Guys, I'm starting to get this funny feeling that this bullpen is bad

[Blarg]

Yes, Doc you can remove the Frieri outing if you want to talk about overall quality of the last week and realize Ernesto has been demoted for being a whack job. It is a more honest discussion to point out 7 games of quality service rather than take one game and say this represents what the rest of the squad does.

 

The Angels won Friday nights game 13-1. It did not represent the offense for the rest of the series. It does not truly validate the offense potential as much as points out that on any given game even a team that has Aybar hitting 5th (WTF!!!) can explode on a pitching staff an blow them up. Meanwhile the next two games score only 5 runs.

 

On any given night Frieri can blow this team up as a closer. That role was taken away from him so from here on out it has to be a more honest discussion about what is really going on from inning 6-9 when a reliever is called in.

[tdawg87]

I don't know how much more you guys are expecting out of the bullpen over the last three games. They allowed only 1 unearned run against the Yankees in their home stadium. That's it. Take out Frieri's cluster**** in Washington and the bullpen has allowed two earned runs in 17 innings.

 

Why are you "taking out" Frieri's game? That's dumb. And that "unearned run" was the biggest run of the series and was just as much the fault of the bullpen as it was Iannetta. That runner was on base because he was walked as the first batter of the inning, and then it was a wild pitch that scored him.

 

How many losses have come via the bullpen this season? I'm counting 1 last night, the fiasco in Washington the other night, 2 against Oakland, 1 against the Mets. So that's 5 losses on the bullpen already? Take out just 2 of those and the Angels are 13-11 and just a game and a half out of first place, as well as leading the wildcard.

 

I'm not sure if you are really trying to defend this bullpen or if you are playing devil's advocate but just because they've pitched "better" of late does not absolve them for basically keeping this team from competing. The pen still has the 7th worst ERA in baseball, the fewest saves, and the 5th worst WHIP in baseball. That's all including their recent "success".

[fan_since79]

The Dodgers have four bullpen losses and several blown saves. Just saying...

 

It's not just the bullpen. The Angels have had problems with situational hitting, and aside from a couple of blowout wins and the resurgence of Pujols, I haven't seen much consistency in this offense. The close games are hard to win. The injuries are a big factor in that, of course. We're only 3.5 games back. It could be worse.

Edited April 28, 2014 by fan_since79

[Adam]

47-30

 

Angels outscored their opponents by 17 runs on the road trip and played <.500

 

Yay

[fan_since79]

Looking at it another way, we played what everyone thought would be a brutal road trip and came out of it 4-5. Not too bad.

We just need to settle down and get our game consistent in all of its parts.

[Inside Pitch]

Kohn has been better this year, but it's still awful to see 9 BB in 13 1/3 IP. They cannot have that

 

Yep, good call.   He won't be a shut down guy til he get's that under control.

[tdawg87]

The Dodgers have four bullpen losses and several blown saves. Just saying...

 

And they too, are in 3rd place. They also have one of the best starting staffs in all of baseball to balance it out.

 

And you are correct in saying it isn't "just" the bullpen, but when the offense has been great overall, and the SP has been good overall, and the defense has been decent overall, the one outlier is the bullpen, which has been horrible.

[Blarg]

Tdawg, you guys are not even coming close to being reasonable about the subject. 15 innings and 2 earned runs is an era of 1.20. I will gladly take 7 games from the bullpen where that is their ERA and discount the one game in 8 where there is a breakdown. Every team has at least one game in 8 that their bullpen loses the game. Every team sees their bullpen give up leads. Not every teams rolls over and dies when that happens.

 

The Angels are not presenting a consistent offense to offset one run deficits over 3 or more innings. They leave the bases loaded, runners on 2nd and 3rd to rot and drop one run games right and left. You can't point to a bullpen breakdown because the entire pitching staff can't keep the other team from scoring 3 or 4 runs a game while the offense is comprised of Shuck, Freese, Stewart and Ibanez all getting at bats and leaving the team high and dry.

