I didn't like it when it happened, not because of the situation, but because it was the Brewers. Having said that, I get it. Abreu has been pretty good lately, not just lucky good. If they never test him and keep relegating him to "non-leverage situations", then how in the **** do you go to him down the road when it's a big-time situation? At some point they HAVE to throw him in it and see where he's at. Otherwise, he's just wasting a spot. He's $6ml this season, guaranteed, so they're not letting him walk. If anything, they need to see what he may or may not be and you buy when its low and bring him back. I hated the 3-batter rule in 2020, and I still hate it today, it just took more strategy out of the game.
I'm putting this season in fates hands. We win the series vs the Brewers then we will go to the playoffs. We lose then we don't.
Seriously, he had gone 9 straight games without giving up a run (including multiple close games) and has been one of the best relievers in baseball the past 4 seasons. "Stupid Espada, you are never ever supposed to use Abreu in a leverage situation again. He's relegated to mop up duty the rest of his career"
He may be 94 in the game, but they've consistently said that his velo in his BP sessions is fine as are his mechanics. He's said as much as well. Maybe it's just me but if fans are still just looking at the results (ball/strike/wild pitch) and not what transpires out in the open when he "falls apart" them they're missing it. It's the same pattern, you can see he gets in his own head and ends up trying to assign his limbs, lower half, and top half to be in sync instead of just pitching with the God-given talent and repetition that his body is used to.
I would love to see fans managing. Every time a reliever gives up a big run or a starter sucks for a few outings or a hitter goes 0-12, they are benched forever. Within a week, fan-manager wouldn't be able to field a team.
As much as I would like to see Abreu get his confidence back and help the team, it was a major letdown and contributing factor to why we lost the game when he came out to start the 8th, trying to protect a one run lead and threw 9 strait out of the strike zone. That is something you don't expect to see in that situation at the major league level. He has got to be better.
He started with 9 straight balls, many not anywhere close. He tried to walk the next guy too, but he swung at one way out of the zone. It was 100% a terrible outing by Abreu.
No, they don't. If the relievers ahead of him already have proven they are the A set of relievers, why disrupt that? And when Hader and another starter returns to push someone to the pen, Abreu would be further down the pecking order. Like the team didn't throw Parker Mushinski into high leverage situations in 2022 under the logic of "oh we have to see him there at some point."
He has still been giving up walks in those appearances. His end of season performance last year shapes my opinion more than April of this season.
That is certainly true but sometimes we can use our eyes, experience of watching and some playing the game at some level for years and years and grade what we are seeing. Abreu might just have yips, some "easy" to fix mechanics problem and great track record but now he is not a MLB pitcher. If he would have some control and two more pitches maybe a starter to work with. As BP arm the slider was always his comfort blanket because he can control it little bit and it was effective because hitters had to be ready for that easy gas 98-99mph. Now he has just several problems and we have problem because we can't as a team decide is fighting to save a season or saving/not flushing 6m bucks more important. He is FA 2027 so we are really talking about just months so long run hurting the clubhouse or asset does't apply here. And I know. Im just negative Nelly Joe hating stupid fkr. This crappy team we are facing now was best team last year over 162 and are now 3 games back of Dodgers over third played. We are the Goliath and they are the David. We are just nutless Im all that Goliath. They get by establishing the demand level everyday and if there is "Diaz" among guys fighting he will be cut down quickly. What they have over us is fighting and trying to improve everyday. We are saying "he took good AB's" and "he was throwing the ball well" and "we showed fight" every day no matter how horrible or stupid effort. That's why I say Murphy is my man crush and I can't tolerate Joe allthough being just fantasy fan manager. One can instill in players that games matter for fans and they should matter to players too and that it is't enough to make it to bigs. I could love Joe if he had some leader qualities still being dumb as fk. Could be super entertaining to see him run rule like rtrd with Crane blessing . What was already quoted here was Murphy saying how it is concerning Sproat. That is culture of honesty and level of demand to execute. Sproat was big prospect for Mets and was big part of Peralta deal so he is a asset. Also Ortiz was big part of Burnes deal and has been benched several times over taking stupid AB's in crucial spots. Ortiz might not have it with bat but they are making it clear someone will if not producing. Can't polish a turd but you have to give turd a chance telling when it's just not enough. There is nothing real to prevent running high payroll with tighter ship and accountability. Men want and some even need to be led. When it's whatever they feel like well whatever. If at your office someone is missing deadlines, breaking rules and being late often and boss say "It's just Bob being bob again " you don't feel giving your best either. Why bother in this mess. Actually you think "fk this place" because you take pride everyday that things are done as they should.
Yeah, what happened to his velo makes no sense to me even given his mechanical issues. He's consistently thrown 97-100 all of his career. I don't want him trying to fix his issues in high leverage situations. In fact a case can be made for sending him to the minors for a month and letting him figure things out in SL.
Awesome dominant win last night against a very good team. Solid start by Jack and Blubaugh probably had his best career game. Stros can win THREE straight series for the first time this season today. Cubs-Rangers was the first b2b wins. We'll see if Imai puts together b2b plausible starts.
