On the first part, yea VV is fresh and Fields has thrown 4 of last 5. My point though, is that we need to add an arm to the pen, not just swap one out. Fields isn't the only one down there who has been used a lot more frequently lately. Don't forget, we didn't make the move to go one man shorter in the pen a few weeks ago, we went two short of what Hinch was used to working with. Giving Fields off the next couple of days is very likely necessary, giving one of our hottest relievers off the next 10 days in the middle of a pennant race, I just don't like it On the last part, I won't go into the same type of conversation I had when Lance was sent down, but it's likely a bigger deal to Fields than it is to us on here who are fans and type on a computer. The lifestyle is quite different. And as for being on the playoff roster, should there really be any question about whether or not we want Fields on there? He has been our best reliever post all star break
want? No question. Who do you remove from the pen? IMO the answer is Sipp, but I know no one wants to go into the playoffs with 1 LH RP. So then what? Sure things are RPs: Luke, Neshek, Harris, Qualls, Perez. With Sipp that's 6. SPs: Keuchel/Kazmir/McCullers/McHugh. Another 4. I think that leaves 2 slots for Feldman/Fiers/VV/Fields. How do you split that, knowing that the 2 you pick must be on the roster on the night of 8/31? (Seems silly to go into the playoffs with 13 pitchers given that you only need 4 starters--sometimes 3.)
I would take Fields over Sipp any day I know Sipp is left handed. Lefties hit .218 off of him which is good, lefties hit .206 off of Fields. I know there is a lot more that goes into what stats are good and which are predictable and all of that, but I don't think it's tough to argue that I would be willing to take my chances with Fields against a lefty in the playoffs as opposed to Sipp against one. And while Feldman and Fiers and even VV have been good this year, if we are looking at them only as a reliever, i'd take Fields over any of them with him being used to pitching in that role, and the others not.
Mlb has to have the worse officiating in all of major sports. The inconsistent balls and strikes, missed calls on the bases, etc. Collectively, mlb umps are jokes.
