Sox bullpen

[VAfan]

Do we have the best 6-man bullpen in baseball right now? Here are some comparisons for 3 top AL teams.

 

White Sox

NAME G GS W L Sv Hld IP H ER HR BB SO K/9 P/GS WHIP ERA

Cliff Politte 39 0 6 0 1 10 39.2 20 7 2 11 38 8.62 0.0 0.78 1.59

D. Hermanson 35 0 0 2 22 5 37.0 31 8 3 12 19 4.62 0.0 1.16 1.95

Neal Cotts 40 0 2 0 0 6 40.1 26 11 1 17 42 9.37 0.0 1.07 2.45

Damaso Marte 38 0 3 3 3 11 28.1 27 8 3 19 33 10.48 0.0 1.62 2.54

Luis Vizcaino 37 0 4 4 0 3 46.0 51 21 6 20 26 5.09 0.0 1.54 4.11

Bobby Jenks 4 0 0 0 0 0 4.1 6 3 0 3 9 18.69 0.0 2.08 6.23

 

Twins

NAME G GS W L Sv Hld IP H ER HR BB SO K/9 P/GS WHIP ERA

J.C. Romero 44 0 2 2 0 9 37.2 30 9 3 25 33 7.88 0.0 1.46 2.15

Jesse Crain 46 0 9 1 1 8 45.1 32 11 3 15 16 3.18 0.0 1.04 2.18

Juan Rincon 43 0 4 3 0 16 44.1 32 12 2 16 50 10.15 0.0 1.08 2.44

Joe Nathan 42 0 2 3 26 0 41.1 32 15 3 17 52 11.32 0.0 1.19 3.27

Matt Guerrier 23 0 0 1 0 0 35.2 34 14 3 12 22 5.55 0.0 1.29 3.53

T. Mulholland 31 0 0 2 0 3 39.1 46 24 5 11 9 2.06 0.0 1.45 5.49

 

Angels

NAME G GS W L Sv Hld IP H ER HR BB SO K/9 P/GS WHIP ERA

F. Rodriguez 35 0 2 1 23 0 38.2 21 8 3 14 54 12.57 0.0 0.91 1.86

Scot Shields 48 0 6 5 7 21 60.1 38 15 3 24 68 10.14 0.0 1.03 2.24

B. Donnelly 38 0 6 2 0 10 42.0 32 15 5 10 35 7.50 0.0 1.00 3.21

Esteban Yan 29 0 0 1 0 0 39.2 37 17 4 20 27 6.13 0.0 1.44 3.86

Jake Woods 27 0 1 1 0 2 27.2 28 12 6 8 20 6.51 0.0 1.30 3.90

Joel Peralta 17 0 1 0 0 0 21.0 16 10 4 8 23 9.86 0.0 1.14 4.29

 

I wouldn't swap our pen for either of theirs, especially since I think Jenks is going to be a future closer.

 

Anyone want to offer up a better 6-deep bullpen?

[Balance]

I would put our bullpen against anyone in baseball.

[rangercal]

I think most people would trade bullpens with the Angels.

[knightni]

I'd replace Viz with Miguel Batista, then we have the best in the majors.

[VAfan]

I think  most people would trade bullpens with the Angels.

 

Why? They have no lefties, and we saw what happened to Scott Shields when they tried to use him as the man. Plus, Rodriguez is too in love with his curve. He's not going to last.

 

I'll take a core of Politte, Cotts, and Jenks for the next 5 years.

[DBAHO]

I think  most people would trade bullpens with the Angels.

Not the back end of the Angels pen however. Behind Donnelly, K-Rod and Shields, they're just not that great.

[rangercal]

Why?  They have no lefties, and we saw what happened to Scott Shields when they tried to use him as the man.  Plus, Rodriguez is too in love with his curve.  He's not going to last.

 

I'll take a core of Politte, Cotts, and Jenks for the next 5 years.

I didn't realize they were without a lefty. I'm sure if it were that big a deal they have the resources to call one up or trade for one.

