The Bullpen

[killthegoat06]

What is your guys' opinion of the bullpen so far? It seems to me that on a given day everyone is doing well or everyone is not getting it done. Are there any transactions that might make the bullpen consistently better?

[Sammy Sofa]

More Wuertz.

 

I'm honestly surprised at how well Cotts is doing...hopefully he can keep it up. Howry seems to be coming back from his iffy first month. Cherry hasn't looked so hot...Ohman is a looming threat and Eyre seems to be having issues, though it was nice to see him bounce back this last game.

 

I think Dempster looks a LOT better than he did last year. We still get some drama now and then, but I think he's gonna have another awesome year as the closer.

[Keener98]

Go back and read the post on the ignorance of spending big money on relievers and thats how I feel about the bullpen. Eyre should not be in a game the cubs have a lead in unless the lead is double digits. Cotts Wuertz Cherry and Howry are the only ones I have a bit of confidence in, and even those guys dont thrill me. Dempster not included in this convo

[Banedon]

More Wuertz.

 

I'm honestly surprised at how well Cotts is doing...hopefully he can keep it up. Howry seems to be coming back from his iffy first month. Cherry hasn't looked so hot...Ohman is a looming threat and Eyre seems to be having issues, though it was nice to see him bounce back this last game.

 

I think Dempster looks a LOT better than he did last year. We still get some drama now and then, but I think he's gonna have another awesome year as the closer.

 

I'm very pleasantly surprised with Cotts as well. He's one of the guys I have the most faith in out of that pen.

[Soriano12]

I'm getting fed up with Scott Eyre.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think the bullpen has been fine. They are relievers, so inconsistently is inherent with the job. The only transactions that might make them consistently better is to acquire one of the rare consistently great relievers, and that's unrealistic.

 

They have the 5th best ERA, BAA and OPS against in the NL. They are 3rd in K/BB and 1st in K/9. I don't think it's realistic to expect much more.

 

There will be days when 1 or more guys falters. But that's baseball.

 

As usual, however, the bullpen won't be the reason this team wins or loses. The starting rotation and lineup will determine that far more frequently.

[CubColtPacer]

I think this has been a pretty good bullpen overall.

 

Wuertz and Cotts were awesome early-both of them have been a little choppy lately, but not too bad.

 

Dempster has been great-the only big mistake was the pitch to Pujols, but other then that, he's been very good.

 

Howry recovered from his rough start, and is now having his usual good year.

 

Ohman still has had too many problems with walking the left-handers that he's brought in to face.

 

Cherry has been up and down.

 

Eyre is starting to locate his pitches better after the horrendous most of April-I think he will start to pitch much better in the next month or so.

[jersey cubs fan]

Cherry is pretty pointless down there.

 

Lou needs to get over his need for 7 relievers and stop making 3-4 changes in an inning. The rotation has gone many turns in a row without being rocked early and needing to burn the pen. They have the 4th fewest innings pitched of any pen in the NL.

[baseball7897]

I think this has been a pretty good bullpen overall.

 

Wuertz and Cotts were awesome early-both of them have been a little choppy lately, but not too bad.

 

Dempster has been great-the only big mistake was the pitch to Pujols, but other then that, he's been very good.

 

Howry recovered from his rough start, and is now having his usual good year.

 

Ohman still has had too many problems with walking the left-handers that he's brought in to face.

 

Cherry has been up and down.

 

Eyre is starting to locate his pitches better after the horrendous most of April-I think he will start to pitch much better in the next month or so.

 

Agreed.

 

The Cubs cannot afford to lose Bob Howry, imo. He is an extremely important piece in that pen.

[rawaction]

Cherry is pretty pointless down there.

 

Lou needs to get over his need for 7 relievers and stop making 3-4 changes in an inning. The rotation has gone many turns in a row without being rocked early and needing to burn the pen. They have the 4th fewest innings pitched of any pen in the NL.

