An Encouraging Early Sign: Ned Yost is Using the Right Relievers

It’s a little easier for these guys to start strong because no one has seen them yet. We’ll know more about these youngsters as we close in on the All-Star break. Give the hitters around the league a chance to see them before we rush to judgements.

Is the strikeout numbers for these guys. Good relievers have to strike people out in big situations. Blake Wood came up last year and had good number initially, but he wasn’t striking anyone out and sure enough he started getting hammered. As long as the K-rate stays up I think these guys will continue to have good success.

There will be some bad outings, but in the end it will only make these guys better down the road, and that is what 2011 is all about.

In July 2009, when the bullpen blew 6 straight or something like that, Hillman came under a good deal of justified criticism for his unwillingness to think outside the box and perhaps use Soria. While Yost hasn’t had to do that, he has at least shown a willingness to adjust on the fly. (I know, TWSS.)

I agree that it’s early to conclude too much. Questions can still be raised about things like how long he stuck with SOS yesterday when he clearly didn’t have his stuff, but tentatively, I’m optimistic.

The bullpen was successful in the Angels series because the guys with the best stuff were used more, and they commanded their pitches. As long as guys like Crow, Jeffress and Collins aren’t walking people, they will be good because they have command of hard fastballs and a solid offspeed pitch. 15 k’s against 5 walks in 17 innings is impressive.

Compare this to the angels bullpen, who not only looked terrible but walked a ton of Royals. Seitzer is king.

I can’t see Collins continuing to be effective unless he changes the delivery on his curve. Earlier there was a post about him possibly tipping it in ihs first game, as his release point was a foot away from normal when throwing a curveball. In yesterday’s game, again, his curve was being delievered a foot away from his normal release point.

Nobody had film on him up to now, but I worry that he will struggle once teams start sitting on that curve.

is in between the words “while” and “it” in the midst of the first sentence. Admittedly, it is closer to “it” though, so the Royals (and this article) can always cheat by means of a rounding error.

…it’ll be interesting to see which one of the potential LHers, Teaford, Duffy, or Hardy, asserts himself in Omaha and is called up, first. And there’s Holland, Coleman, Wood, and even Mendoza from the right side. How nice is it the Royals have decent options in AAA, now? Very deep—I’ll be surprised if Tejeda and Texiera aren’t dealt some time this summer.

Tim Collins’ at Rivals Sports Bar?

came down to 40-man roster moves, i think.

but, why postpone the inevitable and keep a guy like jesse chavez instead of adding coleman to the 40-man?

on Saturday with the bases loaded, and owned him on three pitches, was the look on Hunter’s face. After he struck out, he seemed to glare at Crow as if to say “Very impressive, but I’m Torii Hunter, how dare you throw high cheese at me rookie.”
Also, I was at the game yesterday and watched Collins pitching and was very impressed. I think he deserves a nickname maybe. I was thinking something like 4 penny perhaps? (small nails?) Maybe too obscure?

Now, if we could perhaps address Pinchrunapalooza from yesterday’s game…?