Career ERA of 3.21 for Linebrink. That's pretty solid.

 

Since he is a reliever, it may not be as big an issue as with starters who get to face the pitcher 2-3 times, but it is still NL.

Career ERA of 3.21 for Linebrink. More than a half run better than Dotel (3.76), who you view as solid when healthy.

 

I guess I'm the only person that thinks Linebrink will stink in the AL and pitching at the Cell. I'll hope for the best, but I don't think the majority of people are optimistic about his future with the Sox.

wow - did wasserman really just strike out a lefty?

I guess I'm the only person that thinks Linebrink will stink in the AL and pitching at the Cell. I'll hope for the best, but I don't think the majority of people are optimistic about his future with the Sox.

Sadly, even if he stinks for the Sox, he'll still be an improvement over what we've had in the bullpen the past 2 seasons. Obviously the move to an AL hitters' park will result in an increase of ERA, but hopefully it won't be MacDougalesque.

Of course they are question marks. That's the nature of the bullpen. But your statement that we are spending a lot of money on something not so good, is kind of early, isn't it? I think its really unlikely they'd do as bad as the 2007 pen. But we'll have to see.

 

Thornton's elbow issue is concerning, as he's one of our better relievers. And I recall people who used to state how we couldn't expect much out of a bullpen where nearly every guy was making less than a million dollars. Well, we know have two of the highest paid non-closer relievers in baseball, so it will be nice to see a return on the investment.

Wassermann 1-2-3, ends with a K of Teahan. Two of those three hitters were lefties too.

 

I guess I'm the only person that thinks Linebrink will stink in the AL and pitching at the Cell. I'll hope for the best, but I don't think the majority of people are optimistic about his future with the Sox.

I think two years of a disastrous bullpen would spell doom for kenny. And he went to great lengths to sign linebrink. If he's wrong again...yikes.

Find me a bullpen in the Central that isn't full of a ton of question marks. I dare you.

 

Haven't even had the chance to look at other team's rosters yet (it's still college basketball season). Of course, our relief corps might be more important than that of the Tigers and Indians, as our 3-4-5 starters are no more than 6 inning guys.

Wassermann 1-2-3, ends with a K of Teahan. Two of those three hitters were lefties too.

 

Change-ups?

Find me a bullpen in the Central that isn't full of a ton of question marks. I dare you.

Yep. The AL Central has pretty bad bullpens. The only exception is probably the Twins, who always seem to have solid bullpen arms. The Sox as well if things go right for us.

I think two years of a disastrous bullpen would spell doom for kenny. And he went to great lengths to sign linebrink. If he's wrong again...yikes.

 

Are you saying we've had two years already?

I guess I'm the only person that thinks Linebrink will stink in the AL and pitching at the Cell. I'll hope for the best, but I don't think the majority of people are optimistic about his future with the Sox.

hes been in steady decline the last three years with declining peripherals and is moving from perhaps hte best pitchers park in the league in probably the worst offensive division in baseball to the best hitters park in the AL in a significantly tougher offensive division...so yeah i think hell decline and i certainly didnt like the fact that it was a 4 year deal...but i dont think he will be horrendous...but if i had to guess itll be similar to what we got out of luis vizcaino

 

we are paying alot for the bullpen, but i must admit the macdougal trade i really liked at the team...things just havent worked out so far

Haven't even had the chance to look at other team's rosters yet (it's still college basketball season). Of course, our relief corps might be more important than that of the Tigers and Indians, as our 3-4-5 starters are no more than 6 inning guys.

The Tiggers' rotation is pretty weak. Their pen will be very important to their chances of success.

Change-ups?

I saw a couple, I think. Or else a new, off-the-table breaker - I'm guessing change-up. He got Teahan looking on his 3/4-arm surprise fastball though.

 

The Tiggers' rotation is pretty weak. Their pen will be very important to their chances of success.

 

Who is the Tigers #5 this year?

Who is the Tigers #5 this year?

According to CBS it's Nate Robertson. 4.76 ERA in 2007. Of course their #3 is Dontrelle (5.17 in 2007) and their #4 is the 62 year old Kenny Rogers. That 3-5 is no better that ours, really.

Who is the Tigers #5 this year?

 

Robertson

According to CBS it's Nate Robertson. 4.76 ERA in 2007. Of course their #3 is Dontrelle (5.17 in 2007) and their #4 is the 62 year old Kenny Rogers. That 3-5 is no better that ours, really.

not to mention bonderman was bad last year...they could be in trouble with their pitching....miller was probably gonna be their second best pitcehr behind verlander....but man if verlander goes down taht team could be in real trouble....

It made a ton of sense at the time, and don't really blame Kenny for it in the least. The Sox were right in the thick of things in 2006, and needed bullpen help. They got a guy that they thought could help them, and Mac pitched incredibly well in the 2nd half of 2006. They traded Lumdsen who everyone thought was going to the Sox next ace, and a extremely raw pitcher in Cortes. Obviously Cortes have developed, but you can't fault the Sox for taking that risk.

 

If you want to question anything, the extension is where question marks can be raised, but if you dug up that thread, people loved that signing.

 

I loved the extension as well. MacDougal has just mysteriously lost about 4 mph on his fastball. I remember how wicked he was when we first got him, as hitters couldn't get the ball out of the infield against him. I think Cortes gained the velocity that MacDougal lost.

Edited March 3, 200818 yr by fathom

It made a ton of sense at the time, and don't really blame Kenny for it in the least. The Sox were right in the thick of things in 2006, and needed bullpen help. They got a guy that they thought could help them, and Mac pitched incredibly well in the 2nd half of 2006. They traded Lumdsen who everyone thought was going to the Sox next ace, and a extremely raw pitcher in Cortes. Obviously Cortes have developed, but you can't fault the Sox for taking that risk.

 

If you want to question anything, the extension is where question marks can be raised, but if you dug up that thread, people loved that signing.

Hindsight is 20/20.

It made a ton of sense at the time, and don't really blame Kenny for it in the least. The Sox were right in the thick of things in 2006, and needed bullpen help. They got a guy that they thought could help them, and Mac pitched incredibly well in the 2nd half of 2006. They traded Lumdsen who everyone thought was going to the Sox next ace, and a extremely raw pitcher in Cortes. Obviously Cortes have developed, but you can't fault the Sox for taking that risk.

 

If you want to question anything, the extension is where question marks can be raised, but if you dug up that thread, people loved that signing.

did i really write at the "team" ....wow im a moron

not to mention bonderman was bad last year...they could be in trouble with their pitching....miller was probably gonna be their second best pitcehr behind verlander....but man if verlander goes down taht team could be in real trouble....

Yep, Bonderman is their #2, and his ERA was 5.01 last year. Those are some very high ERAs for what is supposed to be one of the more pitcher-friendly parks in the AL. Hell, everyone made Verlander sound like the 2nd coming last year, and his ERA was 3.66. That's basically what Buehrle (3.63) and Vazquez (3.74) had, and MB/JV pitch at the homer-friendly US Cellular.

BOONE. 1-2-3.

i wonder if we're gonna lose? Going into the 9th in spring training with a lead. Sounds about right

Are you saying we've had two years already?

I'm saying one more year like last year and he's toast. The pen was a problem in '06 and he claimed to have fixed it with all the young power arms We all know how that turned out. If this year is another swing and a miss...