Commentary: Composing The Bullpen

Posted by Tim Malcolm, Fri, April 04, 2008 07:02 AM

Brad Lidge will likely be ready to pitch for the Phillies Saturday in Cincinnati, and that’s good news of course. He’ll obviously slide into the closer’s role, where he originally was set to stand. But if the first three games of the season said anything about the bullpen, it’s that Tom Gordon doesn’t belong in high-pressure situations.

When Lidge returns, it’s likely waiver pickup Tim Lahey will be offered back to the Twins. And it’s likely Gordon will be Lidge’s setup man; that isn’t the way it should go.

Gordon has struggled — an understatement — with being a competent back-end reliever. His fastball isn’t close to what it once was, and he’s consistently leaving pitches high in the zone. Good performances without baserunners will be few and far between.

Once Lidge returns, this type of composition in the bullpen looks best:

  1. Brad Lidge – closer
  2. JC Romero – setup man
  3. Ryan Madson – seventh inning setup man
  4. Clay Condrey – left-handed specialist
  5. Rudy Seanez – middle relief
  6. Tom Gordon – middle relief
  7. Chad Durbin – long-innings man

Condrey has been a nice surprise, especially after his inning today. Getting Lastings Milledge to swing and miss at his tailing slider and freezing Ryan Zimmerman proved to me the team should try him out in higher-pressure situations. Madson probably shouldn’t go more than one inning (though the run he surrendered today wasn’t entirely his fault). And Durbin has been a fine addition so far.

But Gordon — he’s got to move down the depth chart.

Permalink Comments (9) | Trackback (0)

9 Responses to “Commentary: Composing The Bullpen”

  1. Giuliano Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 8:00 am

    WTH!?!?!?!?

  2. Tim Malcolm Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 8:43 am

    I deleted that. No need for spam. Even if it is important Korean code.

  3. Jeff Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    I’m not giving up on Gordon just yet. It looked like he was throwing well yesterday and he’s a pro. I wonder what they’ll do with Rosario, he’s about due to come off the DL.

  4. Joe DiMaggio Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    Sounds like Lahey may actually have some potential for the future–can he go to AAA Lehigh Valley? I think it is a bit early to give up on Gordon but I like Romero a whole lot as a set-up man. Gordon will get better as the season goes on

  5. Tim Malcolm Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

    I’m just on the other side with Gordon. Yes, his velocity picked up yesterday, but he has the fastball and curve. When the curve isn’t hitting, he’s toast. When the fastball is high, he’s burnt toast.

    Roasrio comes off soon and would have to be on the big league roster, or else he’d hit waivers. Right now the bullpen is jammed, so an injury would have to bring Rosario onto the club. Lahey was a Rule V pick this year, so if the Phils take him off the 25-man, they have to offer him back to his original team, Minnesota. If they don’t want him (or Lahey rejects), he can come back and play for Lehigh Valley. I don’t mind the kid, so I hope he sticks.

  6. Jeff Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    We could be looking at losing both Rosario and Lahey. They both have a future. Rosario and Condrey are good examples of yo-yoing prospects between MLB and the minors too much. Now they’re stuck. Maybe Rosario’s injury might “flare up” suddenly.

  7. Tim Malcolm Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    I think the question here is who would you rather sit with through this season: Rosario or Rudy Seanez?

  8. Jeff Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    I like the pen just as it is now after adding Lidge. I just hate to lose those guys. I can be hard on the front office but they have basically replaced Mesa and Alfonseca with Durbin and Seanez. That appears to be quite an upgrade. Now they have to go out and prove it.

  9. Rosco Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 4:33 pm

    Oh Tom Gordon.

    Tom Gordon is like the beat up old mustang you lost your virginity in. You used to take it out to cruise the highways, now you hope the thing can make it to the store to pick up milk.

    But what a theme song!

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