Phil Hughes

[jimmer]

Hughes has given up 4 or more ER in 6 of 9 games started and has gone less than 6 IP in 6 of 9 starts.

[twins_89]

 

I'll give Hughes some credit, he's clearly not right, hasn't been all year, but found a way to avoid getting pounded every game. The Twins even won 6 of his 9 starts.

But he needs some time to get right.

 

I'd really like to believe that Hughes has some physical issue that is the reason for his poor performance, but I'd say it's more likely that what we see is just the real Phil Hughes at this point. If Hughes can't find a way to get his fastball over 90 anymore he is pretty much done.

[drjim]

I'd really like to believe that Hughes has some physical issue that is the reason for his poor performance, but I'd say it's more likely that what we see is just the real Phil Hughes at this point. If Hughes can't find a way to get his fastball over 90 anymore he is pretty much done.

I'm not sure we can know either way with TOS surgery. He could be cooked, but might have some more recovery ahead of him too.

[twins_89]

 

I'm not sure we can know either way with TOS surgery. He could be cooked, but might have some more recovery ahead of him too.

 

I really hope he is still recovering since he's looked totally cooked this season. It would be nice to get something out of him over the next 2.5 years for all the money they are committed to paying him.

[Riverbrian]

It has been interesting watching the moves made to keep an arm on the mound for each game. 

 

It is going to get even harder because depth was going to be an issue and I don't think that can be avoided. 

 

Overall... I'm happy that the front office seems to have a lack of tolerance for bad performance.

 

They just need more options.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I'll give the front office some credit, they are a little handcuffed with relievers lacking options, but they have managed to finesse the roster to play with a 8 man bullpen while still keeping 13 position players.

Well, the handcuff with relievers lacking options was entirely of the front office's own doing.

 

And, it's only been an 8 man bullpen on paper.  Haley (one of those 8, and lacking options) has only pitched 1 inning the last two weeks.  Another reliever lacking options (Breslow) is a mop-up man apparently capable of only throwing 1 inning per appearance.  Then they have an actual mop-up long reliever (Wilk) as yet another guy lacking options.

 

That's basically 3 roster spots dedicated to what is basically 1 role, which could be covered by 1 reliever (or better yet, a small rotation of relievers) with options.  Heck, they even just added Tepesch and Rucinski to the 40-man roster last month, both with options, and have barely used either.

 

Seems like pretty poor planning to me, especially when there has been a clear need for trusted higher leverage relievers.  At least one of those 3 spots on the 25-man should have been used for evaluating a guy like Burdi already.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I'm not even sure what Hughes' upside looks like anymore.  To get back to even 2015 level effectiveness, he would not only need a reversal in hard-hit percentage, he'd also need to get back to a historically low walk rate.  And even that was only good for a 116 FIP- in 2015, which is pretty much Mike Pelfrey territory.

 

And it's far from clear if he even has stuff capable of "playing up" in the bullpen anymore either.

[drjim]

 

Well, the handcuff with relievers lacking options was entirely of the front office's own doing.

 

And, it's only been an 8 man bullpen on paper.  Haley (one of those 8, and lacking options) has only pitched 1 inning the last two weeks.  Another reliever lacking options (Breslow) is a mop-up man apparently capable of only throwing 1 inning per appearance.  Then they have an actual mop-up long reliever (Wilk) as yet another guy lacking options.

 

That's basically 3 roster spots dedicated to what is basically 1 role, which could be covered by 1 reliever (or better yet, a small rotation of relievers) with options.  Heck, they even just added Tepesch and Rucinski to the 40-man roster last month, both with options, and have barely used either.

 

Seems like pretty poor planning to me, especially when there has been a clear need for trusted higher leverage relievers.  At least one of those 3 spots on the 25-man should have been used for evaluating a guy like Burdi already.

 

The talent level of the free agent signings is on the front office, but not the lack of decent pitchers with options. Good relievers with options are not freely available, only mlb contracts for guys without options, or minor league contracts for marginal guys with options.

[drjim]

Maybe Burdi could be up, I wouldn't be opposed, but it is still relatively early for a guy who didn't pitch last year.

[drjim]

 

I'm not even sure what Hughes' upside looks like anymore.  To get back to even 2015 level effectiveness, he would not only need a reversal in hard-hit percentage, he'd also need to get back to a historically low walk rate.  And even that was only good for a 116 FIP- in 2015, which is pretty much Mike Pelfrey territory.

 

And it's far from clear if he even has stuff capable of "playing up" in the bullpen anymore either.

 

I think he'll end up as a mop up guy, making an occasional start. Or they'll just release him.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

The talent level of the free agent signings is on the front office, but not the lack of decent pitchers with options. Good relievers with options are not freely available, only mlb contracts for guys without options, or minor league contracts for marginal guys with options.

Nobody is criticizing the front office for not getting "good relievers with options" (other than perhaps not calling up in Burdi).  They've stocked the roster with marginal relievers without options, guys hwo aren't appreciably different than, say, Rucinski (with options).  That's a problem.  Like I said, they've used 3 bullpen spots the last 2 weeks, to cover what is basically 1 role.

