Any chance any of these guys or Lance Broadway or Gio Gonzalez get called up to try and contribute to the bullpen? I'd rather see a young player with a good arm get a chance to help the team rather than a Quadruple-A player (like Bret Prinz) or a 26 year old from AA (like Dewon Day). I know KW doesn't like to "mortgage the future" but this team is looking old and it seems like the best shot at the future is now. None of them are going to be used as a starter in the big leagues this year anyway, so they can transition back to starting in the offseason or something. It really seems like KW's been much less creative in maneuvering the roster than in the past and it's pretty frustrating to watch the garbage the bullpen has been throwing out there recently (and now we probably won't see Thornton for a couple days because he threw two innings today).

Gavin or Charlie, maybe. But I doubt anyone else.

Charlies has been flatout awful all year.

 

Gavin ain't got it.

 

keep looking.

Isn't Floyd hurt? Or is he back.

 

I liked Russell in the spring. Big guy. He is a guy who won't get a chance to start at the Major League level with us. Could be an option.

Cheer up everybody

 

heath phillips allowed 10 runs in 2 2/3 tonight.

 

five bombs -- two by Josh Hamilton.

 

we're doomed

lol heath phillips

No, No, No. None of them. Terrible idea for all of them. If Floyd can't kick it as a starter give him a shot as a reliever next year maybe, maybe if Haeger ever finds a groove and has a good month we can talk, but not even close right now.

Should have traded Haeger during the offseason, as teams were actually interested in him.

Should have traded Haeger during the offseason, as teams were actually interested in him.

 

Nah, my money's on Haeger getting back on track. Knuckleballers can go through some awful stretches. Wakefield has had some brutal years, but he's a valuable guy.

I'm beginning to think that Eggy could out-perform Masset in the long-man/6th starter role.

I'm beginning to think that Eggy could out-perform Masset in the long-man/6th starter role.

 

That'd be more of a Gavin Floyd role, wouldn't it?

I don't like a knuckleball late and with men on base. And I'm a huge Wilbur Wood fan so it isn't like I never like aq knuckleball, just not in the 8th in a 2 run game.

I wouldn't mind seeing Broadway in the pen right now, he's a two pitch pitcher and I could see him having success.

That'd be more of a Gavin Floyd role, wouldn't it?

Nah, I think Floyd will take over the role of walking in the winning run, or giving up game-breaking grand slams.

Should have traded Haeger during the offseason, as teams were actually interested in him.

Couldn't agree more. I'll let someone else deal with finishing that project. I'm just not a fan of knuckle ball pitchers because they have a lot of things going against them (especially the slow deliver that turns any baserunner into an instant double).

I wouldn't mind seeing Broadway in the pen right now, he's a two pitch pitcher and I could see him having success.

Neither would the rest of the American League

Nah, my money's on Haeger getting back on track. Knuckleballers can go through some awful stretches. Wakefield has had some brutal years, but he's a valuable guy.

 

I've never been a big fan of Haeger. He walks way too many guys for my liking.

I wouldn't mind seeing Broadway in the pen right now, he's a two pitch pitcher and I could see him having success.

FB, improving 2 Seamer (reports i've read/heard indicate he's made a lot of progress with it as of late), solid Changeup, and a pretty damn good curve.

Couldn't agree more. I'll let someone else deal with finishing that project. I'm just not a fan of knuckle ball pitchers because they have a lot of things going against them (especially the slow deliver that turns any baserunner into an instant double).

 

thats not always true, it depends on who the back stop is, i remember Stewart gunned down Sizemore twice last season with chuck on the mound.

 

Chuck will get it together again, i've got faith in him. he doesn't seem like someone to walk away from a challenge.

Trade them all before teams find out we cannot draft. Not one player in our system is a blue chip player. When we get younger it will be because we trade people from our major league roster for other peoples prospects. It will not be to pave way for our own.

