3 June 2058
Boise, Idaho
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by Tony Toney
The Big OnesBoise has a big problem. Or, better said, big problems many times. The squad has been getting tagged with big innings from the opposition. It has been a constant issue in the first two months of the season and has cost the team many games. In just the last two weeks, Spuds pitching has given up:
5 runs: 8th inning
4 runs: 1st
3 runs: 1st (2), 7th (3), 8th, 3rd, 4th
We note the innings because they may indicate the issue. Maybe. A starting pitcher giving up a big 1st inning is not that unusual, it's just part of the job. The two 3-run innings in the 3rd & 4th are also likely starters because they are getting into the 2nd, or maybe 3rd, time thru the opposing lineup. But it's the late innings that have plagued the team. Big innings late in the game don't leave the offense any room to cover the runs.
The numbers also stand out when taken with the fact that Boise's starting ERA ranks 1st in the JL while the bullpen ERA is 7th. The culprits are not hard to spot. In total, five relievers who have appeared in 10 or more games have +4.00 ERAs:
Knox Sked - 5.84 ERA
Kent Johnson - 5.82 ERA
Logan Hill - 4.80 ERA
Paul Cherry - 4.58 ERA
Toshikuni Kubo - 6.42 ERA
That's more than half of the bullpen. Only one reliever has a sub-3.00 ERA that being Ed Noble GM Ben Teague said, "We can't allow the bullpen to struggle like that especially in late innings. It not only hurts our record, but it can demoralize the rotation. I'll grant that our pen is not remotely close to the top half of the league in talent, but something has to give."
Manager Mario Contreras has tried a number of things including putting relievers on a short leash. But that has not made much impact as the majority of runs in those innings have been via the long ball and included inherited runners. "I can yank a guy when he's not getting strikeouts or favorable contact," said Contreras. "But once the homer clears the basepaths the damage is done."
Both Johnson and Claudio García (3.51 ERA) have new homes via waivers but the problem is getting fresh talent into the squad. "There are a few players in AAA that are posting great numbers," said Teague. "But they don't necessarily have the tools to be as productive at the ML level. I'm not sure of the solution, but I can say this is at the top of the list of things we're attempting to address."
Santos on the Cusp
One player in AAA is making a very loud case to move to the majors. Closer Mario Santos has posted a 3.24 ERA and, more importantly, has converted 10 of 11 save opportunities and has a 3-2 record. Santos tips the scales at 99mph on the gun, but he mainly features a slider and cutter that are elite. With the struggles in the ML bullpen one has to wonder what is keeping Santos from being bumped. GM Ben Teague addressed the issue. "We love Santos and he is beginning to prove that he can be an effective arm in the majors. But he just has a bit of seasoning to go. It would be a tragedy to promote him too soon with our pool of prospect relievers not being very deep."
Diving into the numbers, and on the heels of the first part of this issue of Tater Skins, there are quite a few arms making an impression. Pitching mainly in relief, Tahir Abdul-Basit sports a 2.66 ERA, Haravira Chandar sits at 2.53, and Cedric Clark has a 1.01 ERA. Righty Brad Peckford has a 2.13 ERA in 12 starts while Katsuyuki Heida has a 1.12 ERA although with a short sample size in 3 appearances.
Teague said, "It's not a matter of those guys going out there and demanding attention. Transitioning from AAA to ML is really a huge step and we have to make sure we're putting guys in places where they can succeed."