It’s probably too early to determine exactly how the bullpen will shake out, but it’s always fun to give it a shot. And after the departures of Closer Bobby Jenks and set-up men J.J. Putz and Scott Linebrink, everyone out there probably has some questions. Based on some of Ozzie’s comments, it sounds as if the Sox will break camp with six relievers. I’ll do my best to fill in the answers. Heading into Spring Training, here are my predictions:
#1 – Closer – LHP Chris Sale. This is by no means a sure thing. Many people want the more experienced pitcher, Matt Thornton, in the closer’s role, due to the fact that Sale is just 21-years-old and has only 23.1 Major League innings to his name. But you can’t look past the fact that in those 23.1 innings, he struck out 32 batters and walked only ten. His ERA was 1.93 and his WHIP was a beautiful 1.071. If Sale isn’t needed to fill a rotation spot, his lively arm is the best option at Closer.
#2 – RH Set-Up Man – RHP Jesse Crain. The Crain signing this off-season was fantastic, as he’s been a dominant fixture in the Minnesota bullpen since 2005. Last season was arguably his best, as he gave up just seven hits per nine innings.
#3 – LH Set-Up Man – LHP Matt Thornton. It’s rare for a set-up man to be selected to the All-Star team, but Thornton did just that in 2010. The success if not new for the lefty, who over the last three seasons has pitched 200 innings with 245 Strikeouts, a 2.70 ERA and 1.028 WHIP. He has been so successful in the set-up role, I see no need to shift him to the higher pressured role of Closer.
#4 – LOOGY – LHP Will Ohman. It’s opening day. The score is tied 7-7 in the 5th inning, the Indians have men on 1st and 3rd, 2 outs, and the dangerous Shin-Soo Choo steps up to the plate. It’s too early to bring in Thornton, so what does Guillen do? He turns to LOOGY (Lefty One-Out Guy) Will Ohman. The beauty of a LOOGY is they’re only on your team to face left handed batters, and that’s certainly Ohman’s specialty. Lefty hitters have a career OPS of just .636 against the former Cub, so he should fit in nicely in this limited role.
#5 – Long Reliever – RHP Tony Pena. The optimist sees Pena reverting back to his 2007 season with the Diamondbacks in which he pitched 85.1 innings with an ERA+ to the tune of 146. The pessimist sees his 1.520 WHIP from last season. Regardless of which Pena we see, he does offer something valuable, and that’s the ability to come out of the pen and give the Sox 3-5 innings. Or, in the case of a last minute injury, Pena would be the best option for a spot start.
#6 – RHP Sergio Santos. The converted back-up infielder lit up the radar guns in his first Major League season on the mound, and the results were varied. In the season’s first half, opponents hit just .216 against him, while they boosted it to .307 in the second half. Hopefully that was just a sign of him wearing down with a boosted workload. Look for him to gain more control in his second full season, and be a good 6th and 7th inning option for Ozzie to call on.
Original Story:
http://www.whitesoxrant.com/2011/02/e...
