Has the bullpen turned the corner?

Tuesday, April 29 2003 @ 01:13 AM EDT

Contributed by: robertdudek

The performance of the Jays bullpen has improved a bit in recent games: instead of collectively blowing games every time they had a late lead, they have managed to provide effective innings to keep the Jays in the game more frequently.

Here are some bullpen numbers through game 26:

pitcher .. App  IP   BF  W IW  K  H/BIP net  BF/App Wrate Krate
Tam ........ 13 12.7  71 12 4   8  .373 -2.3  5.46   .119  .119
Politte .... 13 11.0  52  6 2  10  .324 +0.2  4.00   .080  .200
Escobar .... 10  8.3  48  4 1  10  .485 -5.2  4.80   .064  .213
Lopez ...... 12  9.3  45  6 2  12  .333 -0.1  3.75   .098  .279
Creek ...... 13  8.0  41  7 1   7  .250 +1.9  3.15   .154  .175
Miller ..... 14  7.0  37  4 1   9  .476 -3.1  2.64   .088  .250
Kershner ...  4  5.0  23  1 0   2  .263 +1.2  5.75   .043  .087
Linton .....  7  9.0  35  4 0   7  .227 +2.2  5.00   .114  .200
Walker .....  4  6.3  26  3 1   0  .091 +5.2  6.50   .080  .000
Team ...... 90 76.7 378 47 12  65  .328 ....  4.20   .097  .178

Since Pete Walker was moved to the starting rotation, the closest thing to a long reliever on the club has been Jeff Tam. A true long reliever should have a BF/appearance near 7, but Tam has been used a few too many times to try to get situational outs. Among the lefties, Miller and Creek have been used primarily as LOOGIES but it doesn't look as if Kershner will follow suit.

The "net" category is the difference between actual hits on balls in play and the team bullpen average. Kelvim Escobar has been extremely bad/unlucky so far at preventing hits on balls in play. A lot of them seem to go back up the middle and Kelvim, ever the "disciplined" pitcher, likes to wave at them as they pass by. Perhaps the middle infielders should start cheating up the middle to help him out.

Tam's walk and strikeout rates have been returning to his career norms. Aquilino's high strikeout rate bodes well for his future. Trever Miller has put up a good K/W rate while also allowing an inordinate number of hits in play. Carlos Tosca has had his relievers issue a league leading 12 intentional walks (Texas is second with 7), which has put further pressure on the shaky defence to come up with double plays and render those walks harmless. The Jays have now passed the Red Sox bullpen to sit 13th in the league in ERA at 5.52. Cleveland, at 4.73 sits in 12th.

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