Experimentation is Key for the Phillies’ Bullpen Woes
Phillies fans long for the days when the ballclub would take a lead into the seventh inning during their most recent playoff contending years. That’s because they knew any lead was safe in the hands of the former pitchers who made up one of the best bullpens in Phillies history.
Today, although the bullpen has improved since last year, it continues to have issues finishing games. Phillies pitcher David Robertson who was acquired over the offseason to address this specific issue is on the injured list, and there’s no specific timetable for his return.
In Robertson’s absence, the Phillies will have to make do with the talent they have… And they have the talent to finish strong.
The Phillies bullpen has quality arms including a rejuvenated Adam Morgan, former All-Star Pat Neshek, splitter machine Hector Neris, and Seranthony Dominguez who displayed his potential last year despite his struggles this year.
These pitchers have the skills needed to throw a quality inning, but none of them have much experience throwing multiple innings. Neshek has yet to record more than an inning this season, while Neris and Dominguez have only done it once.
This presents the Phillies with an interesting experimental opportunity.
When the Phillies bullpen was at its best they used three key pitchers to close out ballgames. Ryan Madson would enter the game in the seventh, J.C. Romero filled the setup man role in the eighth, and Brad Lidge closed games in the ninth.
Currently, the Phillies have a revolving door for these roles in their bullpen. To consistently finish games strong, manager Gabe Kapler ought to experiment filling these three roles until Robertson returns to the roster.
Seranthony Dominguez has plenty of potentials that fans witnessed last season. Against the Chicago Cubs on Monday he pitched a strong seventh inning only to get blasted in the eighth. He’s the type of pitcher that can give all he has for one quality inning, and there’s no better role for him than the bridge to the setup man.
If Dominguez is the bridge, who could be the setup man? There’s no one more suited for the role than Hector Neris. Since being called back from the minors after last season’s struggles, Neris has developed confidence in his splitter and has the talent to fill the setup role nicely.
Finally, who better to get the save than Pat Neshek who is arguably the Phillies best bullpen pitcher and a former All-Star. He has shown he has the composure needed to throw strikes in the ninth and can hold the spot until Robertson recovers.
The bullpen has another pitcher that it can use to get tough outs against strong hitters late in games. Adam Morgan who is the Phillies best left-handed reliever can start or finish the seventh, eighth, or ninth inning as needed to get out good left-handed hitters.
It’s not time to panic about the Phillies bullpen, it’s time to experiment.
Photo: via Twitter (@mlbtraderumors)
Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.