 

Yes I am defending this bullpen of the last 8 games, including even Frieri's meltdown because everything before him was lights out as well. One **** up does not represent the last 8 games of work and this industry lives off of trends, whether it be pitching or hitting, what is hot is what is important. The current trend of the Angels bullpen has been to keep the team in it to the end. 7 out of 8 games they have done so regardless of the record.

 

The last 5 losses the Angels have scored 2,1,4,3 and 2 runs. That is not enough support for your pitching staff. It isn't enough for a bullpen that gave you 15 innings and allowed only 2 earned runs. Ianetta was the cause of last night's unearned run. There is not much a pitcher con do when your catcher won't catch the ball.

 

Why are you "taking out" Frieri's game? That's dumb. And that "unearned run" was the biggest run of the series and was just as much the fault of the bullpen as it was Iannetta. That runner was on base because he was walked as the first batter of the inning, and then it was a wild pitch that scored him.

 

How many losses have come via the bullpen this season? I'm counting 1 last night, the fiasco in Washington the other night, 2 against Oakland, 1 against the Mets. So that's 5 losses on the bullpen already? Take out just 2 of those and the Angels are 13-11 and just a game and a half out of first place, as well as leading the wildcard.

 

I'm not sure if you are really trying to defend this bullpen or if you are playing devil's advocate but just because they've pitched "better" of late does not absolve them for basically keeping this team from competing. The pen still has the 7th worst ERA in baseball, the fewest saves, and the 5th worst WHIP in baseball. That's all including their recent "success".

[tdawg87]

You keep saying it's 2 ER in 15 innings but it isn't. It's 6 ER in 15 innings. You can't just take out whatever stats you want to fit your argument. Frieri is a part of this bullpen. Just because his role has changed (and to be fair we have yet to see Smith actually get a save opp) doesn't mean you can just exclude any of his screwups. That is absurd. You also say 7 out of the last 8 games the BP has done its job which is also factually incorrect because you keep excluding Frieri's BS in Washington for whatever ridiculous reason. Why don't we take out Josh Wall's 6 ER since he isn't on the team anymore?

[tdawg87]

In fact, this bullpen is AWESOME if you take out all their shitty performances.

 

Like, WOW, they basically have an ERA of 0.00!

[Inside Pitch]

I don't know how much more you guys are expecting out of the bullpen over the last three games. They allowed only 1 unearned run against the Yankees in their home stadium. That's it. Take out Frieri's cluster**** in Washington and the bullpen has allowed two earned runs in 15 innings.

 

*Edit for correct innings pitched.

 

I see the point you are making -- Getting Frieri out of the closer's role was a great first move.   People are obviously frustrated and less forgiving than they might otherwise be, but early on this bullpen has been as likely to go apeshit and allow runs as the offense has at scoring them.  When they are bad, they are awful.

 

They need a 4-5 game winning streak where they get over that brick wall that is .500.  

[Blarg]

Obviously you want to wallow in your pain. TDawg, it was Frieris one performance that was bad. He has been demoted, removed from the role of blowing the 9th inning, Yay.

 

How about all of the excellent run support in the 7th inning on in the last 5 losses?

 

Let me help you. Last night 0, then we have 0, followed by 2 (the Frieri blowup) then 0 (one run scored in the first inning then zip) then 1 for a total of 2 runs the entire game.

 

Yup, it is all the bullpen's fault the Angels are losing.

[mtangelsfan]

Obviously you want to wallow in your pain. TDawg, it was Frieris one performance that was bad. He has been demoted, removed from the role of blowing the 9th inning, Yay.

 

How about all of the excellent run support in the 7th inning on in the last 5 losses?

 

Let me help you. Last night 0, then we have 0, followed by 2 (the Frieri blowup) then 0 (one run scored in the first inning then zip) then 1 for a total of 2 runs the entire game.

