2019 Bullpen

[Bloo]

The trade deadline has passed, and there's only a single deadline now.  No more August trades.  So only the first part of your sentence matters, albeit only for next year.

Mlbtraderumors listed him as a possible player to be put on waivers, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.

[aspenbubba]

When Scherzer returns Guerra DFA'ed and when Elias returns ,  if ever, Grace is gone? Since September call ups are two weeks away I guess we will see Holland , Barrett , Voth , Borque and McGowin to audition for next year and give the BP some much needed rest.

[Slateman]

When Scherzer returns Guerra DFA'ed and when Elias returns ,  if ever, Grace is gone? Since September call ups are two weeks aeay I guess we will see Holland , Barrett , Voth , Borque and McGowin to audition for next year and give the BP some much needed rest.

I dont see Grace ever getting DFA'd simply because we dont have a lefty specialist.
 
In the WC game, after Scherzer/Strasburg get pulled after 5 innings, who is getting out Schwarber or Rizzo in the 6th? It's not Doolittle, because you're going to need him when they come back around in the 8th. It ain't Elias, because LHH murder him.

[djbaseball13]

I dont see Grace ever getting DFA'd simply because we dont have a lefty specialist.
 
In the WC game, after Scherzer/Strasburg get pulled after 5 innings, who is getting out Schwarber or Rizzo in the 6th? It's not Doolittle, because you're going to need him when they come back around in the 8th. It ain't Elias, because LHH murder him.

Thats why we need to win the division. You have too low expectations young Jedi...

[djbaseball13]

I don't have numbers to substantiate it, but I've seen several Nats games of late where the Nats offense blows opportunities to expand 2, 3, 4 run leads and ultimately Doo has to close it out.  We'll go up 3 or 4 and have a couple guys on and no outs in the 6th and ho hum not push across more.  Seems like no big deal, then the opposing teams chips away a little in the 7 and the 8th and Doo comes in hanging on for dear life. 

We need to step on the throat and have more games coasting late using the likes of Rainey.

Thats true, but the bullpen still stinks. I think Martinez should trust his starters and relievers more. Why can't a reliever pitch 2 or 3 innings once in awhile (not counting a 13 run lead) ? That way, they either gain confidence and reliability, or they don't. But at least he knows who to use in crunch time. The way he runs things now, we never know anything because they don't even get a chance to get their feet wet before the hook. 

[djbaseball13]

Our starters must go 5+ at one of the highest rates ever and it doesn't seem to matter who we put in... who needs one?!?

Actually, there have been a few games this year when he left the starter in too long. (As I've mentioned before) Martinez screws himself by using the pen too much in games where the starter dominates. So, the consequence is that he feels forced to leave in a starter longer to save the bullpen. Why not let the starters dominate when they can, and use the bullpen when the starters struggle?

[Slateman]

Thats why we need to win the division. You have too low expectations young Jedi...

Okay, it's still going to happen in the divisional series

[Baseball is Life]

Why can't a reliever pitch 2 or 3 innings once in awhile

Simply because they are not conditioned to do so.

[spidernat]

Thats true, but the bullpen still stinks. I think Martinez should trust his starters and relievers more. Why can't a reliever pitch 2 or 3 innings once in awhile (not counting a 13 run lead) ? That way, they either gain confidence and reliability, or they don't. But at least he knows who to use in crunch time. The way he runs things now, we never know anything because they don't even get a chance to get their feet wet before the hook. 

  good God!

[Elvir Ovcina]

Mlbtraderumors listed him as a possible player to be put on waivers, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.

In which case the prospect cost is still irrelevant.

[DCFan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/15/sean-doolittles-heavy-workload-could-have-implications-beyond-this-season/?noredirect=on

Doo can opt out if he gets 17 more appearances.

[bluestreak]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/15/sean-doolittles-heavy-workload-could-have-implications-beyond-this-season/?noredirect=on

Doo can opt out if he gets 17 more appearances.

Where ya been?

[DCFan]

Where ya been?

Everything gets beaten to death here and I didn't recall seeing it.

[Natsinpwc]

Everything gets beaten to death here and I didn't recall seeing it.

Figured the MAGA hat slipped over your eyes.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/15/sean-doolittles-heavy-workload-could-have-implications-beyond-this-season/?noredirect=on

Doo can opt out if he gets 17 more appearances.

I think the article says that he has to finish 17 more games to have the mutual option (and opt out right) triggered. I don't thinkit is 17 appearances.

[bluestreak]

I think the article says that he has to finish 17 more games to have the mutual option (and opt out right) triggered. I don't thinkit is 17 appearances.

It’s finishing 17 more games. Which makes the games where you leave him in after he is getting shelled are dumb.

[DCFan]

I think the article says that he has to finish 17 more games to have the mutual option (and opt out right) triggered. I don't thinkit is 17 appearances.

So I put a broad brush on it. When he makes an appearance he usually finishes.

[Baseball is Life]

No way Doo finishes 17 more games. Irrelevant.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

No way Doo finishes 17 more games. Irrelevant.

42 games left.  Right now, he has 27 saves out of our 65 wins.  That's ~42% of our wins.  If we go 28-14 over that stretch, he saves say 50%, blows 2, and finishes one non-save, then that's 17 games finished.  Unlikely, but possible.

For comparison, in 2014, we were 67-53 after 120 games. We went 29-13 over the last 42

[nfotiu]

So, the Cubs went for it and committed multi year to Kimbrel and he's sucked and been hurt so far.  Braves went for it with Melancon and Greene and they've both sucked.  The guys we got for not much have been decent when not running the bases!   

I was pretty ok with Rizzo's moves and the time and am pretty ok with them now.   It just doesn't make any sense to commit any kind of long term money or give up any decent prospects for bullpen guys.  They are ridiculously unpredictable and not worth the gamble.

The only knock is that we needed at least one of those guys a little earlier in the season when our bullpen was a disaster. 

[UMDNats]

Besides not giving up much of note for any of the new bullpen arms, the best thing about the guys Rizzo got is that Elias and Strickland and under team control next year and represent, at the very worst, immediate upgrades to the Matt Grace & Javy Guerras/Justin Millers/etc of the world.

[GburgNatsFan]

Waiting until mid-season to find out how well a reliever is going to do this year seems to be a strategy.

So, the Cubs went for it and committed multi year to Kimbrel and he's sucked and been hurt so far.  Braves went for it with Melancon and Greene and they've both sucked.  The guys we got for not much have been decent when not running the bases!   

I was pretty ok with Rizzo's moves and the time and am pretty ok with them now.   It just doesn't make any sense to commit any kind of long term money or give up any decent prospects for bullpen guys.  They are ridiculously unpredictable and not worth the gamble.

The only knock is that we needed at least one of those guys a little earlier in the season when our bullpen was a disaster.

[djbaseball13]

So, the Cubs went for it and committed multi year to Kimbrel and he's sucked and been hurt so far.  Braves went for it with Melancon and Greene and they've both sucked.  The guys we got for not much have been decent when not running the bases!   

I was pretty ok with Rizzo's moves and the time and am pretty ok with them now.   It just doesn't make any sense to commit any kind of long term money or give up any decent prospects for bullpen guys.  They are ridiculously unpredictable and not worth the gamble.

The only knock is that we needed at least one of those guys a little earlier in the season when our bullpen was a disaster.

Well it hasn't been that great lately. Don't we have good pitching prospects?

[DCFan]

No way Doo finishes 17 more games. Irrelevant.

16

[Slateman]

No way we win this game even a month ago