Looking a little deeper into his splits in baseball reference, he was tremendous in high leverage situations, and in the 8th inning. This further supports my suggestion.

 

What I think was misuse was how many times he was put into games where we were behind. He absolutely needs to be in the A category of relievers to use to preserve leads, and should never really be used if we are behind more than a run or two. That's a waste.

 

As for the fact he can go for more than one inning, yes he can. But what would be more valuable to the Sox? An 8th inning pitcher who almost never gets scored on, doesn't walk guys, and has a great WHIP? Or a guy you can get more than an inning out of if the starter can't last? Give me the former EVERY time! KC should have shown everyone by now the value of a shutdown bullpen. Albers needs to be given the chance to be more in the middle of that than on the fringes, where he has been up to now.

 

 

In my mind:

 

DRob > Jones > Albers > Duke > Putnam > Jennings > Petricka

 

Man you guys really hate Petricka. I'd put him above Duke and Jennings easily.

Man you guys really hate Petricka. I'd put him above Duke and Jennings easily.

 

He's just mediocre. A 3.76 xfip, average fastball is 93 MPH, and over 3 walks per 9 innings last year. He is what he is. Has some decent movement that makes up for lack of pure velocity out of the pen but walks way too many guys and doesn't miss enough bats to be a high leverage reliever. I'd use him against RHP before Duke, but I'd probably rate Jennings as a little better just because he misses more bats. They both have issues with walks.

Looking a little deeper into his splits in baseball reference, he was tremendous in high leverage situations, and in the 8th inning. This further supports my suggestion.

 

What I think was misuse was how many times he was put into games where we were behind. He absolutely needs to be in the A category of relievers to use to preserve leads, and should never really be used if we are behind more than a run or two. That's a waste.

 

As for the fact he can go for more than one inning, yes he can. But what would be more valuable to the Sox? An 8th inning pitcher who almost never gets scored on, doesn't walk guys, and has a great WHIP? Or a guy you can get more than an inning out of if the starter can't last? Give me the former EVERY time! KC should have shown everyone by now the value of a shutdown bullpen. Albers needs to be given the chance to be more in the middle of that than on the fringes, where he has been up to now.

Thats fine. If they have another person who can pitch those innings. Of course its more valuable to habe the better pitcher in the more important situation taken in isolation. But it also hurts the team for the next 2 games if they need to use three pitchers to cover the innings, especially with the 4 and 5 starters coming up and very few off days coming up. You cant burn the bullpen early.

He's just mediocre. A 3.76 xfip, average fastball is 93 MPH, and over 3 walks per 9 innings last year. He is what he is. Has some decent movement that makes up for lack of pure velocity out of the pen but walks way too many guys and doesn't miss enough bats to be a high leverage reliever. I'd use him against RHP before Duke, but I'd probably rate Jennings as a little better just because he misses more bats. They both have issues with walks.

 

 

Patrick's Hits/Walks to K rate is really bad. He doesn't strike anyone out.

Patrick's Hits/Walks to K rate is really bad. He doesn't strike anyone out.

Because he doesn't have an out pitch.

He's just mediocre. A 3.76 xfip, average fastball is 93 MPH, and over 3 walks per 9 innings last year. He is what he is. Has some decent movement that makes up for lack of pure velocity out of the pen but walks way too many guys and doesn't miss enough bats to be a high leverage reliever. I'd use him against RHP before Duke, but I'd probably rate Jennings as a little better just because he misses more bats. They both have issues with walks.

 

I'm not a fan or anything, but he's definitely a viable 6th or 7th inning guy.

I'm not a fan or anything, but he's definitely a viable 6th or 7th inning guy.

 

Ideally he's the 6th inning guy with the talent around him. It's nice that he's pushed down so far. Seems like lately his type has been the 7th inning guy for the Sox.

Ptatc is exactly right. The Sox don't have long men and Albers can go multiples. He isn't going to be the 8th inning guy.

 

Besides you might not even want him in the 6th inning a couple of weeks from now. Look how long it took for Jones to go from a lock down set up guy who Robin didn't know how to use, to a mediocre guy with issues. Less than 24 hours.

Edited April 6, 20169 yr by Dick Allen

Ptatc is exactly right. The Sox don't have long men and Albers can go multiples. He isn't going to be the 8th inning guy.

 

Besides you might not even want him in the 6th inning a couple of weeks from now. Look how long it took for Jones to go from a lock down set up guy who Robin didn't know how to use, to a mediocre guy with issues. Less than 24 hours.

 

He isn't going to be the 8th inning guy because the White Sox brass don't always see what's best for the team!

 

And I'm going off Albers' 30 starts from last season. Seems like enough of a track record to change they way he's used. If he fails in the new role, you can always go back to using him in the way the Sox have. But the Sox really need to find a way to lock down close games in which they are ahead from the 7th-9th innings at least. That's what KC did, and it propelled them to back-to-back WS appearances without a great starting staff.

 

Albers was being wasted last year by being used in twice as many games where we were behind versus being tied or ahead. The BEST bullpen guys need to be used mostly in games we have the best chance of winning. Albers is clearly performing like one of our best bullpen arms.

They finally noticed Albers in a post over on Southside Sox. He had another 2 innings to shut the door on Cleveland. Keep it up Matt!!

I was thinking this yesterday watching the game. Matt Albers may be the most underrated player on this team. His stuff is solid with late movement, velocity is up, but more importantly - he enters games with this quiet intensity from the bullpen. Not this shakiness you see from some of the other relievers. I don't know if he's the 2nd best reliever - he may be - but should definitely be considered 3rd at this time.

Man you guys really hate Petricka. I'd put him above Duke and Jennings easily.

 

If you're arguing over whether Petricka or Jennings is your worst reliever then you have a pretty good bullpen.

Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 1m1 minute ago

Matt Albers' scoreless streak of 30 innings is the longest by a #WhiteSox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez had 31 in 1993.

 

He can thank Adam Eaton!

Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 1m1 minute ago

Matt Albers' scoreless streak of 30 innings is the longest by a #WhiteSox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez had 31 in 1993.

 

He can thank Adam Eaton!

That was Latos' guy on second.

Edited April 20, 20169 yr by SouthSideSale

Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 1m1 minute ago

Matt Albers' scoreless streak of 30 innings is the longest by a #WhiteSox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez had 31 in 1993.

 

He can thank Adam Eaton!

 

As mentioned above this post, it wouldn't have counted against him.

But my point was that there would have been one fewer out, and a runner on, which could have resulted in a run

Let's rename this "Cat Albers"

People so need to start bringing stuffed cats to game for when Latos pitches.

Let's rename this "Cat Albers"

This needs to become the Matt Albers celebration video thread

This needs to become the Matt Albers celebration video thread

 

It need to be pinned ! " Fuking Like A CAt !!!! He almost knocked Big Avi over with the high 5 and I think that's Robin he passes up near the end in the sweatshirt , Robin puts his head down like he doesn't want anyone seeing him grinning ear to ear.

Avi looked genuinely afraid of that maniac.

Avi looked genuinely afraid of that maniac.

I'd be afraid if that runaway train was moving in my direction.

That was just his clever way of changing his nickname from Fat Albers to Cat Albers.

Can "f***ING LIKE A CAT" be this year's version of "STIR THE DRINK"?