Trade them all before teams find out we cannot draft. Not one player in our system is a blue chip player. When we get younger it will be because we trade people from our major league roster for other peoples prospects. It will not be to pave way for our own.

 

'In the offseason, we always focus on the bullpen first because starters wait for the market to play out and relievers sign a little quicker,'' he said. ''I like strike-throwers. I'm not a big believer that I have got to have one lefty, two lefties, three lefties to face left-handed hitters.

 

''There are very few situational left-handers out there and a much larger inventory of righties who can get lefties out. And if you have a lefty to face a lefty hitter, and he's not successful, then you burn two guys in one inning.''

 

San Diego's bullpen does not include a left-hander.

 

What about power pitchers for late innings?

 

''Velocity is overrated,'' he said. ''There are very few 93-, 94-plus [mph] guys who throw the fastball consistently over plate. I'll take command over velocity any day.''

 

OK, let's add this up. Forget the lefty-to-face-a-lefty-hitter thing. Don't worry about velocity. Get guys who can throw strikes. And because relievers aren't reliable from one year to the next, he said, sign them to short-term deals.

 

The Sox and Cubs tried to fix up their bullpens in the offseason with a trade: Aardsma to the Sox and Neal Cotts to the Cubs. The Sox were looking for power while the Cubs wanted a lefty to match up with left-handed hitters.

 

from couch, suntimes.com

Should have traded Haeger during the offseason, as teams were actually interested in him.

 

People interested? But Soxtalk kept telling me he was worthless because he is a knuckleballer...

People interested? But Soxtalk kept telling me he was worthless because he is a knuckleballer...

 

 

are you sure? most soxtalk people fall in love with the two bit minor leaguers. They cherish there names and begin to buy jerseys with their number on them. They go on and on blaming coaches and Gm's for screwing these great players. Yet they turn out to suck. Good Knuckleballers come about once a decade. Haeger is nothing, and quite frankly no major league manager has the time to deal with wether the wind is blowing right for the knuckler that day, or carrying an extra catcher just because he is the only one that can catch the guy.Its ludicris.

 

This team needs better scouts. We trade our prospects away early because we know deep down they won't project. KW uses the farm wisely in that manner, but now we are getting old and its time to blow this thing up, when we do, other teams prospects will be the mainstay, not ours.

Not one player in our system is a blue chip player.

2 things here. I wouldn't think many teams would have a "blue chip player" in their system. I could probably think of around 10 that would e.g D-Backs, Dodgers, Devil Rays etc.

 

Then again a "blue - chip prospect" such as Lastings Milledge shows you that just because they are considered to be the next big thing, doesn't mean for sure it's going to pan out that way.

 

And I think Gio Gonzalez could be considered that type of prospect if he keeps doing what he's doing. But for that to happen, he'll probably have to move up to AAA and pitch the same way (albeit the ERA will rise because he's pitching in a much harder ballpark).

2 things here. I wouldn't think many teams would have a "blue chip player" in their system. I could probably think of around 10 that would e.g D-Backs, Dodgers, Devil Rays etc.

 

Then again a "blue - chip prospect" such as Lastings Milledge shows you that just because they are considered to be the next big thing, doesn't mean for sure it's going to pan out that way.

 

And I think Gio Gonzalez could be considered that type of prospect if he keeps doing what he's doing. But for that to happen, he'll probably have to move up to AAA and pitch the same way (albeit the ERA will rise because he's pitching in a much harder ballpark).

 

 

But look at all of ours that have ultimately failed or were traded (players that would have been considered Top 50 in MLB at one point or another in their careers)....

 

Jon Rauch

Corwin Malone

Borchard

Danny Wright

Chris Young

Jeremy Reed

Kip Wells

Lorenzo Barcelo

 

Actually, Bobby Jenks was probably the only one who's made it, but it wasn't with his original organization.

 

That's not even including the likes of Stumm, Dellaero, Honel, Brian West, Matt Ginter, Parque, etc.