 

Yup, it is all the bullpen's fault the Angels are losing.

.

One bad performance?  You forgot his meltdown earlier in the season blarg.

[Blarg]

My sample size was constrained to the last 8 games. I know, cherry picking but when we are in year two of Operation Clean Peanut you have to narrow your expectations.

[nando714]

I don't know how much more you guys are expecting out of the bullpen over the last three games. They allowed only 1 unearned run against the Yankees in their home stadium. That's it. Take out Frieri's cluster**** in Washington and the bullpen has allowed two earned runs in 15 innings.

*Edit for correct innings pitched.

I agree eric. I think the bullpen has been doing a better job than let's say the opening series.

Still need to be more effective when coming in with RISP. Overall I think they're getting better.

Iannetta last night let's a fastball right by him. That simply can't happen. The angels literally gave away that last run.

Do people forget jeppy getting that double play ball to end the eighth to keep it a 1 run game.

[tdawg87]

Cool, Frieri was removed from blowing the lead in the 9th so now he can blow it in the 7th. That still doesn't allow you to just remove his outings from the conversation. I mean you can do whatever you want for your own argument but it still makes zero sense.

Now you are talking about the last 5 losses altogether as if that has anything to do with this conversation. Nobody has said it's all the pen's fault but that's another great strawman. You must have a farm by now.

The offense has given the team a chance to win on most nights. If the pen blows it and the offense can't respond why in the name of all things sane would you blame the offense?

Also I'm perfectly content today. I know you like to lump everyone who has anything negative to say in the same group as people who "wallow" in negativity all day, but I can safely say I am in a decent mood today.

[tdawg87]

And now I'm rhyming.

See what you made me do Blarg?

[stormngt]

Just a hunch.

 

Just figured that out last night?

[Inside Pitch]

And now I'm rhyming.

See what you made me do Blarg?

 

Well, your name is T-Dawg....   Its likely in your nature.

[stormngt]

I've only watched a few Angel games this year but it seems like part of the issue is the inability of the starter to exceed 5 or 6 innings, thus taxing the bullpen. CJ Wilson had a major issue with command in Texas, and while he still nibbled a bit in 2011, he was able to significantly lower his walks and pitch deeper into games. 

 

didn't Richards pitch I into the 7th inning?

[Blarg]

And now I'm rhyming.

See what you made me do Blarg?

 

Careful Tdawg, you are dangerously close to cutting off your penis and jumping out a window.

[stormngt]

Why are you "taking out" Frieri's game? That's dumb. And that "unearned run" was the biggest run of the series and was just as much the fault of the bullpen as it was Iannetta. That runner was on base because he was walked as the first batter of the inning, and then it was a wild pitch that scored him.

 

How many losses have come via the bullpen this season? I'm counting 1 last night, the fiasco in Washington the other night, 2 against Oakland, 1 against the Mets. So that's 5 losses on the bullpen already? Take out just 2 of those and the Angels are 13-11 and just a game and a half out of first place, as well as leading the wildcard.

 

I'm not sure if you are really trying to defend this bullpen or if you are playing devil's advocate but just because they've pitched "better" of late does not absolve them for basically keeping this team from competing. The pen still has the 7th worst ERA in baseball, the fewest saves, and the 5th worst WHIP in baseball. That's all including their recent "success".

I am willing to bet the Angels have lost a minimum of seven games where the bullpen gave up the game winning hit.

[Lhalo]

And now I'm rhyming.

See what you made me do Blarg?

 

Hey why don't you go eat some hay, make things out of clay and lay by the bay?

[Inside Pitch]

Hey why don't you go eat some hay, make things out of clay and lay by the bay?

 

You tell them, Happy!

[AngelsFaninGA]

Also worth noting is that the Angels have allowed the 4th most inherited runners to score (and in doing so have allowed 50% of inherited runners to score, 3rd worst in the league)