The Minnesota Twins have a solid bullpen and if they broke the mold of the modern day bullpen they could be an excellent bullpen.
The Modern day bullpen is not a good way to run the bullpen in my opinion. Now a days people have their best relief pitcher as their closer and only comes into the game in the 9th inning when you have a lead. They also have what is called a set up man who only comes into the game in the 8th when you have a lead. So you essentially are only using your two best relief pitchers when you have a lead going into the 8th inning. The game is sometimes not won or lost in the 8th and 9th inning, sometimes it is won or lost in the 5th or 6th.
For example, on Friday April 5th in the 8th inning when it was a tie game and the bases were loaded and left handed slugging first basemen Chris Davis was coming to the plate and instead of going to the closer and best relief pitcher in Glen Perkins they went to Tyler Robertson, who is also a lefty. First pitch, gone to left center for a grand slam and the game was over there.
The Twins wanted to save Perkins just in case they somehow ended up with a lead later in the game. If they brought in Perkins and he gotten out of the inning who's to say he can't pitch the next inning? He was once a starter, so I don't think he'd struggle what so ever pitching numerous innings. He thrived as a guy who came into the pressure spots in 2011 to get the big outs, so why take him away from that? Just so you can have him close out a game in the 9th when you are up 3 runs so he can get the save? Any major league reliever can close out a game by pitching 1 inning with a 3 run lead 99% of the time.
If the Twins started using Perkins and Burton in the most important situations and not just the 8th and 9th, this bullpen could thrive. If you have to go to Perkins and Burton earlier in the game and it still ends up being a save situation Casey Fien could easily close games out and even Ryan Pressly could to as well.
Baseball is a game of matchups and you want your best option in each pivotal matchup. If we can win those matchups we have a much better chance at being a very successful team.
If the Twins break the mold of having a certain pitcher slotted for each inning and use their best pitcher in the biggest situations that decide the game they can not only change the way the game is played, but win more games.
I'll take my chances with Casey Fien and Ryan Pressly in the 9th, if it means bringing Perkins in with the bases loaded and a lefty slugger up over using Tyler Robertson any day.
Written by Nick Calo, follow me on Twitter for more updates and sports thoughts @PRH1987
The Modern day bullpen is not a good way to run the bullpen in my opinion. Now a days people have their best relief pitcher as their closer and only comes into the game in the 9th inning when you have a lead. They also have what is called a set up man who only comes into the game in the 8th when you have a lead. So you essentially are only using your two best relief pitchers when you have a lead going into the 8th inning. The game is sometimes not won or lost in the 8th and 9th inning, sometimes it is won or lost in the 5th or 6th.
For example, on Friday April 5th in the 8th inning when it was a tie game and the bases were loaded and left handed slugging first basemen Chris Davis was coming to the plate and instead of going to the closer and best relief pitcher in Glen Perkins they went to Tyler Robertson, who is also a lefty. First pitch, gone to left center for a grand slam and the game was over there.
The Twins wanted to save Perkins just in case they somehow ended up with a lead later in the game. If they brought in Perkins and he gotten out of the inning who's to say he can't pitch the next inning? He was once a starter, so I don't think he'd struggle what so ever pitching numerous innings. He thrived as a guy who came into the pressure spots in 2011 to get the big outs, so why take him away from that? Just so you can have him close out a game in the 9th when you are up 3 runs so he can get the save? Any major league reliever can close out a game by pitching 1 inning with a 3 run lead 99% of the time.
If the Twins started using Perkins and Burton in the most important situations and not just the 8th and 9th, this bullpen could thrive. If you have to go to Perkins and Burton earlier in the game and it still ends up being a save situation Casey Fien could easily close games out and even Ryan Pressly could to as well.
Baseball is a game of matchups and you want your best option in each pivotal matchup. If we can win those matchups we have a much better chance at being a very successful team.
If the Twins break the mold of having a certain pitcher slotted for each inning and use their best pitcher in the biggest situations that decide the game they can not only change the way the game is played, but win more games.
I'll take my chances with Casey Fien and Ryan Pressly in the 9th, if it means bringing Perkins in with the bases loaded and a lefty slugger up over using Tyler Robertson any day.
Written by Nick Calo, follow me on Twitter for more updates and sports thoughts @PRH1987