Bullpen Comparisons

[Lip Man 1]

I don't know if this can contribute anythings towards the on-going discussions about the bullpen but just for laughs I went back through my records for the last three winning seasons by the Sox (00,01,03) just to see how the bullpens compared.

To me the key issue is 'blown games.' Those are games where the Sox took a lead into the 7th inning or later and wound up losing the game.

Here's what I found:

2000 (95 wins) The Sox blew ten regular season games plus one in the postseason. Total of eleven. Five of those games saw the lead lost in the 7th inning. Once in the 8th, and five times in the 9th.

2001 (83 wins) The Sox blew a total of twelve games. Four times in the 7th. Seven times in the 8th and once in the 9th.

2003 (86 wins) The Sox blew a total of ten games. Once in the 7th inning. Six times in the 8th inning and three times in the 9th.

So far this year the Sox have lost two games where they led in the 7th inning or later. Once (tonight) in the 8th and on opening day in the 9th inning.

To me I get the sense that the real bug a boo for the club since the decade started has been 'middle relief.' (especially holding the lead in the 8th inning!)

Combined in these seasons (including this year,) ten times the Sox lost the lead in the 7th inning, fifteen times in the 8th inning and ten times in the 9th inning.

I found it interesting that only once in 2000 did the team lose a lead in the 8th inning. They won 95 games that season.

I have no idea if there is a relationship or not. I just wanted to toss out the numbers for discussion.

Lip

[batmanZoSo]

Originally posted by Lip Man 1


I found it interesting that only once in 2000 did the team lose a lead in the 8th inning. They won 95 games that season.



Lip

http://www.whitesoxinteractive.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/walk.jpg
"That's no freak occurance. Who manned the 8th inning in 2000?"

[LASOXFAN]

Howry was a good set-up man, no doubt. Wish Ozzie would just make Marte the closer and Wunsch and Pollite the bridge. Turn Koch into a middle reliever where he belongs. He gives up too many runs and you'd rather that happen in the 5th, 6th, or 7th than in the 8th or (gulp) 9th (yeah, Billy's never done that).

Those are interesting numbers, Lip.

[MHOUSE]

Originally posted by LASOXFAN
Howry was a good set-up man, no doubt. Wish Ozzie would just make Marte the closer and Wunsch and Pollite the bridge. Turn Koch into a middle reliever where he belongs. He gives up too many runs and you'd rather that happen in the 5th, 6th, or 7th than in the 8th or (gulp) 9th (yeah, Billy's never done that).

Those are interesting numbers, Lip.

I like Politte a lot and he's been decent but for the homer last night. The other three runs he allowed were his runners that another pitcher inherited and allowed to score. You can't blame him for that necessarily. Koch sucks and although he pitched out of it in the 9th last night, I don't like seeing my "closer" load the bases without a hit in the first place. Have Koch and Adkins fill similar roles in middle relief/mop-up and use Politte to set up Marte.

Middle Relief
Adkins R
Cotts? L
Koch R
Set-up
Politte R
Closer
Marte
Lefty Specialist
Wunsch/Cotts for now?

Jackson and Takatsu have done fine with their fill-in roles. I'd trust them both with the 7th or 8th inning and more than a 2-run lead. Perhaps Cotts and Adkins might step up and take on bigger roles in the bullpen? I'd like to see that happen...