Post by MizzouTiger on Feb 9, 2008 13:21:57 GMT -5
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Around the Horn: Bullpen
Royals bullpen sets up to be a strength heading into season
By thingy Kaegel / MLB
The following is the sixth in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each Wednesday until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: Bullpen.
In many respects, the bullpen was the best part of the Royals' game last year. Does pitching coach Bob McClure believe that the 2008 version could be as good or even better?
"Yeah, I really do," McClure said.
In a welcome change, the sight of the bullpen gate swinging open last year did not prompt despair, hopelessness and a groan of "Oh, no, here we go again." The Royals went from being ranked dead last to sixth among American League relief corps.
As in almost every bullpen, the cast changed throughout the season and the winter, but some of the most successful characters are still on the playbill.
Joakim Soria, the Rule 5 Draft steal from the Padres, stepped in brilliantly for Octavio Dotel, who was first injured and later traded. Soria saved 17 games in 21 chances as a rookie and is looked upon as the full-time closer this year. There's been scant consideration given of switching him to a starter.
"We haven't even discussed that because we all like him as a closer so much," manager Trey Hillman said. "If we were really serious about doing that, we'd have been more aggressive about going after someone to fill that closing role."
Soria, 23, throws hard, throws strikes, doesn't rattle and is supremely confident -- fine attributes for a closer. Nice stats, too: .187 opponents average, 2.48 ERA, 75 strikeouts in 69 innings.
The setup roles could go to two new arrivals -- right-hander Yasuhito Yabuta and left-hander Ron Mahay. Yabuta replaces arguably the bullpen's biggest loss, David Riske, who skipped to the Brewers.
Yabuta set up for Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines the last four years and he's 34 entering his first U.S. season. He also has some experience as a closer.
"If he shows 'solid progress' in that setup role -- the seventh-, eighth-inning role -- I wouldn't hesitate to use him in a backup closer situation," Hillman said.
Mahay could set up from the left side, but then, too, so could Jimmy Gobble. Last year, Gobble often functioned in lefty vs. lefty situations, but Mahay is also tough on lefties (.189 last season).
"We've got to get to Spring Training and see who's better," McClure said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jimmy doesn't come into camp full of confidence trying to win that setup role. I hope that's the way he's thinking."
Hillman wants his pitchers to be flexible, so it's possible that Gobble and Mahay could alternate between the lefty-specialist and setup roles. In addition, John Bale could be in the left-handed picture if he is unable to win a spot in the starting rotation. And Neal Musser is another hard-throwing lefty option.
"The perfect-case scenario would be to have a left-hander in the rotation, or two, and have two or three in the bullpen," McClure said.
On the right-handed side, Joel Peralta is often overlooked, a common fate among middle-inning workhorses. Peralta worked 87 2/3 innings, second most among American League relievers, and had a 66-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He's reliable and gritty.
"I don't overlook him," McClure said. "In my opinion, Joel is as valuable as anybody in that 'pen -- except he's not getting the saves. He pitches in the middle of the game, toward the end of the game. He pitches a lot. Joel's been a godsend. I don't think there's a club that wouldn't like to have Joel Peralta."
With Zack Greinke, a bullpen revelation last year moving to the rotation, the Royals would like to install another right-handed power arm in the bullpen.
That could be Brett Tomko, although for now he's seen as the No. 4 starter. Or, just maybe, it could be Chin-hui Tsao, a non-roster pitcher who was under McClure's tutelage in the Rockies system before undergoing shoulder surgery in 2005.
"Tsao is a sleeper," McClure said. "I had him in A-ball and Triple-A, and I've seen him be real good. Now, obviously, he's been fighting injuries for the last couple of years. He could be a strikeout guy, and that'd be nice to have. You come in with the bases loaded and one out in a 3-2 game, you don't want a fly ball. You'd like to have a punchout guy."
Other righties in the bullpen mix include Leo Nunez and Brandon Duckworth, both of whom have relieved and started in the Majors.
"I think Noonie is like Duck -- one of those swing guys," McClure said. "From what I saw at the end of last year, I have no qualms about starting Nunez if someone needs an extra day. I wouldn't even blink."
Duckworth began last season in the rotation and was shifted to the bullpen, where he did well until injured in June. Nunez made six second-half starts for the Royals, then finished the season in the 'pen.
Ryan Braun, sharp last season for Omaha but on-and-off for KC, is back. Kyle Davies will be in the rotation race but, beyond that, could shift over to relief. Roman Colon, acquired last year from the Tigers, and Roberto Giron, solid for Omaha in 2007, are among the non-roster candidates.
Here's another intriguing possibility: Hideo Nomo, the former Dodgers sensation who is trying a comeback from elbow surgery. He'll be looked at as a starter but ...
