Managing The Bull-Pen

[Ltlabner]

It has become somewhat fashionable to micro manage the bull-pen usage in game, sometimes to laughable amounts. The rise of lefty and even righty specialists has augmented the setup and closer defined roles. Some games come to a screeching halt once the bull-pen is brought in with changes happening seemingly after every pitch.

So the questions for your thoughtful consideration are:

1) Is all this bullpen jockying actually producing better results and winning more baseball games? Why or why not?

2) Which strategies, if any, are effective?

3) Which managers seem to have a better grasp of how to manage their bullpens? Are any successful in doing so with consistency (since bullpens are violently inconsistent from year to year consistency with patching together an effective bullpen seems to indicate GM or manager skilz)?

[nate]

Originally Posted by Ltlabner

It has become somewhat fashionable to micro manage the bull-pen usage in game, sometimes to laughable amounts. The rise of lefty and even righty specialists has augmented the setup and closer defined roles. Some games come to a screeching halt once the bull-pen is brought in with changes happening seemingly after every pitch.

So the questions for your thoughtful consideration are:

1) Is all this bullpen jockying actually producing better results and winning more baseball games? Why or why not?

It might. There actually appears to be _some_ talent down there.

2) Which strategies, if any, are effective?

One. Better pitchers > situational matchup.

3) Which managers seem to have a better grasp of how to manage their bullpens? Are any successful in doing so with consistency (since bullpens are violently inconsistent from year to year consistency with patching together an effective bullpen seems to indicate GM or manager skilz)?

I think those who use their "closers" in tight game situations rather than situations that simply accrue "save" statistics are more in tune with what wins games than others.

[PuffyPig]

Originally Posted by nate

I think those who use their "closers" in tight game situations rather than situations that simply accrue "save" statistics are more in tune with what wins games than others.

And that would be....no one.....

[nate]

Originally Posted by PuffyPig

And that would be....no one.....

Right.

He's good.

[Scrap Irony]

Bullpens are only as good as the third option out of the pen. Closers are overrated. Every team has one and most are good for 75% success rate or so every year, so tey negate each other. Set-up men are the same. Usually good, live young arms with the potential to be closers are in the role, or perhaps the old guy who's trying to hang on. Expensive teams blow wads of cash on these guys, with about the same results as middle of the pack teams.

LOOGY's and ROOGY's aren't statistically worth talking about.

But that first middle reliever?

The one you need to keep you in games you're losing by a couple runs, but could come back and win? The one who slams the door shut with two on and the starter recently out of the game?

He's the key.

If he's having a good year, chances are your pen is too.

As far as managers, Casey Stengel would have won with this Cincinnati team period.

So, too, the White Rat.