2023 Season | Series #30 | Guardians @ Rangers | July 14-16, 2023

[KilgoreTrout]

The bullpen gave up 14 earned runs in 8 innings in this series. They came in leading the majors in bullpen ERA while the Rangers were 25th. I figured if it came down to the bullpens we can win. Not so much.

The Rangers bullpen gave up 2 earned runs in 10.2 innings. The Guardians' bullpen blew two leads; a 5-2 lead after 7 innings and a 4-3 lead after six innings.

The Guardians could have won this series 2-1 with a little help from the bullpen.

I find it hard to believe that the G’s bullpen had the lowest ERA in the league, coming in. They had ALREADY blown about 10 games.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

There are too many things wrong with this team to even attempt to list them all. Instead I’ll list the things that are right.


Someone help me, there must be SOMETHING going right?

We’ve got some good young starters.

 

[Benway]

Our relief pitching W/L record is now 24-19. (CIN leads MLB at 30-16.) We are near the MLB lead with 19 BS.
The one RP category in which we lead MLB is "Average Leverage Index", which means the highest pressure on relief pitchers upon entering a game. (There is no solid correlation between this stat and overall record.)

 

[CBBI]

Last season the Guardians bullpen had 7 blown saves and 19 losses for the entire season.

It’s only July 16th this season and the Guardians have 17 blown saves and have been tagged with 19 losses.

 

[Gson]

I find it hard to believe that the G’s bullpen had the lowest ERA in the league, coming in. They had ALREADY blown about 10 games.

ERA is, perhaps, the sixth most important stat for a bullpen.. at best.. Can you name the five in front of ERA???

Here's a hint: Inherited Runners Allowed to Score is one & it doesn't show up on the Bullpen/RP's ERA....

 

[CBBI]

Clase - 1.36 ERA last year to 3.38 ERA this year
Stephan - 2.69 ERA last year to 3.43 ERA this year
Karinchak - 2.08 ERA last year to 3.90 ERA this year
Hentges - 2.32 ERA last year to 5.25 ERA this year

 

[CBBI]

ERA is, perhaps, the sixth most important stat for a bullpen.. at best.. Can you name the five in front of ERA???

Here's a hint: Inherited Runners Allowed to Score is one & it doesn't show up on the Bullpen/RP's ERA....

This is true *and* the Guardians four primary bullpen guys from last year are all significantly worse than last year from an ERA perspective as well.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

There are too many things wrong with this team to even attempt to list them all. Instead I’ll list the things that are right.


Someone help me, there must be SOMETHING going right?

Josh Naylor. Civale is actually healthy (knock on wood). Gimenez is doing a great job with the glove (not so much the bat).

Williams and Bibee.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Clase - 1.36 ERA last year to 3.38 ERA this year
Stephan - 2.69 ERA last year to 3.43 ERA this year
Karinchak - 2.08 ERA last year to 3.90 ERA this year
Hentges - 2.32 ERA last year to 5.25 ERA this year

Hentges is especially disappointing after the way he finished last season. And Karinchak pitched himself right back to the minor leagues. Clase has already blown more saves before the break than he did all last year.

 

[KluberSociety]

WPA is the most important stat for a bullpen, because it takes into account how and when they were used, and if there were runners on base, etc. The Guardians are going to be at effectively 0 WPA after today (0.69-.0.64 = 0.05)

Last year they had 10.41. So yeah we're on pace for the bullpen to be about 10 games less productive than last year...

 

[sportscoach]

Didn't I say we needed to get a veteran Setup man....

 

[CBBI]

I find it hard to believe that the G’s bullpen had the lowest ERA in the league, coming in. They had ALREADY blown about 10 games.

The Guardians pen has been very good this season in low leverage situations.

Curry, Morgan and Sandlin all have good ERAs and none of them have really pitched in high leverage spots at any point the entire season.

Curry has thrown multiple scoreless innings like six different time in pure mop up duty, ya know?

 

[Benway]

Here's a hint: Inherited Runners Allowed to Score is one & it doesn't show up on the Bullpen/RP's ERA....

Believe it or not, Cleveland is a solid MLB best in this stat this year. 22 inherited runners have scored.
The Yankees have allowed 60. (Well, more than that after today.)

 

[Stark]

Rosario blows and Stephan has entered the “unreliable” tier.

 

[sportscoach]

I still think we are lacking a veteran arm out there... We lost our bullpen coach and we lost our only veteran arm out there and our next experienced guy went to the minors already in Karinchak...

It's honestly not an issue with the talent side, I would 100% bet its way more the mental side probably...