 

With your shields argument... Just because he is not closer material does not mean he is not a damn good pitcher. He has a 2.20 era. He is more proven then Politte and Cotts. Who ,on the sox, besides Hermanson; has the stuff and closer mentality to be "the man" ? Quite frankly, I am not all that comfortable with hermanson out there anyway. I'm not the only one. Hence, all the trade for a closer talk.

 

I don't know what you are watching. If I were a gm building a team and I had a chance at any closer. I pick Francisco Rodriguez. How can you say he won't last?

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the potential in Jenks, the turn-around in Politte and the consistent improvement with Cotts. I just don't think at this point all 3 together have the same value of Francisco Rodriguez.

[rangercal]

Not the back end of the Angels pen however. Behind Donnelly, K-Rod and Shields, they're just not that great.

That back end, to me, is just amazing. I would take those 3 and build off of that over our bullpen. It is not a discredit to our bullpen either.

[SnB]

Our bullpen ranks in the top 5 or so i'd say. Still missing somone that is completely reliable. Hermanson is still a little shaky to be a closer.

[DBAHO]

I didn't realize they were without a lefty. I'm sure if it were that big a deal they have the resources to call one up or trade for one.

 

With your shields argument... Just because he is not closer material does not mean he is not a damn good pitcher. He has a 2.20 era.  He is more proven then Politte and Cotts.  Who ,on the sox, besides Hermanson; has the stuff and closer mentality to be "the man"  ?  Quite frankly, I am not all that comfortable with hermanson out there anyway. I'm not the only one. Hence, all the trade for a closer talk.

 

I don't know what you are watching.  If I were a gm building a team and I had a chance at any closer. I pick Francisco Rodriguez.  How can you say he won't last?

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the potential in Jenks, the turn-around in Politte and the consistent improvement with Cotts.  I just don't think at this point all 3 together have the same value of Francisco Rodriguez.

Shields has pitched over 170 innings in a season and a half as a reliever, not a good sign for the health of his arm, although from all reports it's one that can take that amount of work.

 

Yes I would take K-Rod over any 3 of those relievers, but you have to get to him first. You can't use Donnelly or Shields every night. The Angels had to Esteban Yan tonight in the 7th or 8th, what happens? Giambi hits a 2 run homer so they have to bring in Shields to set - up K-Rod. Then of course there's the likes of Kelly Gregg (he of the wonderful ERA).

[DBAHO]

That back end, to me, is just amazing. I would take those 3 and build off of that over our bullpen. It is not a discredit to our bullpen either.

You need a good rotation for that to be effective however. As Jason told me over in Anaheim, the Angels starters have pitched way over their heads this season. Unless your starters can consistently give you 6 good innings of work, then you have to go to the likes of Yan and Gregg, who just aren't that good at keeping you in the ballgame.

[rangercal]

You need a good rotation for that to be effective however. As Jason told me over in Anaheim, the Angels starters have pitched way over their heads this season. Unless your starters can consistently give you 6 good innings of work, then you have to go to the likes of Yan and Gregg, who just aren't that good at keeping you in the ballgame.

I understand that. I think it is a lot more difficult to find a young closer the calibur of Rodriguez, then it is to fill out the front end of the pen with decent arms.

[DBAHO]

I understand that.  I think it is a lot more difficult to find a young closer the calibur of Rodriguez, then it is to fill out the front end of the pen with decent arms.

Well Francisco Rodriguez was basically Bobby Jenks a few seasons ago, so this time next year that may not be such of a problem for us, if all goes well for Mr. Jenks. And of course don't forget all of the problems we've had with the likes of Mike Jackson, Rick White etc. over the past few seasons.

[rangercal]

Well Francisco Rodriguez was basically Bobby Jenks a few seasons ago, so this time next year that may not be such of a problem for us, if all goes well for Mr. Jenks. And of course don't forget all of the problems we've had with the likes of Mike Jackson, Rick White etc. over the past few seasons.

I can only hope Jenks blossoms into a pitcher like Krod. I am not saying he can't. He needs to obviously take control of his wicked stuff.