Marlins send 2 relievers to minors

 

.c The Associated Press

 

MIAMI (AP) - The Florida Marlins sent right-handed relievers Vladimir Nunez and Blaine Neal to Triple-A Albuquerque after each gave up two runs in Friday's loss to St. Louis.

 

Florida recalled right-handers Allen Levrault and Toby Borland. Both have previous major league experience.

 

Nunez, who had 20 saves for the Marlins last season, began this year in the setup role but is 0-3 with an ERA of 14.90 in 12 games. Neal has an ERA of 8.38 in nine games.

 

Florida's bullpen is last in the National League with a 5.56 ERA.

 

04/25/03 23:23 EDT

wahoo!!!

 

Finally.

About time.....

 

maybe we can stop using this :banghead everytime a bullpen pitcher comes out

Career stats for Borland and Levrault:

 

Borland

182 career games, 10-8 record, 8 saves, 4.17 ERA, 189 K's, 126 walks in 241.2 innings.

 

Levrault

37 games, 21 games started, 6-11, 5.93 ERA, 89 K's, 66 walks in 142.2 innings.

 

Stats this season at AAA:

Borland: 9 games, 1-1, 3.72 ERA, 3 saves, 12 strikeouts in 9.2 innings, .176 opponent BA

Levrault: 8 games, 1-0, 0.82 ERA, 9 K's, 1 walk in 11 innings, .135 opponent BA

they've done real good this year, wasn't borland on the club last year? Did he do good?

Demoting Nunez is a big mistake IMO.

 

You don't go from being a quality reliever to trash at the prime of your career in 2 weeks. Within a few days Nunez would have regained his form and been a rock in our 'pen, as he has been the past few years. Neal may need more seasoning in the minors, but Nunez will be fine. I hope that this is just a temporary move because we really need Nunez to solidify our bullpen, I doubt these new guys will cut it.

Demoting Nunez is a big mistake IMO.

 

Nunez needs to work things out in AAA IMO.

the cavalry has finally arrived

 

what took so long?

 

:shifty

nunez and neal had to be demoted.

 

 

 

they pitched like crap, they were not getting better, just worse.

 

 

 

if you dont perform you must be sent down, kinda like the what have you done for me lately syndrome.

 

 

 

i think they waited as long as they did because nunez has exhibited success in the past...neal they just werent ready to admit a problem....

 

 

a good move, and i am impressed; didnt expect to see that occur, perhaps this team is serious about winning.

Admin-

 

I hope the plan is just for him to get straightened out, then come right back. I don't know a lot about the 2 guys we brought up, but I am sure that they can not help this team like Nunez can when he's on. If this is just a quick "get things together" type demotion it might be OK, because the bullpen needs another dependable arm and Nunez has shown he can fill that role.

 

Just to help make my point, anybody remember the sentiment around this time last year?? Looper singlehandedly cost us 3 or 4 games and lost the closer job, only to recompose himself and have a great year. Nunez is capable of the same turnaround, I just hope he doesn't take the demotion the wrong way.

looper was not this bad last year to my recollection.

Texan-

 

We are 3 weeks into the season and you feel like that is enough, after 2 prevous successful years, to show that Nunez deserves a demotion?? Using that logic Looper would have been demoted last year, Gonzalez would have been totally out of baseball, Lee would have been demoted the last 3 or 4 years with his slow starts, etc. If "what have you done for me lately (especially in the last 3 weeks)" is the new attitude, then we may have a totally different team by the end of the year-BTW if this is the policy then can we please get rid of Hollandsworth ? My point is that it is a 162 game season and all cylinders are not going to be "on" at all times. I think they jumped the gun on Nunez.

Looper was worse than Nunez has been so far. He singlehandedly lost at least 3 games in the first week, and continued for the next couple of weeks to throw bad.

what positive contribution has Nunez made this year so far????

 

 

is he even throwing the ball well???

 

 

 

 

same thing applies for Neal.

 

 

 

Nunez's ERA is over 14.00

 

 

You cannot have that at this point in the season.

I think the biggest difference between Looper last year and Nunez this year is that the Marlins feel this is a mechanical problem with his pitching (his release point, arm angle) rather than just making bad pitches. The Marlins have really been working hard with him, but he seems to keep reverting to bad habits. The Marlins really thought the problem had been solved last weekend. But Jeff Torborg saw with Nunez first warmup pitch last Saturday in New York that Nunez was doing the same thing with his arm. When two pitchers are struggling like this, to the point where the Marlins only have four relief pitchers and two relievers who can only be used in blowouts, that puts such a strain on the team. A move like this had to be made. If in fact Nunez does get his form back, Im sure hell be back. A team with the Marlins finances doesnt want to leave a player making $1.4 million in AAA. Unfortunatley, this is the major leagues, not a place to work out problems like this and cause losses in the process.

Nunez is definately not throwing the ball well at this point, but is there not a chance he could turn it around or should we just consider his career over?? I agree with Neal's demotion, but give Nunez a break. The guy has been a rock in our bullpen for the last couple of years and after 3 weeks of poor pitching we send him to the minors. I hope this move doesn't backfire on us.

Nunez and Neal were no longer capable of pitching in meaningful games. They were severely hampering the depth of the bullpen. Ultimately their poor performance would have hurt the others in the pen.

 

Let them get straightened out in Triple A. It's not like they were cut or traded. They can always come back up!

Nunez is definately not throwing the ball well at this point, but is there not a chance he could turn it around or should we just consider his career over??

 

I think thats a bit over the top here. A demotion to AAA is not the end of his career. If he can work out his problems here, then he can work them out in AAA, and save the Marlins losses in the process. You really think they want a $1.4 million player in AAA?

"When two pitchers are struggling like this, to the point where the Marlins only have four relief pitchers and two relievers who can only be used in blowouts, that puts such a strain on the team."

 

Ross- You are exactly right. If we had an extra pitcher we could nurse Nunez back to his old form, but with six arms it's tough to have two struggling. I still think they should have just sent Neal down and let Arnsberg work with Nunez. Watching Nunez tonight, his pitches seemed to have good movement, he was just leaving them over the plate. I don't know what's wrong with him but I'm sure a little time will solve it.

Arnsberg has been working with Nunez for a couple of weeks now. Im all for Nunez coming back if he gets it right. But, a major league game is not a place to work out problems. And all the work with Arnsberg and the extra bullpen sessions dont seem to be doing the trick.

Nunez is definately not throwing the ball well at this point, but is there not a chance he could turn it around or should we just consider his career over??

 

I was being a little sarcastic to make my point, but I see where you guys are coming from. My point is that I feel this is a little drastic for a very important part of our bullpen who has shown his worth, yet has struggled for 3 weeks to start the season. I know it's not the end of the world, but I think he got a raw deal considering what he has done for us in the past.

Man, I know it's late but are you really trying to defend Vlad Nunez???

 

Are you a relative of his or something.

 

:blink:

Nunez is a quality pitcher, I've watched him for years, he was in the minors with Penny, I agree he needed to go down, Torberg stated that it wasnt punishment, but how can he get his innings in when he is blowing close games. He can go down, work out his problems and come back and be a plus for the bullpen. Not as much pressure on him at the lower level. Go vlady!!!!!

Finally!!!

 

I understand alot of people feel Nunez will turn it around but IMO I'm not one of them. The Marlins should have cut there losses with him after spring training and tried to pick up Matt Herges (who is now closing games for San Diego). Or if the Marlins would have thought more on the money in the bullpen then on the field on where to cut. Millar would have been here and not Nunez and Hollandsworth. I might be wrong about Nunez but going back to last season I'm still right....