Late relief was one of the Pirate’s strengths in 2007. Second year pitcher, and first year closer, Matt Capps did a more than capable job of converting his few save chances. Set-up men Solomon Torres, Shaun Chacon and John Grabow, on the whole, performed very well too. And lefty specialist Damaso Marte was phenomenal. The other two bullpens spots last year left a lot to be desired.
So where does that leave us in 2008? Well, Torres was traded to Milwaukee for two minor league pitchers who are unlikely to see any big league action this year. Chacon became a free agent and has yet to sign with any team. And despite some competitive bids, the Pirates have not made any significant additions to this group. So the Pirates took one of their strengths, and shaved off 40%. That doesn’t bode well.
But here’s the deal: It’s just the bullpen. I know, I know, the bullpen is vital for a team to be successful. But this team does not project to be much of a contender. I’m not saying they won’t contend, because the ’97 team looked much worse than this one, just that they don’t seem like they will. Some year, maybe even this one, everything will fall into place and the Bucs will win. Sure, many players will have to overachieve, but if we’re talking about overachieving anyway, let’s count on the bullpen to do that too. Why go out and sign 2 or 3 veteran relievers to multi-year contracts when the team doesn’t appear to be ready to win. Filling in the bullpen is something you do when you know you can compete. I’d rather the team spent that money signing Capps, Freddy Sanchez or Adam LaRoche to an extension.
But back to the bullpen, so we’ve got Capps, Marte and Grabow in place. There are rumors that the team is still talking with Chacon about returning. I could see that happening. They have already signed over-the-hill journeyman Elmer Dessens to fill a bullpen spot, and maybe be a spot starter. Franquelis Osoria and Romulo Sanchez both pitched fairly well last year in their limited appearances. Those two should vie for a roster spot. A handful of other young relievers made mostly forgettable appearances too: Brian Rogers, Juan Perez, Josh Sharpless, and Jonah Bayliss. I’m actually not sure if they’re all still around, but I could see one or two of them making a positive impact at some point this year. I also expect Sean Burnett to sneak in as a long reliever. He’s out of minor league options so it’s worth giving him a shot in the bullpen.
Projected Pirate’s Bullpen:
Matt Capps, Damaso Marte, John Grabow, Elmer Dessens, Sean Burnett, Franquelis Osoria and Jonah Bayliss (unless Chacon returns).
Not noticeably good, but considering the expectations of the team, it should be adequate.
2 comments:
Wow, so I just post this and then I read that Marte was in a car crash today in the D.R. He should be okay though.
This weekend the Pirates designated Sean Burnett for assignment. Though he'll probably clear waivers and remain with the team, this does diminish his chances of making the team out of Spring Training.
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