"If the arm comes back, his major out pitch was the split -- the best split in the United States of America for many years," Hillman said. "If there's even a majority fraction percentage of that pitch being the same as it was when he won all those games for the Dodgers as a starter, then you've got something that's useful in the bullpen."
thingy Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Around the Horn: Bullpen
Royals bullpen sets up to be a strength heading into season
By thingy Kaegel / MLB
The following is the sixth in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each Wednesday until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: Bullpen.
In many respects, the bullpen was the best part of the Royals' game last year. Does pitching coach Bob McClure believe that the 2008 version could be as good or even better?
"Yeah, I really do," McClure said.
In a welcome change, the sight of the bullpen gate swinging open last year did not prompt despair, hopelessness and a groan of "Oh, no, here we go again." The Royals went from being ranked dead last to sixth among American League relief corps.
As in almost every bullpen, the cast changed throughout the season and the winter, but some of the most successful characters are still on the playbill.
Joakim Soria, the Rule 5 Draft steal from the Padres, stepped in brilliantly for Octavio Dotel, who was first injured and later traded. Soria saved 17 games in 21 chances as a rookie and is looked upon as the full-time closer this year. There's been scant consideration given of switching him to a starter.
"We haven't even discussed that because we all like him as a closer so much," manager Trey Hillman said. "If we were really serious about doing that, we'd have been more aggressive about going after someone to fill that closing role."
Soria, 23, throws hard, throws strikes, doesn't rattle and is supremely confident -- fine attributes for a closer. Nice stats, too: .187 opponents average, 2.48 ERA, 75 strikeouts in 69 innings.
The setup roles could go to two new arrivals -- right-hander Yasuhito Yabuta and left-hander Ron Mahay. Yabuta replaces arguably the bullpen's biggest loss, David Riske, who skipped to the Brewers.
Yabuta set up for Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines the last four years and he's 34 entering his first U.S. season. He also has some experience as a closer.
"If he shows 'solid progress' in that setup role -- the seventh-, eighth-inning role -- I wouldn't hesitate to use him in a backup closer situation," Hillman said.
Mahay could set up from the left side, but then, too, so could Jimmy Gobble. Last year, Gobble often functioned in lefty vs. lefty situations, but Mahay is also tough on lefties (.189 last season).
"We've got to get to Spring Training and see who's better," McClure said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jimmy doesn't come into camp full of confidence trying to win that setup role. I hope that's the way he's thinking."
Hillman wants his pitchers to be flexible, so it's possible that Gobble and Mahay could alternate between the lefty-specialist and setup roles. In addition, John Bale could be in the left-handed picture if he is unable to win a spot in the starting rotation. And Neal Musser is another hard-throwing lefty option.
"The perfect-case scenario would be to have a left-hander in the rotation, or two, and have two or three in the bullpen," McClure said.
On the right-handed side, Joel Peralta is often overlooked, a common fate among middle-inning workhorses. Peralta worked 87 2/3 innings, second most among American League relievers, and had a 66-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He's reliable and gritty.
"I don't overlook him," McClure said. "In my opinion, Joel is as valuable as anybody in that 'pen -- except he's not getting the saves. He pitches in the middle of the game, toward the end of the game. He pitches a lot. Joel's been a godsend. I don't think there's a club that wouldn't like to have Joel Peralta."
With Zack Greinke, a bullpen revelation last year moving to the rotation, the Royals would like to install another right-handed power arm in the bullpen.
That could be Brett Tomko, although for now he's seen as the No. 4 starter. Or, just maybe, it could be Chin-hui Tsao, a non-roster pitcher who was under McClure's tutelage in the Rockies system before undergoing shoulder surgery in 2005.
"Tsao is a sleeper," McClure said. "I had him in A-ball and Triple-A, and I've seen him be real good. Now, obviously, he's been fighting injuries for the last couple of years. He could be a strikeout guy, and that'd be nice to have. You come in with the bases loaded and one out in a 3-2 game, you don't want a fly ball. You'd like to have a punchout guy."
Other righties in the bullpen mix include Leo Nunez and Brandon Duckworth, both of whom have relieved and started in the Majors.
"I think Noonie is like Duck -- one of those swing guys," McClure said. "From what I saw at the end of last year, I have no qualms about starting Nunez if someone needs an extra day. I wouldn't even blink."
Duckworth began last season in the rotation and was shifted to the bullpen, where he did well until injured in June. Nunez made six second-half starts for the Royals, then finished the season in the 'pen.
Ryan Braun, sharp last season for Omaha but on-and-off for KC, is back. Kyle Davies will be in the rotation race but, beyond that, could shift over to relief. Roman Colon, acquired last year from the Tigers, and Roberto Giron, solid for Omaha in 2007, are among the non-roster candidates.
Here's another intriguing possibility: Hideo Nomo, the former Dodgers sensation who is trying a comeback from elbow surgery. He'll be looked at as a starter but ...
"If the arm comes back, his major out pitch was the split -- the best split in the United States of America for many years," Hillman said. "If there's even a majority fraction percentage of that pitch being the same as it was when he won all those games for the Dodgers as a starter, then you've got something that's useful in the bullpen."
thingy Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.