 

Lou's handling of the bullpen has been flat out stupid. It has fortunately worked for the most part, but there was no reason to NOT stick with Wuertz or Cotts yesterday. Wuertz has been the best reliever on the team for almost 3 years. He can get out LHs just as well as RHs. Cotts has been the best reliever all year. His career splits aren't much different when facing a RH or LH. This year nobody has hit him much. No reason why either of those 2 couldn't have gotten out of the 7th yesterday, with a better result than bringing Howry in a bases loaded situation.

[Derwood]

my fear with Lou's bullpen shenanigans is that other managers will use it to their advantage. they know he wants 7 relievers (while they, in turn, probably have a 6 deep bench) so they can afford to burn a pinch hitter just to make lou make another pitching move.

 

The bullpen has been a little too walky at times, but as jersey/goony pointed out, their overall K/BB has been good

[98navigator]

my fear with Lou's bullpen shenanigans is that other managers will use it to their advantage. they know he wants 7 relievers (while they, in turn, probably have a 6 deep bench) so they can afford to burn a pinch hitter just to make lou make another pitching move.

 

The bullpen has been a little too walky at times, but as jersey/goony pointed out, their overall K/BB has been good

 

I don't agree with the over managing but I do think Lou has a method to his madness. He's also very aware of the guys on the opponent's bench and will hold certain relievers for anticipated match ups... I think some of what was done yesterday is a product of the off day today.

[cubscausestress]

i agree that lou should have left wuertz in yesterday in that spot. i'm wondering if lou is yanking these guys instantly after they come in and don't get the job done? i wonder if he's trying to make a point with them, "you come in, throw strikes, or your a$* is coming out"

 

or, perhaps he's just over-managing and that's not the case.

 

Cherry is pretty pointless down there.

 

Lou needs to get over his need for 7 relievers and stop making 3-4 changes in an inning. The rotation has gone many turns in a row without being rocked early and needing to burn the pen. They have the 4th fewest innings pitched of any pen in the NL.

 

Lou's handling of the bullpen has been flat out stupid. It has fortunately worked for the most part, but there was no reason to NOT stick with Wuertz or Cotts yesterday. Wuertz has been the best reliever on the team for almost 3 years. He can get out LHs just as well as RHs. Cotts has been the best reliever all year. His career splits aren't much different when facing a RH or LH. This year nobody has hit him much. No reason why either of those 2 couldn't have gotten out of the 7th yesterday, with a better result than bringing Howry in a bases loaded situation.

[Bruno7481]

Go back and read the post on the ignorance of spending big money on relievers and thats how I feel about the bullpen. Eyre should not be in a game the cubs have a lead in unless the lead is double digits. Cotts Wuertz Cherry and Howry are the only ones I have a bit of confidence in, and even those guys dont thrill me. Dempster not included in this convo

 

I realize Eyre has been struggling, but how in the world do you have more confidence in Cherry than Eyre?

[Fro]

I like how Lou uses the pen in general, since he'll leave someone in for an inning and 2/3rds or use a bunch of guys in a key inning. May come back and bite us in an extra inning game at some point, but he's definitely playing the matchups and he keeps the pen from burning itself out.

[KaiserCesar]

I like how Lou uses the pen in general, since he'll leave someone in for an inning and 2/3rds or use a bunch of guys in a key inning. May come back and bite us in an extra inning game at some point, but he's definitely playing the matchups and he keeps the pen from burning itself out.

 

I think that is a good use of the pen that is very deep. Even if you get to some of the 5th-6th-7th guys in the bullpen, you aren't in a lot of trouble....if Eyre stops sucking.

[rynefan]

I'm not liking Cherry OR Eyre much, but what I like least of all is how Lou has been using the bulllpen.

[soccer10k]

Aside from Eyre and Cherry, the pen has been great. The strange thing about Cherry is that he's got the second best WHIP (1.07) by a Cub reliever this year - only Demp is better. Three of the four runs Ohman's given up came in the Cubs' 12-4 win over the Padres. Howry has been solid as well. Cotts, Wuertz, and Dempster have been great.