Comments on: The dream continues, and other stuff http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/ News, views, and analysis on the Detroit Tigers and baseball Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:06:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Chad Taylor Thomas http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-77008 Chad Taylor Thomas Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:16:26 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-77008 Eric, I mostly agree with your thoughts on the closer role, which is why I was so tentative on the subject. I won't lie: I just don't like Todd Jones. I do, however, question your assessment of Seay, Rodney and Byrdak as 'potentially' dominant. I think we are lucky if they are slightly below average. I'll leave the statistical analysis to the statistical experts, but I can't help but feel (bad word, I know) that this season is going to be a real disappointment between injuries and the serious underperformance of our bullpen. Maybe I should just trust DD. I have general managed very few ball clubs. Eric,

I mostly agree with your thoughts on the closer role, which is why I was so tentative on the subject. I won’t lie: I just don’t like Todd Jones. I do, however, question your assessment of Seay, Rodney and Byrdak as ‘potentially’ dominant. I think we are lucky if they are slightly below average.

I’ll leave the statistical analysis to the statistical experts, but I can’t help but feel (bad word, I know) that this season is going to be a real disappointment between injuries and the serious underperformance of our bullpen.

Maybe I should just trust DD. I have general managed very few ball clubs.

]]> By: Eric Cioe http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-77007 Eric Cioe Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:06:42 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-77007 Tom, Seay, Rodney, and Byrdak all have the potential to be dominant, in that order. Seay was in the top 3 for fewest inhereted baserunners scoring in the AL last year. Byrdak and Rodney are both threats to strike out the side on any given day. The problem is, on the other days, they walk some folks. But generally, they don't get hit very hard. Tom,
Seay, Rodney, and Byrdak all have the potential to be dominant, in that order. Seay was in the top 3 for fewest inhereted baserunners scoring in the AL last year. Byrdak and Rodney are both threats to strike out the side on any given day. The problem is, on the other days, they walk some folks. But generally, they don’t get hit very hard.

]]> By: tom http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76997 tom Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:05:11 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76997 Eric: Nice Post! Very well thought out. That makes sense, but makes me nervous about our 'middle relievers', who, according to your theory, are the 'firemen' tasked with the true 'save' situation. Do they fit your description of 'dominant'? Eric:
Nice Post! Very well thought out. That makes sense, but makes me nervous about our ‘middle relievers’, who, according to your theory, are the ‘firemen’ tasked with the true ‘save’ situation. Do they fit your description of ‘dominant’?

]]> By: Ken in Cincinnati http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76996 Ken in Cincinnati Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:25:11 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76996 I've always felt the same way, Eric, but didn't protest too much because clearly MLB managers know 10x more about baseball than I do. I actually always secretly feared Zumaya being put into a closer's role when we can have him pitch us out of jams every other game instead. I’ve always felt the same way, Eric, but didn’t protest too much because clearly MLB managers know 10x more about baseball than I do. I actually always secretly feared Zumaya being put into a closer’s role when we can have him pitch us out of jams every other game instead.

]]> By: Eric Cioe http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76989 Eric Cioe Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:41:03 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76989 Chad - Why do you need a dominant guy pitch the 9th? He doesn't have to strike everyone out. All he has to do is induce weak contact, whether it be on the ground or in the air. You can get away with having a non-dominant closer because of the situations in which closers are used these days - no men on, no men out in the 9th. You have to give up two hits most of the time in order for the other team to score, and a lot of the time they have to give up more than one run to lose a game. It isn't pretty, but because a closer pitches the end of the game, it doesn't matter if he lets the lead shrink, so long as his team stays ahead. If you have a great relief pitcher, I don't know why you'd want to have him pitch these situations, which are probably easier than going out with one out in the 7th and two men on. That's where the guy who can go out and strike out the side ought to pitch, so the lead can be intact to get the ball to another reliever who can start the inning with a clean slate. I think the best reliever on a team should never come out at the beginning of an inning unless he needs work. Some teams have got this figured out - Cleveland, Detroit, San Diego. Look at the White Sox pen last year. They have one of the better closers in the AL, but they could never get the ball to him because they didn't have anyone that could reliably get out of jams in the earlier innings. Boston and the Angels have their most talented guys pitching in easier situations than some guys that pitch in front of them, like Okajima or Shields. That works in teams where you have some other very good arms in the pen, but it still seems like you'd want your most talented arm to come get you out of the stickiest situation, rather than letting him pitch a with a clean slate. Chad –

Why do you need a dominant guy pitch the 9th? He doesn’t have to strike everyone out. All he has to do is induce weak contact, whether it be on the ground or in the air. You can get away with having a non-dominant closer because of the situations in which closers are used these days – no men on, no men out in the 9th. You have to give up two hits most of the time in order for the other team to score, and a lot of the time they have to give up more than one run to lose a game. It isn’t pretty, but because a closer pitches the end of the game, it doesn’t matter if he lets the lead shrink, so long as his team stays ahead.

If you have a great relief pitcher, I don’t know why you’d want to have him pitch these situations, which are probably easier than going out with one out in the 7th and two men on. That’s where the guy who can go out and strike out the side ought to pitch, so the lead can be intact to get the ball to another reliever who can start the inning with a clean slate. I think the best reliever on a team should never come out at the beginning of an inning unless he needs work.

Some teams have got this figured out – Cleveland, Detroit, San Diego. Look at the White Sox pen last year. They have one of the better closers in the AL, but they could never get the ball to him because they didn’t have anyone that could reliably get out of jams in the earlier innings. Boston and the Angels have their most talented guys pitching in easier situations than some guys that pitch in front of them, like Okajima or Shields. That works in teams where you have some other very good arms in the pen, but it still seems like you’d want your most talented arm to come get you out of the stickiest situation, rather than letting him pitch a with a clean slate.

]]> By: Kathy http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76988 Kathy Fri, 29 Feb 2008 04:26:56 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76988 Can't hear it or see it (the game) but keep updating the mlb box score to see what's going on. Can’t hear it or see it (the game) but keep updating the mlb box score to see what’s going on.

]]> By: Chad Taylor Thomas http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76987 Chad Taylor Thomas Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:49:24 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76987 I can't help but think that not upgrading our bullpen is going to be a huge issue once the season starts. Sure, the offense was inconsistent last year and needed to be tweaked, but I remember going into the off-season last Fall thinking we needed a lot of work done with our relievers. Maybe I'm over-estimating the importance of having a 'dominant' closer, but I don't think a team with Todd Jones in the 9th is bound for success. Never mind the guys that are supposed to get us to Jones. I can’t help but think that not upgrading our bullpen is going to be a huge issue once the season starts. Sure, the offense was inconsistent last year and needed to be tweaked, but I remember going into the off-season last Fall thinking we needed a lot of work done with our relievers. Maybe I’m over-estimating the importance of having a ‘dominant’ closer, but I don’t think a team with Todd Jones in the 9th is bound for success. Never mind the guys that are supposed to get us to Jones.

]]> By: Eric Cioe http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76984 Eric Cioe Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:42:47 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/the-dream-continues-and-other-stuff/#comment-76984 Spring training game threads, please. Even if only 5 people post a few comments each on it, how is that not worth it? Spring training game threads, please. Even if only 5 people post a few comments each on it, how is that not worth it?

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