Bullpen is not horrible. It is just that too many of the bullpen pitchers pitch to contact and get ground outs. They are designed for good defensive infield, and not just strike out guys. Problem is that when you pitch to contact, you can get into situations where some find holes. When you pitch less than 2 innings an outing and you have a few of those situations it skews the impression of pitcher. Problem is that in tight games like this September and in playoff games, you often do NOT even have the luxury to pitch to contact. You have to get guys to swing and miss and not put the ball play. Part of this philosophy is team design. Strikeout relievers cost money... or good prospects at the trade deadline. They did not expect to be contending yet, so they didn't sign any in the offseason. They did make a mistake by not developing any of their young guys into that yet though as well. I know we hate using that excuse, but it is the truth. It is really the underlying issue for the team's flaws all season. Thing easy fixes are not as easy to find as some as you think, are very short-term, and more expensive than we want them to be. We act like that excuse is something we have heard for years, but it has only been a real issue this year. It is just that baseball is a long season.
Brian McTaggart ??@brianmctaggart It's going to be Tucker up in a big spot for the Astros, trailing 4-2 in the 8th.
No, certainly not. The last 20 games have been god awful by them. But bullpens fluctuate. They come in for short stints. They have to have the ability to forget and move on. This bullpen was GREAT for much of the season. To think they're suddenly the exact opposite is tough to believe. More likely, they're pretty good overall. I am as comfortable going to this pen as I am to any pen in the AL besides the Royals. Sure, I'd love to have an All Star roster back there, but we don't. I still think this pen can get the job done the majority of the time. But I'd love to have a 3+ run lead to feel comfortable
Brian McTaggart ??@brianmctaggart It's going to be Tucker up in a big spot for the Astros, trailing 4-2 in the 8th.
Then they should not presume the same for everybody here... that's pretty much equivalent to posting PBP.
Bullpens do fluctuate, I agree.... This fluctuation has been more extreme than most but it is highly unlikely that long term they are collectively as bad as they have seemed the last month. However we are in crunch time and the pen isn't good right now and we don't know when it will turn it around. Right now I am not confident at all in this group and that is what matters.
