan for next year? Will Ray or Matz be signed again? Where will those two starters come from? I could go on, but pitching is certainly our achilles heel at the moment and in the foreseeable future.
Oh...Glasnow....how good is it to see honesty and passion from a well-spoken player. Interesting to see Chatwood and his recent implication of using sticky stuff from a Sports Illustrated article. Did he get gun shy and all of a sudden start losing his control?
Charlie has his flaws, but he's also kind of up the creek either way. Other than Romano, every other pitcher - Dolis, Chatwood, Castro - gets you the confirmation bias treatment. If one of them blow it, it's obvious Charlie should have gone with one of the other! It's also way more frustrating because the team is otherwise so good. To lose a playoff spot over the bullpen feels like losing a playoff spot because your back up goalie stinks (I know this is overly simplistic and bullpens are objectively a really important component of a team, but I feel like we tend to look at in the micro, rather than the macro - ie. How hard can it be to get 3 guys out! It's not like you have to start!).
Reminds me a bit of the defense last year which struggled on the whole, but at some point in the year had just a ridiculous, Canseco-esque week or two. It was so bad Buck (Buck!) of all people shouted out an exasperated COME ON when Hernandez flubbed another fly ball.
Anyways, what they need, barring everyone returning to health and staying there, is better relievers. What mediocre, unreliable, reliever you choose from is a responsibility, I guess, but not much Charlie can do even though there are times he makes it harder on himself (ie seeing if Chatwood can work himself out of that 3 consecutive walk jam).
Just watched the end of today's game. Can't fault the bullpen on this one, but it seems we aren't finding ways to win. Poor Charlie doesn't look well, he looks beleagured.
This was a good one Andrew (although they are all good). Thanks! The bullpen is going to cost us the year. Yes, they were great in April, but as you say the bullpen was constructed based on reclamation projects and those with injury red flags. You can pretty much put every reliever in one of those categories. There's no way we reach the playoffs this year with the existing bullpen. No way at all. Particularly when bullpens have been relied upon more than ever before. I'm dating myself, but it reminds me of the early Bobby Cox years when the bullpen consistently let us down.
Charlie has made some frustrating decisions in his bullpen usage for sure, but this situation falls firmly on the front office and their bullpen construction, which pretty much is done on the cheap. Where is quality help going to come from? Not within our system. The lack of pitching depth is glaring. Maybe in a few years it'll be better, but that doesn't help us now. I'm not a front office hater at all, but they seem to be extremely cautious when it comes to trades, focussing on fringe, under the radar acquisitions rather than going after serious high end talent. Even if they do this year, the trade deadline might be too late.
As you mention, it could be a wasted year/opportunity. And what is the plan for next year? Will Ray or Matz be signed again? Where will those two starters come from? I could go on, but pitching is certainly our achilles heel at the moment and in the foreseeable future.
Oh...Glasnow....how good is it to see honesty and passion from a well-spoken player. Interesting to see Chatwood and his recent implication of using sticky stuff from a Sports Illustrated article. Did he get gun shy and all of a sudden start losing his control?
Charlie has his flaws, but he's also kind of up the creek either way. Other than Romano, every other pitcher - Dolis, Chatwood, Castro - gets you the confirmation bias treatment. If one of them blow it, it's obvious Charlie should have gone with one of the other! It's also way more frustrating because the team is otherwise so good. To lose a playoff spot over the bullpen feels like losing a playoff spot because your back up goalie stinks (I know this is overly simplistic and bullpens are objectively a really important component of a team, but I feel like we tend to look at in the micro, rather than the macro - ie. How hard can it be to get 3 guys out! It's not like you have to start!).
Reminds me a bit of the defense last year which struggled on the whole, but at some point in the year had just a ridiculous, Canseco-esque week or two. It was so bad Buck (Buck!) of all people shouted out an exasperated COME ON when Hernandez flubbed another fly ball.
Anyways, what they need, barring everyone returning to health and staying there, is better relievers. What mediocre, unreliable, reliever you choose from is a responsibility, I guess, but not much Charlie can do even though there are times he makes it harder on himself (ie seeing if Chatwood can work himself out of that 3 consecutive walk jam).
That Glasnow video is great. Really well presented without taking away the frustration/emotion.