Bullpen in 2025: duck and cover

[imref]

5.91 ERA

TalkNats notes that the combined bullpen salary is just above league average.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

5.91 ERA

TalkNats notes that the combined bullpen salary is just above league average.

counting the dead  money on the released players?

[Slateman]

counting the dead  money on the released players?

I mean, the released players weren't making much. Finnegan is making 6 and Chafin is making 1. Everyone else is making the minimum.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I mean, the released players weren't making much. Finnegan is making 6 and Chafin is making 1. Everyone else is making the minimum.

it has to count the 6 million or so in released players. I don't believe that MLB minimum plus $5+ million is an above-average bullpen. Every team that signed a FA closer is paying more than that, not even counting veteran and arb eligible set up guys..

[IanRubbish]

5.91 ERA

TalkNats notes that the combined bullpen salary is just above league average.

Yup, the released players made $7.5 million plus Derek Law makes $2.75 million. 

Nats bullpen costs more than the Giants, who have the lowest reliever ERA in MLB.

[IanRubbish]

I mean, the released players weren't making much. Finnegan is making 6 and Chafin is making 1. Everyone else is making the minimum.

Sims and Lopez made $3 million each.  Poche was signed to a minor league contract, but upgraded when he made the 40-man.

You also missed Derek Law who's making $2.75 million.  So they started the season with five players making more than minimum.  The Giants have/had two and a 2.99 bullpen ERA.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Ogasawara seems to be adjusting well to the bullpen.  After his 1st appearance as a reliever, he's appeared in 9 games, thrown 11.2 innings, allowed 4 hits, (2 HRs) 3 earned runs, 6 BBs, with 10 Ks.  That is a 2.31 ERA, with a sub 1 WHIP. Most of the bad numbers are from his 2 starts in early July and his 1st relief appearance.

[Smithian]

The bullpen has been... Trending up recently? Still have hideous full year stats but over the past two to three weeks, it is getting better

[Slateman]

The bullpen has been... Trending up recently? Still have hideous full year stats but over the past two to three weeks, it is getting better

Yes, but I wonder how much of it is dumb luck versus actual improvement.

Still, ogasawara seems to have settled in nicely. Beeter and Poulin have surpassed expectations.

[Smithian]

Yes, but I wonder how much of it is dumb luck versus actual improvement.

Still, ogasawara seems to have settled in nicely. Beeter and Poulin have surpassed expectations.

I think different guys getting more comfortable in post-Finnegan roles. Some credit has to go to go to some new acquisitions working out.

I read something how the organization redid bullpen management with Martinez gone, but I have no idea how accurate that is versus trying to take some credit for going from awful to less awful

[welch]

The Nats dropped Poche, Sims, and Lopez, and they sent Salazar to Rochester. Tried Louos and Bryzky, found bothe wanting, and sent them down. And gave Mason Thompson a sort-of tryout, and tossed him back to the minors. They have sifted through enough relievers that this must be the best of a bad bunch. Or the most competent. Mediocre.

[Slateman]

It seems pretty obvious that Cairo is managing every game as if it was a playoff clinching game.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I think different guys getting more comfortable in post-Finnegan roles. Some credit has to go to go to some new acquisitions working out.

I read something how the organization redid bullpen management with Martinez gone, but I have no idea how accurate that is versus trying to take some credit for going from awful to less awful

Seems like Cairo doesn't try to make every middle reliever into a multi-inning guy. Seems to use more guys for one inning. I'm not sure how much it is match ups or changing looks.

[imref]

Now fix the rotation and offense and we're a playoff team.

Nationals Communications:

The Nationals bullpen leads Major League Baseball in opponents' batting average (.152) since August 20.

They also lead the National League with a 2.37 ERA in those 10 games.

[Slateman]

Shin, Beeter, Henry, Poulin, and Ferrer all look promising

[IanRubbish]

Now fix the rotation and offense and we're a playoff team.

Nationals Communications:

10 day sample size is meaningless, but I get why the team is putting out whatever propaganda it can.

[imref]

10 day sample size is meaningless, but I get why the team is putting out whatever propaganda it can.

another good outing today. 6 innings of 1 hit ball, 0BB, 6Ks

[JCA-CrystalCity]

10 day sample size is meaningless, but I get why the team is putting out whatever propaganda it can.

even a month is a small sample for a bullpen. That said, I would be plenty pleased if they could fill the bullpen with 5 or 6 guys we develop or salvage. Even Rutledge is looking better

[IanRubbish]

another good outing today. 6 innings of 1 hit ball, 0BB, 6Ks

Because they came in with a 7 run deficit.  With the starters falling apart, the pen is coming into low stress/low impact situations.  Their numbers would be far worse if they were coming into 3-3 games in the sixth with runners on.   

[Smithian]

Lots of cost controlled arms who will be back. Good start to next year, admitting bullpen arms are random.

[IanRubbish]

even a month is a small sample for a bullpen. That said, I would be plenty pleased if they could fill the bullpen with 5 or 6 guys we develop or salvage. Even Rutledge is looking better

The team has been outscored 41-14 the last six games.  Hard to judge relievers when things are this bad with the rotation.  Last six losses are all by 3 runs or more and team ERA is 6.88 over the last week.  If the bullpen does this when the games are closer, then we can get a little more excited.

[IanRubbish]

Lots of cost controlled arms who will be back. Good start to next year, admitting bullpen arms are random.

Without a new approach that puts more emphasis on efficiency, attacking the zone, and adjusting better to being scouted, doesn’t matter who comes back or comes in.  The starters are all gassed from throwing too many pitches per inning.  It’s not just a talent issue, but a problem of all the starters working too hard to get outs. 

This team has the lowest launch angle in MLB while hitting, while having pitchers like Gore who give up hits with well above average launch angles.  High launch angles mean more foul balls which drives up pitch counts even for a power pitcher.  Low launch angles are a gift to the opposing pitcher and keep his pitch counts down.  Just another symptom of impossibly bad coaching from both Coles and Hickey.

[tomterp]

The team has been outscored 41-14 the last six games.  Hard to judge relievers when things are this bad with the rotation.  Last six losses are all by 3 runs or more and team ERA is 6.88 over the last week.  If the bullpen does this when the games are closer, then we can get a little more excited.

Have you seen data or an article(s) comparing pitching success in low stress vs high stress situations?  Not just with the Nats but with all of baseball, ought to be plenty of data to see, right?

[Slateman]

Lots of cost controlled arms who will be back. Good start to next year, admitting bullpen arms are random.

Yep. This is promising

[IanRubbish]

Have you seen data or an article(s) comparing pitching success in low stress vs high stress situations?  Not just with the Nats but with all of baseball, ought to be plenty of data to see, right?

When the overall team ERA is 6.88, you don’t need an article.   Clearly they’re coming into easy situations where the team is already down 5-10 runs. Beeter, Ogasawara, and Ribalta all have season ERAs over 5.50, do you really think they magically found their stuff today in a game that was basically over and Nats batters walked just twice while striking out 16 times?