 

While I'm glad they've been using rainouts and off days to skip starters, they've pretty much wasted any benefit to that strategy by using the spots on Haley, Breslow, and Wilk.

[drjim]

 

Nobody is criticizing the front office for not getting "good relievers with options" (other than perhaps not calling up in Burdi).  They've stocked the roster with marginal relievers without options, guys hwo aren't appreciably different than, say, Rucinski (with options).  That's a problem.  Like I said, they've used 3 bullpen spots the last 2 weeks, to cover what is basically 1 role.

 

While I'm glad they've been using rainouts and off days to skip starters, they've pretty much wasted any benefit to that strategy by using the spots on Haley, Breslow, and Wilk.

 

I agree on Haley, but don't think I'm going to spend much on the difference between stocking the end of the bullpen with Breslow and Wilk vs. Rucinski or Boshers.

 

They have managed it this long, but their hand will soon be forced to clear some of the space in the pen. I do wonder if Haley makes it to September.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Maybe Burdi could be up, I wouldn't be opposed, but it is still relatively early for a guy who didn't pitch last year.

While he was limited to 3 regular season appearances, I don't think it's quite correct to say that Burdi "didn't pitch last year" - he pitched in spring training 2016 and returned in August for bullpen sessions and instructional league.  It's not quite a "ramp-up-from-zero-after-surgery" situation.

 

And Burdi is a reliever, with options. You could always send him back down if necessary, even if it's just to slow his usage without wasting a MLB roster spot.

 

And if Burdi doesn't float your boat quite yet, there are a couple other arms (with options!) for whom a MLB audition could have easily more valuable the past few weeks than carrying 3 optionless mop-up guys on the 25-man roster.  They're not even using the 40-man "depth" they built up in April in any meaningful way (Tepesch and Rucinski, plus the already rostered Boshers).

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I agree on Haley, but don't think I'm going to spend much on the difference between stocking the end of the bullpen with Breslow and Wilk vs. Rucinski or Boshers.

Point is, it is taking up multiple spots where they only need one.

 

Basically, the neglect of the bullpen that started this offseason is continuing in a different form.  A less impactful form, sure, but let's not pretend it doesn't exist, or that the team is doing just fine in their bullpen decision-making outside their offseason FA targets.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I do wonder if Haley makes it to September.

Got to think Haley makes it, at this point.  He only needs ~56 day active the rest of the season, and September is basically a "free" 31 days with expanded rosters.  So 25 days active between now and September, and they could DL him the rest of the time.  (Of course, I would have already milked his first DL stay and used the opportunity to try improving the pen...)

[drjim]

 

Point is, it is taking up multiple spots where they only need one.

 

Basically, the neglect of the bullpen that started this offseason is continuing in a different form.  A less impactful form, sure, but let's not pretend it doesn't exist, or that the team is doing just fine in their bullpen decision-making outside their offseason FA targets.

 

I agree they aimed way low on adding talent in the bullpen for guaranteed contracts. But I don't see any neglect on bullpen management in season.

 

This is all going to sort itself out, it has to. Keeping these no option guys hasn't really blocked anyone (assuming they don't want to move on Burdi yet), so there hasn't been any harm. They are enough of the option mop up guys floating around to move when the time comes.

[gil4]

 

I legitimately thought this was fake at first. I mean, we were talking about Hughes disappearing on the DL with a mysterious injury earlier today...

We need to welcome Derek Falvey to TD, since it looks like he's reading.  We have plenty of other great ideas around here, along with some completely ridiculous ones.  Choose wisely! 

[stringer bell]

The BP solution is pretty easy--DFA Wilk and give Haley those innings. If Haley can't cut it, then Tepesch could fill that role or maybe Tepesch and Ruczinski can kind of alternate.

[TheGiantTeapot]

Hughes to the DL, Gibson called back up. Is it just me, or is there an impending sense of doom drifting this way? Under TR this would've been a death knell for an encouraging season. I really hope Falvine can work some magic...

[drjim]

 

Hughes to the DL, Gibson called back up. Is it just me, or is there an impending sense of doom drifting this way? Under TR this would've been a death knell for an encouraging season. I really hope Falvine can work some magic...

 

I don't know, I feel less of a sense of doom right now than 10 days ago considering the outings by Berrios and Mejia.

 

I'm still stubborn enough to think Gibson has something to offer this year.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Point is, it is taking up multiple spots where they only need one.

 

Basically, the neglect of the bullpen that started this offseason is continuing in a different form. A less impactful form, sure, but let's not pretend it doesn't exist, or that the team is doing just fine in their bullpen decision-making outside their offseason FA targets.

agreed, 3 mop up relievers is nuts. With the short starts, a case could be made for 2 legit long relievers could be made. All these rain outs are hiding how bad the last 3 spots were for a while there.

 

If Mejia can reclaim and prove his worth like his last start, the second long reliever becomes clearly unnecessary