Furbush and Pryor would provide the lefty/righty switchability for the 7th and 8th, and then Wilhelmsen comes in and crushed the 9th, no problemo. I think innings 7-9 work well when they're defined. Paxton just has to get through the 6th with a lead and then we release the Kraken from the bullpen to handle the last third of the game.
But for those times when the starter can't go 6 but we have the (tenuous) lead, you need the fireman. The Norm Charlton role in 2001 for that Nellie/Rhodes/Sasaki pen, in other words. It took the pen from a lead-holding pen to an offense-extinguishing one, and I happen to like that.
We do not have the 2001 hitting prowess, so we'll need the 2001 pitching staff to get it done and compete next year. I would support Pryor-as-closer if it meant Wilhelmsen-as-starter but otherwise leave things how they are - there's no such thing as too much bullpen pitching.
I'm glad Pryor and Capps are here to work out their major league kinks this year. I was disappointed to hear that Erasmo was going to stay down, but Beavan is holding his own still and Iwakuma absolutely needs to start. If we want to move Millwood and give his spot to Erasmo, that's the only way I see that working out for Ramirez before September.
The pen looks basically like I want it now, a long-reliever aside, and it'll be nice to check that off. The offense and the rotation need a little more tinkering (or gelling time) but you can't say Jack's plan isn't bringing in the talent.
Welding it into a cohesive team is the next priority. Guys like Ackley swinging like they should would help a lot.
~G
Add new comment
1