Now that the first week of the season is in the books, how confident are you in each of the guys in the bullpen? Based on what we've seen during Spring Training, throughout their careers, and this first week, we all should have at least some level of confidence in each of these guys. Rank each guy on a scale of 1-10 (1 being least confident, 10 being most confident):

 

Lee Gardner

Kevin Gregg

Jorge Julio

Matt Lindstrom

Randy Messenger

Ricky Nolasco

Henry Owens

Renyel Pinto

Taylor Tankersley

With the exception of Julio, I think we're more likely than not to hang onto a 3 run lead when any of them enter the game.

 

Aside from Gardner and Messenger today, we've yet to see the pitchers enter to clean up another's mess. To me, that's where you really start to evaluate a guy because let's not kid ourselves, a decent major leaguer should be able to get 3 outs (especially when he's just letting loose) before giving up 2 or 3 runs.

 

So I'd evaluate the bullpen overall as reliable, but not 'send the fans home in the 7th with a lead' good.

I think it's pretty safe to say though, this bullpen is vastly improved over last year's version.

I think it's pretty safe to say though, this bullpen is vastly improved over last year's version.

 

Using a pitching machine for 2 innings would be a vast improvement over last year's. :whistle

 

Seriously though, it's way too early to take anything substantive from guys like Owens, Lindstrom and Gregg.

 

Pinto is what we saw last year, unhittable in the strikezone but prone to wildness.

 

Julio is, like his 2005 and 2006 and ST 2007 stats indicate, trash.

 

And Gardner is just on an unbelievable hot-streak.

I mentioned a while ago I'd like to see Pinto get the shot, but ever since I said that I've been second-guessing it. Today reinforced those thoughts. I thought he'd put a cap on those complete meltdown appearances, ala julio,and have good enough stuff to work his way out of men on base.. today just scared me. I don't think I could trust him in a closers role yet... but if he ever contains it all, hes going to be filthy.

 

I like Gregg's makeup.. He has a few years under his belt. I think he'd do fine in the closer's role and let the young guns, Owens and Tank, be the primary setup men with Lindstrom, Pinto, Gardner and Mess doing the dirty work. I think that has the makings of a good pen. On the flip side, i like Gregg's versatility out of the pen, being able to go a few innings if needed. But whatever, give me tank or owens closing.. thatd be sweet. Just end this julio experiment.

 

I just wish the mgmt would swallow their pride and admit defeat on this trade, flaunt uggla in their face and release Julio.