Our relief pitching will be a strength in the postseason, health willing. Last night was not in the postseason. While Click may add a decent to good relief arm to help in the regular season, I think he will be most focused on guys that will be good enough to pitch in the postseason (a top notch reliever or a starter that can either relieve or start in the postseason).
Baker putting in Raley in that situation is just inexcusable. Flat out stupidity. Does he have zero feel for this team? Does he not understand his personnel?
This. I think Click is open to adding guys that are better than the back end of our bullpen if the price is low....... however the focus is likely going to be on adding one or at most two real high leverage/high talent players. We want someone with the "stuff" and "poise" to get key outs deep in the playoffs.
The way Click is talking, he isn't targeting under the radar/unproven guys. This is a WS winning caliber team, we need guys he knows he can depend on in the postseason. You know, guys who don't walk .102 or .205 hitters in high leverage situations.
Seriously.... how in the actual F&CK do you walk one of the worst hitters in all of baseball in that situation??? The fact that you can't rely on guys to do something as simple as throw strikes to guys who would struggle hitting in AAA is incredible.
Yep,. Dusty's Sunday decisions with the bullpen bit him in the butt last night. Just like some predicted. Good news is Taylor pitched well. I would have let him start the 8th.
On Stanek and Raley, Dusty is going to have to use them sometimes. I think Taylor is a better pitcher right now. Very good news considering his velocity was down the previous outing. With his injury/fatigue issues, I would not have pushed him for another inning. I expect Odorizzi will be in the pen for the postseason, but not in the regular season unless Astros trade for a better starter. With Urquidy having shoulder issues, I expect he will be in the pen when he comes back.
Taylor just said on the radio he's healthy. He was having control issues, so he dialed down his velocity to gain better control. He still put up a zero with less velocity against the Rangers.
I don't think I've seen someone dial it down 7-8 mph before intentionally on a cut fastball (or whatever one wants to call his fastball).
I agree, but this is the best time to blow a 7 run lead with the trade deadline coming up. Maybe Dusty did this to force their hand that the team "as-is" is not good enough.
Hopefully Click and Dusty would know that he’s possibly nursing an injury… and that does increase the level of urgency to acquire some arms. Also makes more sense as to why he used Raley in a higher leverage inning vs Taylor, or didn’t want Taylor to go longer.
I'm guessing that Taylor was just gassed against the Rangers after pitching last night fine. On him not being used in higher leverage, I don't think Dusty trusts him partly from hiding an injury last year and partly that Taylor is panic-inducing on the mound (High WHiP).
