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2020 Bullpen Discussion

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Derek

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Had fully intended on posting this along with the others, but I had to start grading tests as they rolled in.

I'm also pretty jazzed about the bullpen. A full season of Karinchak + Clase should really give the pen some juice. I'd add Jefry to the pen full-time -- he was dominant in the first inning of his appearances last season, still dominant (though maybe less so) in the second inning ... and then he seemed to fall off a cliff once batters were seeing him for the second or third time. Hand/Clase/Karinchak/Jefry could really have the makings of a power pen.

Here's the projected bullpen:
Brad Hand
James Karinchak
Emmanuel Clase
Nick Wittgren
Oliver Perez
Adam Cimber
Hunter Wood
Adam Plutko

Also in the mix:
Jefry Rodriguez
James Hoyt
Phil Maton
Nick Sandlin
Jared Robinson
Kyle Nelson
Robert Broom

I'm a big fan of the last four guys on that list. I'm especially big on Kyle Nelson, who has been working as a multi-inning lefty reliever. With the new 3-batter rule, that's valuable as hell.

On a similar note, I don't expect Oliver Perez to last the year.

I am excited about the pen because despite their overall good year last season (fell apart late), a lot of us saw their demise coming due to the lack of great stuff. The additions of Karinchak and Clase help immensely in that regard, although neither is totally proven at the MLB level.
 
Had fully intended on posting this along with the others, but I had to start grading tests as they rolled in.



Here's the projected bullpen:
Brad Hand
James Karinchak
Emmanuel Clase
Nick Wittgren
Oliver Perez
Adam Cimber
Hunter Wood
Adam Plutko

Also in the mix:
Jefry Rodriguez
James Hoyt
Phil Maton
Nick Sandlin
Jared Robinson
Kyle Nelson
Robert Broom

I'm a big fan of the last four guys on that list. I'm especially big on Kyle Nelson, who has been working as a multi-inning lefty reliever. With the new 3-batter rule, that's valuable as hell.

On a similar note, I don't expect Oliver Perez to last the year.

I am excited about the pen because despite their overall good year last season (fell apart late), a lot of us saw their demise coming due to the lack of great stuff. The additions of Karinchak and Clase help immensely in that regard, although neither is totally proven at the MLB level.
Since when was Plutko projected to be in the bullpen?
 
Since when was Plutko projected to be in the bullpen?

The logic here is that Plutko is out of options and the Indians won't want to just DFA him (if/until his performance warrants it), so they'll keep him on the roster.

However, I think it's more likely that one of Civale or Plesac starts the season with Columbus and Plutko is slotted in the rotation
 
Had fully intended on posting this along with the others, but I had to start grading tests as they rolled in.



Here's the projected bullpen:
Brad Hand
James Karinchak
Emmanuel Clase
Nick Wittgren
Oliver Perez
Adam Cimber
Hunter Wood
Adam Plutko

Also in the mix:
Jefry Rodriguez
James Hoyt
Phil Maton
Nick Sandlin
Jared Robinson
Kyle Nelson
Robert Broom

I'm a big fan of the last four guys on that list. I'm especially big on Kyle Nelson, who has been working as a multi-inning lefty reliever. With the new 3-batter rule, that's valuable as hell.

On a similar note, I don't expect Oliver Perez to last the year.

I am excited about the pen because despite their overall good year last season (fell apart late), a lot of us saw their demise coming due to the lack of great stuff. The additions of Karinchak and Clase help immensely in that regard, although neither is totally proven at the MLB level.

I'm big on Kyle Nelson, too. K's a ton and walks far less than Karinchak
 
If Clase and Karinchak can really come on this season, I think our bullpen can be absolutely lights out.

Don't see guys like Perez or Cimber really lasting the season due to the new 3-batter rule, but I'm pretty confident in Hand, Wittgren, Clase, and Karinchak as the top-4. Hopefully somebody like Kyle Nelson, Jefry Rodriguez, or James Hoyt can give us some additional thunder back there.

Carrasco could also be a big add there if he can't handle the wear and tear of starting anymore.
 
Perez has, as recent as 2018, dominated both RHP and LHP during a season, he may be able to stick for the remainder of the season.

I think Cimber is on thin ice.

I've never been impressed with Jefry, don't care how hard he throws, he doesn't miss a lot of bats and walks way too many. To me he is more organizational filler/spot start kind of player.
 
I really hope we trade Hand. He's done on this roster.
 
I really hope we trade Hand. He's done on this roster.

Hand is fine. He was one of the best relievers in all of baseball in the first half last year and only started to fall off in the second half when Tito started overusing the everlasting hell out of him.

Seriously. Go look at the numbers. Hand on 0 days rest wasn't great, but Tito kept running him out there anyways because the rest of our bullpen wasn't very reliable down the stretch. With guys like Wittgren coming back along with Karinchak and Clase getting full seasons, we likely won't need to go to Hand as often and he'll, again, be one of the better back end lefties in all of baseball.

Trading him would be stupid unless we are hellbent on not contending next season, which is obviously not the case.
 
1929 is calling. Your stocks are doing fine.

Maybe whiny, baseless projections just matter more to you.

Doesn't really change what I've said. Getting nothing of value for an asset that you're likely able to do something with isn't very smart.
 
Maybe whine, baseless projections just matter more to you.
Welp, his attitude towards this team seemed to sour more than his performance. Maybe that's me just reading the tea leaves, and the market didn't crash until October. I just guess it's better we get rid of him before he leaves, which would be worse than selling him on a greater downturn than Kluber.
 
Welp, his attitude towards this team seemed to sour more than his performance. Maybe that's me just reading the tea leaves, and the market didn't crash until October. I just guess it's better we get rid of him before he leaves, which would be worse than selling him on a greater downturn than Kluber.

Sounds more like you're just making it up, as most people proclaiming any intel into the "feelings" of players they don't know often do.

In any event, the market for Hand is likely nil after running out of gas late last season, given their financial investment, they'd basically be giving him away for nothing meaningful in return.

The fact they haven't suggests they feel like he's not quite as finished as you baselessly proclaim him to be.

So I'll probably wait and see.
 

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