AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > July > 07
Friday, July 7, 2006
Can Bob Wickman relight the bullpen?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I got an e-mail about the Eddie Guardado-for-Travis Chick trade yesterday, I only wished I had been working so I could write this:
It’s been a rapid career decline for Eddie Guardado, the former All-Star closer who lost his job to a Putz and was traded for a Chick.
(Ba-da-bum. Thank you. You’re too kind.)
I searched today on the Internet and was shocked not to find that anyone else had already used that line. Surely someone did. Too bad a New York team wasn’t involved, because it could have made for a great back-page headline in the tabloids.
Anyway … yes, Guardado was traded by the Mariners to Cincinnati for minor league pitcher Travis Chick, after losing his closer job earlier this season to J.J. Putz. Couldn’t make that transaction up if I tried.
Didn’t the bullpen-needy Braves have a putz … er, a minor league pitcher they could have traded for Guardado? Well, I’m sure they did. But can’t say that I blame the Braves for not wanting to pay the remainder of Guardado’s $6.25 mil salary this season, seeing how he has a 5.48 ERA, blew three of eight saves before Putz took his job in May, and has a .309 opponents’ average that includes a .311 mark and four homers allowed in 61 at-bats in close-and-late situations.
No, the Braves already have a couple of high-paid guys who can do that kind of work, thankyouverymuch. There’s the amiable Canadian who had the horrendous and injury-ended season, and there’s Jorge Sosa, who gave up his NL-leading 20th homer during a frightening ninth-inning meltdown Thursday. For those keeping score, Sosa has allowed 40 hits and 10 homers in 30 innings over his past 11 games (four starts, seven funhouse relief appearances). Sosa has a 6.60 ERA in that span, jacking his season figure to 5.47 (but only 5.00 as a reliever!)
I repeat, he LEADS THE NL with 20 homers allowed despite pitching just 79 innings. He has a .359 opponents’ average with runners in scoring position and league-worst .383 average with runners on base anywhere. With all due respect, if Sosa is the answer, then I can no longer recall the horrifying question.
Only one Brave has a higher opponents’ average with runners in scoring position this season than Sosa. Yes, that’d be Chris Reitsma, the fallen closer who’s done for the season and headed for elbow surgery. He allowed a .438 (14-for-32) average with eight extra-base hits and an unfathomable 1.419 opponents’ OPS with runners in scoring position. No, seriously. He did.
OK, anyway … folks, sorry to be the latest to bring this up, but there’s apparently just not much out there in the way of available bullpen arms, no Kyle Farnsworths this time around. The Braves got him, the best available bullpen arm, at least year” deadline. This year, they might have to settle for Bob Wickman or someone of that ilk.
Braves have been scouting Cleveland games lately, and Wickman is a guy they also pursued this winter. The chunky vet isn’t the sexy 100-mph power arm that Farnsworth was, but Wickman also isn’t as flaky, introverted and prone to weeping after giving up big homers, either.
Wickman has converted a respectable 13-of-16 saves this season with an unexceptional 4.50 ERA, and he’s allowed just one homer in in 26 innings. Right-handers have hit just .213 against him with a .288 OBP, lefties .333/.411. So if Macay McBride can get out crucial lefties, it might work — at least better than what the Braves have now.
Or are we of the belief that Sosa needs more time to show what he can do in the closer role? Personally, I don’t know if there’s enough antacid in Atlanta for an extended Sosa run in the closer role.
Some combination of Paronto, Ken Ray, McBride, Kevin Barry, Oscar Villarreal and Tyler Yates (yes, I know, two rookies and three journeymen) with Wickman added to mix, or a similar veteran, just might be serviceable. Then you drop John Thomson to the bullpen if Davies is ready in late July or August (or if Barry is moved to the rotation?) and Thomson hasn’t been traded by then (don’t know what you’d get for him, honestly). Sosa? Hey, whatever.
Personally the remaining $1 mill or so on his $2.2 mill contract … OK, I’m not going to advocate releasing anyone, especially not someone with a good arm on a pitching-thin staff. But, well, I wouldn’t howl in protest if it happened? Would you?
OK, running out of time. Gotta eat, shower, dress and get to the park.
Wanted to share something hilarious with you guys that appeared in the Onion, which, if you’re not familiar, is an hysterically funny satire/humor mock newspaper that’s based in Wisconsin, I believe, and can be purchased at plenty of bookstores and picked up free at stands throughout Chicago, Milwaukee and that area. Anyway, my ex-wife e-mailed me this from today’s Onion (do you know, by the way, the only thing bad about having a gorgeous ex-wife with a great sense of humor? Having a gorgeous ex-wife with a great sense of humor).
Disabled List Offers Mark Prior Two-Year, $8 Million Extension June 29, 2006 | Onion Sports CHICAGO — Mark Prior, the right-handed pitcher who has spent the first few years of his career on the disabled list, is now considering accepting a recent two-year, $8 million offer from the DL that would keep him not playing through the 2008 season. “I couldn’t even imagine the DL without Mark Prior — over the years, he has become the face, stiff right elbow, strained subscapularis muscle, and inflamed Achilles tendon of our organization,” said Kirk Gibson, manager and longtime former member of the DL, which is currently rebuilding by claiming young arms such as Kerry Wood, Ben Sheets, and Mike Maroth. “We firmly believe that Mark’s best injuries are still ahead of him.” While Prior”s agent says the pitcher is exploring his options, experts predict that it is “inevitable” that Prior will return to the DL and, with the loyalty he’s shown in the past, likely finish his career there.
Services »
