2012 Bullpen

[sportsfan882]

Perry only pitched in blowouts or games we were losing. I am afraid Davey will get frisky and put Gonzalez in close games right out of the gate.

[MarquisDeSade]

Perry only pitched in blowouts or games we were losing. I am afraid Davey will get frisky and put Gonzalez in close games right out of the gate.

You weren't hanging out at the McDonalds next to the car detailing place in West Springfield yesterday were you?

[mimontero88]

Perry only pitched in blowouts or games we were losing. I am afraid Davey will get frisky and put Gonzalez in close games right out of the gate.

Right.  Because he's better than Perry.  Texas used him in high-leverage situations in the playoffs last year at times.  But hey, what do they know?  They are just the two-time defending AL champs.

[NatsDad14]

Wait, we now have 4 Lefty relievers in the bullpen? Not to mention, one of the righties (HRod) never plays.

[Slateman]

Bullpen has been good

[tomterp]

Perry only pitched in blowouts or games we were losing. I am afraid Davey will get frisky and put Gonzalez in close games right out of the gate.

Which he did, and it worked out fine.  Gonzalez seemed reasonably sharp.

[Lintyfresh85]

Does Gonzalez still do that dance before every pitch?

[nats2playoffs]

Sun, Jun 3:
 
"Lidge (hernia) will begin a rehab assignment Monday, the Washington Post reports.
Spin:He'll likely pitch every other day in the next week, and barring a setback, Lidge could rejoin the Nationals' bullpen June 11. "I'm ready," Lidge said. "I just need a few more games to get everything locked in." He could also be right back in the saves mix, but given how Tyler Clippard has looked so far in ninth-inning duty, Lidge will more likely find himself in a set-up role when he returns."

ESPN Fantasy Baseball still lists him as being on the 15-Day DL.


DATE   OPP   IP   H   ER   BB   K   DEC
4/21   Mia   1.0   1   2   3   0   BS
4/17   Hou   1.0   1   0   1   0   SV
4/15   Cin   1.0   1   0   1   2   
4/13   Cin   1.0   0   0   0   1   
4/12   Cin   1.0   2   2   2   0   BS
4/10 @NYM 1.0   1   0   0   2   
4/5 @ChC 1.0   1   0   0   2   SV

[nats2playoffs]

Mon, Jun 4
Lidge (sports hernia) struggled in a rehab appearance with Class A Potomac on Monday, allowing a run on one walk and two singles, Comcast SportsNet Washington reports.
Spin:
Lidge threw 22 pitches, but only 10 of which went for strikes. Despite the discouraging outing, he expects to make two or three more rehab appearances and will pitch back-to-back days before he's activated by the Nationals.
 

[welch]

(Image removed from quote.) Mon, Jun 4
Lidge (sports hernia) struggled in a rehab appearance with Class A Potomac on Monday, allowing a run on one walk and two singles, Comcast SportsNet Washington reports.
Spin:
Lidge threw 22 pitches, but only 10 of which went for strikes. Despite the discouraging outing, he expects to make two or three more rehab appearances and will pitch back-to-back days before he's activated by the Nationals.
 

At least give the guy a week or two.

[nats2playoffs]

Ryan Mattheus is starting a rehab assignment today (Sunday June 10, 2012) for Single-A Potomac.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/qa-nationals-closer-tyler-clippard/

[Slateman]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/qa-nationals-closer-tyler-clippard/

I read that and I have to wonder if Clippard could have been an effective starter ...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

slate - usually it is the lack of a 3d pitch that prevents a guy like Clippard from starting.  I also wonder if the changeup would be as effective if batters saw it more often.  It does not appear to be helping division rivals all that much, but you do wonder if there is more of a tip than his late fall to the side.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Could really use a 4th and maybe a 5th righty right now.  I think the bullpen plan is to have Clip close and Stammen as the righty set up guy for now until HRod or Mattheus is back.  Lidge is the one to bring in for matchups when trailing.  We saw how that went tonight. 

