Spring countdown discussion: Bullpen
The Colorado Rockies enter 2010 with a bullpen that, like the team’s starting rotation, could be the most stable in franchise history. The late-innings trio returns intact while the rest of the bullpen will be comprised of 2009 holdovers, veterans returning from injuries and a pack of young arms trying to find a way to stick in the major leagues.
Who’s closing: Huston Street took a lot of heat after the Rockies collapsed in the final two games of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. But without him, the team never would have been in the postseason. After a rough start to the season, he briefly lost the closer job before winning it back by the end of April. He went on to save 35 of 37 games, locking down the ninth in a way it hadn’t been since Manny Corpas took over the closer role in 2007 (before losing it in 2008 and again in 2009). Street sat out most of September with biceps tendinitis and returned on Sept. 22 to pitch six of the last 12 games, including a two-inning appearance the St. Louis Cardinals. Maybe he was tired or not entirely healthy, or maybe he was just off his game at the end. Whatever the reason, the Rockies aren’t worried. They avoided arbitration with Street and locked him up for three years and $22.5 million, giving the bullpen the anchor it was has long needed.
Who’s setting up: Rafael Betancourt and Franklin Morales could be closers under different circumstances, and indeed, each closed games while Street was out in September. But Betancourt prefers the eighth inning and Morales is not yet reliable enough to close on a regular basis. But together, they make up a formidable right-left eighth-inning combo that can help shorten the game by another inning. The Rockies turned down an expensive 2010 option for Betancourt, but brought him back a more reasonable price for two years. Morales, who started 2009 in the Rockies starting rotation, may have at last found his niche after several years of tantalizing the team with his stuff but failing to stick in the majors. He still battles his command and focus at times, but when he’s locked in, he’s nearly impossible to hit, especially for lefties.
Who’s in the middle: The middle innings for the Rockies are still somewhat up for grabs, but three holdovers from last September likely enter spring training with the jobs to lose. Right-hander Matt Daley had an up-and-down rookie season at age 27, but all told, there were more ups than downs and he finished with a 4.24 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 51 innings. Right-hander Matt Belisle was awful in his first go-round with the Rockies in 2009 was designated for assignment and eventually sent to Triple-A in late May with his ERA sitting at 8.31. In Colorado Springs, Belisle was used to finish games, a role no one had yet tried him in, and he thrived. He returned in September as one the Rockies most reliable relievers and was re-signed to a one-year contract. Left-hander Randy Flores started 2009 with nine consecutive scoreless appearances, but by June had fallen apart and followed Belisle to Colorado Springs. Flores returned in September and was successful facing almost exclusively left-handed batters. He returns with a one-year deal and will be challenged for the second left-handed spot in the bullpen by Matt Reynolds, a 20th-round pick in the 2007 draft who split time between Single-A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa in 2009.
Who’s in the picture: The Rockies continue to shop for bargains to bolster the bullpen, and in addition to Reynolds, the Rockies already have a large collection of veterans and prospects fighting for the last spot in the bullpen or trying to push out one of the holdovers. Corpas will be returning from elbow surgery that cost him the second half of last season. If he returns to some semblance of his 2007 form and becomes a factor in the middle and late innings, the Rockies bullpen will be one of the best in the league. Another big boost could come in mid-summer when Taylor Buchhoz, the Rockies best reliever in 2008, returns after undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing all of 2009. Former Rockie Justin Speier, Tim Redding, Chris Gissell, Jimmy Gobble and Juan Rincon are signed to minor-league contracts and will compete for the final bullpen spot and provide insurance in case of injury. Several of the Rockies best rotation prospects — Jhoulys Chacin, Esmil Rogers, Samuel Deduno and Greg Smith — could find themselves in bullpen roles at some point this season, but all are likely to begin the season at Triple-A barring an injury in the starting rotation.
Who’s in the future: Two potential future closers could crack the Rockies bullpen at some point in 2010. Left-hander Rex Brothers, a supplemental first-round pick in 2009, will begin the season at either Modesto or Tulsa and could reach the majors by the end of the summer. Casey Weathers, the Rockies’ first-round pick in 2008, is returning from Tommy John surgery and should be a factor in Denver this season if he’s fully healthy. Shane Lindsay will resume what seems an interminable quest to reach the Rockies, or least Triple-A. If he can stay healthy, the Rockies will probably take a look at him this season. Al Alburquerque, Edgmer Escalona, Craig Baker and Andrew Johnston will all pitch at Double-A or higher this season and could be a fit sooner or later.
Discuss: The stability in the Rockies starting rotation and the team’s success in developing a strong group of prospects has presented the team with a fortunate dilemma: how to find room for all these great young arms. With some, the decision is easy. Christian Friedrich is destined for the starting rotation and still needs seasoning. With Greg Reynolds, the Rockies are just hoping for a healthy season. But with Chacin, Rogers, Deduno and Chaz Roe so close, are the Rockies better off letting them log regular innings in the Sox rotation or moving them into the major-league bullpen where they can learn on the job and help the Rockies now?
