Even with the best starting rotation in all of baseball, the Phils starters are unfortunately not going to pitch complete game shutouts every night. There are going to be games in which the starters will be off and when that happens the Phils bullpen needs to be ready to respond. Whether its coming into a bases loaded jam or closing out a tight 1 run game, the bullpen is going to be crucial to the Phils' success. Let me break down each pitcher for you.
Brad Lidge: Lidge has certainly had an interesting few years in Philadelphia. From his perfect season in 08 to his debacle in 09, Brad has struggled to stay consistent during his time in Philadelphia. I think it's safe to say that Brad is the key to the bullpen. Brad had a solid year last season recording 27 saves in 31 opportunities with a 2.96 ERA. Statistically last year was a good season for Lidge but I expect him to have a dominant year this year similar to his famous 2008 season. With such a great starting rotation, Lidge is going to have a limited number of opportunities which will force him to make the most of every game he pitches in. Plus, this is a contract year for Lidge, so from a financial standpoint Brad needs to be on top of his game.
Ryan Madson: Madson is the future of the Phillies bullpen. With a rapidly growing pay roll that includes large future salaries to Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and soon Cole Hamels, the Phils are unlikely to resign Brad Lidge to a new contract at the end of the season. Ryan Madson will most likely be the closer of the future providing he has a solid year this year and is able to show the Phils that he can perform when the game is on the line. I expect Madson to have a solid year in his role as 8th inning set up man.
J.C. Romero: Romero played a big role in the Phils' World Series title in 2008. He was the lefty out of the pen who could be called upon to pitch in the toughest situations. Romero posted a 2.75 ERA in 81 games in 08, and was called upon a lot especially in late game situations. But after a 50 game suspension due to substance abuse Romero appeared in just 21 games in 2009 and was not the 2008 Romero. Romero didn't do all that well last year posting a 3.67 ERA in 60 games for the Phils. One of the big question marks during the past off season was whether or not the Phils would re-sign the feisty left-hander. The Phils and Romero agreed upon a 1 year deal worth 1.35 million. Romero has certainly shown in the past that he has the talent to be a dominant set-up man. He just has to keep his emotions in check and try his best to return to his 2008 form. Having a healthy and effective Romero will certainly help this team throughout the course of the season.
Others: A healthy and effective Lidge, Madson and Romero are crucial to the success of the bullpen. Still, other pitchers are needed for specialty situations and long reliefs. The next most important pitcher in the pen is Jose Contreras. Contreras has made a smooth transition from starting pitcher to reliever. Last year Contreras was a solid option out of the pen for the Phils posting a 3.34 ERA in 67 games. Look for Contreras to have another solid year and be a guy who Charlie can confidently call on. Antonio Bastardo is another option out of the pen. He is a young lefty who is going to be given a lot of opportunities through out the season. Danys Baez and David Hernodon need to have bounce back seasons. Posting ERAs above 4 are simply unacceptable on this team. Other guys that will be given opportunities to compete are Vance Worley, Scott Mathieson and Mike Zagurski.
If Romero, Lidge and Madson can pitch the way they are capable of pitching, the Phils will certainly have a dominant pen. The problem for these guys has been consistency, and they need to prove that they can pitch at a high level in both the regular season and deep into the post season. Other guys like Contreras and Bastardo need to contribute and help out when that bullpen phone rings.
No comments:
Post a Comment