Bullpen 2024 - Maybe this time it really will be a strength?

[Slateman]

He trusted Law yesterday and didn’t work.  At some point you have to use the other dudes.

I dont think he had a choice. Harvey and Finnegan had been used heavily, so he wanted Weems and Floro for the 8th and 9th.

Rainey is throwing BP fastballs and Barnes is trying to use shadows and mirrors. He was damned if he does and damed if he doesnt.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Barnes on shadows and mirrors is fine with a  5 run lead. Law on fumes isn't. Dude has never been an impact reliever. No need to place him on an altar (exception if it is for a sacrifice).

[Natsinpwc]

I dont think he had a choice. Harvey and Finnegan had been used heavily, so he wanted Weems and Floro for the 8th and 9th.

Rainey is throwing BP fastballs and Barnes is trying to use shadows and mirrors. He was damned if he does and damed if he doesnt.

They need to get fewer leads then. 

[varoadking]

They need to get fewer leads then.

dave says "Hold my beer."

[Slateman]

Rainey hit 95. So thats something

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Rainey hit 95. So thats something

and two effective outings from Floro and Barnes back to back on Sunday and Monday. They are arms #6 & #7 in the pen, so that's fine. Having usable guys in slots ##6-8 is a plus.

[imref]

Law's pitching wasn't terrible yesterday.

Fielding is another matter.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Back end worked as it is set up to do to finish out the LA shutout - Garcia to Harvey to Finnegan. Holds and saves spread around. Day off so plenty of rest before the Astros series.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Baumann is up  with a profile on Harvey:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/huntering-the-most-dangerous-game/

After discussing his rough first appearance where he was bailed out with a win, Baumann continues:

And perhaps as a token of gratitude, Harvey has been basically untouchable since. In his past nine outings, totaling 10 innings, Harvey has struck out 17 batters, walked none, and allowed just a solitary run. He’s recorded holds in seven of those appearances and a positive WPA in all nine. His FIP in that span is below zero.

Far out.

Or not far out, actually. In his second appearance of 2024, Jeimer Candelario hit a ball to the gap that was within about a foot either way of being a home run or an out; it split the difference and bounced off Lane Thomas’ glove for a double. That’s the longest batted ball Harvey has allowed all year — nothing else has had an estimated distance of more than 303 feet.

That 303' kind of blows me away, as does 17 Ks no BBs. One more paragraph but go read the whole thing. So how is Harvey putting together that 17 Ks and 0 BBs?

To summarize: Harvey is working in the zone more than 98% of pitchers in the league. That goes a long way toward explaining how this guy hasn’t walked anyone in more than three weeks. Again, that usually comes with the tradeoff of getting hit harder, but Harvey is getting away with it because he’s missing more bats in the strike zone than 98% of the pitchers in the league.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

One thing Baumann observes is Harvey has increased the use of his splitter and decreased the use of his breaking balls so far, even though his slider was his 2nd best pitch last year.