It’s Time to Trust Hector Neris
“Hey, the game on the line. The team needs Hector.”
That quote from Hector Neris in his “Loud and Clear” episode on Phillies YouTube rings more accurate than ever now as Manager Joe Girardi named him the team’s 2021 closer beginning the season. Neris’s relationship with the ninth has shown great promise in moments while also providing some head-scratchers.
Back in 2017, during the middle of the summer in early July, then manager Pete Mackanin removed Neris from the role to work on returning to his previous form, where he found lots of swings and misses. A strategy that proved beneficiary for Hector, seeing him converting on all 20 of his save opportunities down the stretch that season while posting 2.48 ERA alongside his hot string of outings.
However, Phillies fans were again left with their hands on their head in disgust when the hefty right-hander averaged giving up over five earned runs. Speculation was that maybe fatigue played a role since the other relievers who’re supposed to pair along with Neris, David Robinson, and Sir Anthony Dominguez spectated from the bench. Whatever the case, he pushed it aside for a big bounce back in 2019, where he produced a career-high in multiple statistical categories; his ERA 2.98, 28 saves with an 82.4% save percentage (six blown saves), WHIP at 1.02.
I went back and watched a compilation video of his 2019 saves. When Hector locates his 94-96 mph at the top of the zone, his splitter hangs up until the last second and dives straight down half a foot before reaching the plate leaving hitters swinging for air or off-balance lifting a lazy fly ball to the outfield. If anything, for those who remain skeptical of Hector Neris, his 2019 year proves the tools and potential are there.
Now, I’m aware that he led the way for the worst bullpen in history last season, along with everyone else. However, if you put the majority of the blame on Hector for the totality of the pen’s performance, you’re fooling yourself. Moreover, if you look deeper into his numbers, they show results similar to his standout 2019 season.
Neris’ strikeout rate (11.2 per nine innings), contact rate (61.4 percent), swing rate (66.2 percent), and hard-hit rate (39.7 percent) were similar to his marks in 2019 when he finished with a 2.93 ERA and 28 saves (Matt Breen/Philly Inquirer).
Beyond a back and forth on his numbers’ quality and meaning, Neris also brought a new pitch into his repertoire over spring training; a slider. Not only did it show some promise to be a swing and miss pitch for him, but also it helps bolster the devastation of his splitter, which he throws between 50-60 percent of the time. In his presser, Joe Girardi spoke to this yesterday when he announced the arrangement of the bullpen. In Hector’s case, he said where you throw two pitches; both pitches have to be “really, really elite.”
His splitter commands respect on that level, but with nearly almost every reliever nowadays sitting high 90s or triple digits, a mid 90s fastball is now the average for major league standards. That’s where his slider comes into play. As Girardi pointed out yesterday, hitters now won’t have a “50-50 chance of guessing right.” At least as a show-me pitch, Hector can now rely on a little mental manipulation on the mound instead of solely relying on the tumble of his splitter.
Everything from the ability to emotional drive for playing the game all composes themselves within Hector Neris. He’s encountered bumps along the way for sure, but the true testament of an excellent reliable closer is mental toughness. I’m not sure if there’s a more accurate word to describe the mentality Neris has grown into than that. He’s shown an ability now in multiple seasons to bounce back from unfavorable circumstances. And now, with the addition of a slider bolstered with a winning manager’s steadfast support in Joe Girardi, it’s time for fans to do the same and embrace the big right-hander as our go-to ninth-inning man.
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Categorized:Phillies