[PANatsFan]

At least give the guy a week or two.

no, dfa him and gonzalez

[Squab]

AdamKilgoreWP:
Davey says Storen will have to come back as a set-up man if Clippard (12 for 12 in saves) keeps it up as closer.
acomak:
Davey on if he'd keep Clippard as closer when Storen's back: "I can't see going to someone else. He'd have to show me up here first."
masnKolko:
Davey indicated that Storen would have to work out of a set-up role before moving back to the 9th inning. #Nats

Seems like if Clippard keeps going well he'll be the closer. Right move? I kind of like him in the highest leverage situations, but I'm not a big fan of the "closer"

[wpa2629]

Drew has been out a long time, I think keeping Clip in the Closer role and putting Drew in set up is the right move at least for the foreseeable future.


I may actually put Drew in as the 7th inning guy and leave Burnett in the set up role for a while too

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Ditto.  I don't mind for a week or two letting storen set up, but I think I'd rather just roll Clippard out there in the most important situations. 

[aussienatsfan]

AdamKilgoreWP:
Davey says Storen will have to come back as a set-up man if Clippard (12 for 12 in saves) keeps it up as closer.
acomak:
Davey on if he'd keep Clippard as closer when Storen's back: "I can't see going to someone else. He'd have to show me up here first."
masnKolko:
Davey indicated that Storen would have to work out of a set-up role before moving back to the 9th inning. #Nats

Seems like if Clippard keeps going well he'll be the closer. Right move? I kind of like him in the highest leverage situations, but I'm not a big fan of the "closer"

I'm also not a big fan of the closer tag but I love the idea of keeping clip in the 9th, during high-leverage situations we would then have a trustworthy left-handed set up man and storen as the righty depending on what hitters are coming up

[blue911]

I'm also not a big fan of the closer tag but I love the idea of keeping clip in the 9th, during high-leverage situations we would then have a trustworthy left-handed set up man and storen as the righty depending on what hitters are coming up

Understand that Davey only said that to push Storen

[welch]

Use them both.

[aussienatsfan]

Use them both.

Certainly, there's is barely an off day either side of the all star break for a long time, using Burnett, storen and clippard to setup and close is the way to go.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Understand that Davey only said that to push Storen

Shouldn't you be posting in the "new members introduce yourself" thread? 

Davey (and Bos) have talked about how Davey likes having a Bullpen A and Bullpen B set up.  Assuming the bullpen settles down to some sort of combo of Storen, Clippard, Burnett, and 4 of Gorzo, Gonzo, Stammen, HRod, Mattheus,  and WangDet, you could maybe see nights where Clippard or Storen are skipped in the 8th and will finish games the next day.

On a slightly different subject, looking at that roster, I'm thinking HRod may get traded for prospects to a team like Colorado that needs bullpen depth and is not contending.  He first has to show he's healthy.  In the interim, Mattheus gets sent down if HRod isn't traded this week.  An HRod trade has to happen before Storen is activated, because he will likely replace Mattheus (or HRod) at that time.  The wild card is CMW.  If they pull the plug on him, then that frees up a slot to keep HRod.

[Tyler Durden]

Shouldn't you be posting in the "new members introduce yourself" thread? 

Davey (and Bos) have talked about how Davey likes having a Bullpen A and Bullpen B set up.  Assuming the bullpen settles down to some sort of combo of Storen, Clippard, Burnett, and 4 of Gorzo, Gonzo, Stammen, HRod, Mattheus,  and WangDet, you could maybe see nights where Clippard or Storen are skipped in the 8th and will finish games the next day.

On a slightly different subject, looking at that roster, I'm thinking HRod may get traded for prospects to a team like Colorado that needs bullpen depth and is not contending.  He first has to show he's healthy.  In the interim, Mattheus gets sent down if HRod isn't traded this week.  An HRod trade has to happen before Storen is activated, because he will likely replace Mattheus (or HRod) at that time.  The wild card is CMW.  If they pull the plug on him, then that frees up a slot to keep HRod.

I'll believe it when I see it.  They seem committed to trying to 'fix' HRod so he doesn't end up a good closer for another team like Hanrahan.

They stuck with Mock for a long time before giving up on him and Mock was older and his stuff wasn't as good as HRod's.