If Chacin, Rogers, et al are better than the other pitchers in the bullpen, then they should stick with the Rockies. The goal is to help the Rockies win and many solid major league starters began in the bullpen. To me, Weathers is the wildcard. Both Chacin and Rogers could do long relief and a spot start, which I don’t see as being possible with the current list of expected ‘pen guys.
I don’t know that you could really say Betancourt “closed games while Street was out in September.” Sure, he did have a save, but Morales was called on to be the closer that day, and Betancourt was cleaning up a big mess. At no point was Betancourt Tracy’s #1 choice.
I’m very interested to see how Matt Reynolds and Rex Brothers progress this season. The Rockies have a very poor track record of developing left handed relievers, and those two could eventually become quite an asset at a difficult-to-fill position, at least economically.
It is not as if the Rockies need our help with these issues, but here is what I would do with the young and promising starting pitchers. With one exception (Deduno) they should not put any of the these starting pitchers in the MLB bullpen.
Roe is young enough to start with Friedrich in AA Tulsa. If he makes as much improvement year over year as he made last year, he will challenge Friedrich for the Texas League pitcher of the year award.
With Chacin & Rogers starting and Deduno in the bullpen, all three should should begin the year be at AAA Colorado Springs. It definitely will be a challenge for them to succeed at this level with that altitude – however somebody has to do it.
As Steve noted the Rockies have several minor league relievers that are decent prospects and are just waiting for a MLB opportunity – Reynolds M, Escalona, Alburquerque, Lindsay and Weathers. They have all pitched successfully as relievers at AA and should be ready for the MLB sometime during this season. Beyond that group here is another five relievers that could be really good a year or two down the road – Brothers, Johnston, Baker, Weatherford and Ruiz.
Aside from Deduno who still has some control issues (ala Morales) and as such is a better fit in the bullpen anyway, the other young starters need the innings and the routine to continue their development as starting pitchers.
You’re right, Betancourt only closed one game in September and that one after Morales nearly blew the game. But given the magnitude of that game — that was the game against the Giants that De La Rosa pitched eight shutout innings and they nearly lost after being up 4-0 — and the jam he inherited — two on, no one out, one run in — it was the biggest save of the month if not the season. I’m assigning more credit for late innings work than he earned.
That is a solid line-up out there at least on paper. If history tells us anything at least one of the relievers we are counting on will have a bad season (alas, I am afraid it will Betencourt, based on his own past history, but he is a pro and seems to have fixed some of his past problems). We also should count on at least one solid arm going on the DL. So here is where the depth that everyone is focusing on comes in. Whether it is a Speier who gets another chance, a Chacin who has great stuff if he can calm down and get it over the plate, or maybe a Brothers and Weathers. The great news is that we dont have to count on Corpas or Buckholz to have a strong bp. For my money I am thinking our two Matt’s (Beisle and Daley) could be the keys to a strong bp, eating innings and holing leads after 6 innings for Francis, DLR and Hammel.
I keep saying this but isn’t it great to have such a solid team, so deep with talent not just fringe prospects, that we can all imagine being able deal with injuries and poor perfornamce.
Posters here keep asking about the long relief/spot starter role. Matt Belisle seems to be the guy as he had a really good second half last year. If for some reason he returns to his early 2009 form, then Redding should be more than adequate to fill that role.
Just not a big believer in converting stud minor league starting pitchers into temporary MLB relievers with the idea being to then turn them back into MLB starters. The Yankees have attempted to do this with Joba (just one example) and the results have been at best uneven – so far.
NEXT: “Pitchers and Catchers Report” to Spring Training.
Regarding the bullpen – the right side with Street, Betancourt, Daley, Belisle et al the Rocks are pretty good especially when Corpas and Buchholtz return to good health – the left side not so much. While Morales and Flores are affordable, they are also inconsistent. And while Beimel didn’t have his best year in 2009, still thought he was workman like and solid. So guess DanO is going to hold on to that extra $2.0m until a definite need arrises – and it likely will.
Steve – Thanks for the Around the Horn Forum – lots of good information along with some interesting fan opinions!
I agree with Rich M. I think that we should let our young starters who are expected to start the year at AAA (Chacin, Deduno, Rogers, Roe) stay as starters, rather than have them be relievers short term, and then starters later. Given the likelihood of a starter getting injured, and the fact that some our starting pitchers have contracts that end at the end of the 2010 season, we are going to need the next wave of starters before too long. It seems that we have enough relievers and reliever prospects to address our needs short term.
Of course, if management determnines that one of those four would fare better in the major leagues as a reliever, as is apparently the case with Morales, then that’s a different story.
Also, a string of reliever injuries could change this really fast.
Let the phenom Chaz Roe take the ball and see what he can do….Saw Rogers and Chacin pitch in Frisco last year and they are pretty solid. Also, they should demote Street and bring Johnstone in to seal the deal for the Rocks in the 9th!! He keeps the ball down and has solid command…which is crucial in a park where the ball is loaded with rocket fuel!!! Maybe give him shot, I am a Cards fan but that would be one homestand that I would have to wear a purple shirt under my Pujols jersey for!!!