Phil Stockman

by brndn on Jun 18, 2008 5:46 PM EDT

So they're sending him down to make room for Gonzalez. Maybe it's just me, but it didn't seem as if this guy received a whole lotta love while he was up with the big club. There were times when he looked down-right filthy, yet, even with our holes in late-inning relief, he didn't seem to get many opportunities. And it seems a couple other guys might do well to spend a little time in triple-A. What's the deal? Maybe I'm missing something -- literally -- I've missed a few games here and there due to work; I probably just don't have the whole story. Fill me in?

This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.

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From Carroll Rogers of the AJC

Bobby’s explanation on sending Stockman down:

"The reason I sent Stockman down is he’s a young kid. He wasn’t pitching much and he needs to be pitching. He’s missed a lot in his career with his knee problems. He needs to get back down there and throw. He’s the one that needs to pitch."

So there you have it. I wasn’t even close with my very bad guess. And he means hamstring, I believe, not knee.

As for having four lefties in the pen (by keeping Ridgway), Bobby said yes, it’s the most he’s ever had (in the pen at one time) but that "it doesn’t matter. Make pitches and it doesn’t matter."

by 10-4 on Jun 18, 2008 7:38 PM EDT reply actions

nice

makes sense to me. i had forgotten about his unhealthy past. maybe he’ll return later this season. thanks for the info!

by brndn on Jun 18, 2008 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions

“Make pitches and it doesn’t matter.”

What about Stockman, Bobby? He was shutting people down when you actually let him pitch. I don’t really get it myself.

by JDMaker1 on Jun 19, 2008 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions

What the hell

Why doesn’t Bobby pitch him more??? He has the stuff, but it seems like he only gets brought in when the game already over. He comes in, whether the bases are loaded or no one on, and he always gets out of it. He’s a beast, but it just seems to me like they dont have any confidence in him, for NO REASON what so ever. I mean he’s 6’8” so that has to be pretty intimidating to hitters seeing him come out of the pen. Yet we keep letting guys like Boyer and Manny “I cost ya” go out there and blow games night after night.

I can feel my blood pressure rising.

by jjcollins on Jun 18, 2008 8:38 PM EDT reply actions

Honestly...

Please post some stats that allow you to place Boyer in the same sentence as Acosta when it comes to blowing games!!!

by mvandonsel on Jun 19, 2008 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions

[calling Smoltz'sBeard]

by JDMaker1 on Jun 19, 2008 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions

a Boyer vs. Acosta steel cage stats match?!

by Smoltz's Beard on Jun 19, 2008 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Um ill give it a shot

Ive noticed that Boyer has been getting a raw deal on here, he had a really bad week or week and a half, and that made everyone think he blows, its just not true. First off he is tied for second with the most appearances, with Will Ohman, thats in all of baseball. Boyer’s ERA is 3.86, which in and of itself is pretty decent. not mind blowingly good but decent. But if you throw out three of his appearances he has only given up 7 earned runs, which gives him a 1.70 ERA, which is in fact outstanding. Of course you can say this about a lot RP, they have a couple bad outings, but he has only 3 in a total of 38 appearances, which is pretty darn good i think. Also, he is striking out nearly one batter an inning, and has a K/BB ratio of 34/15. Now its true he has lost some games for us, including his season debut(which is part of the reason he is getting a raw deal i think) he also has 9 holds, and has been our second most relaible bullpen arm, behind Ohman

by Swo12bv on Jun 19, 2008 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

From atlantabraves.com

Mar 31 vs. Pirates – 3 runs in 2 innings including a home run, takes the loss
April 7 at Rockies – 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning, blown save, takes the loss
April 23 vs. Marlins – 2 runs in one inning, Braves lose
April 29 at Nationals – 4 runs in 1/3 of an inning!! takes the loss
May 14 at Phillies – 1 run, 3 hits, Braves barely hold on for a win
May 20 vs. Mets – 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning, only runs the Braves give up that game
Jun 1 at Reds – 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning, Braves lose
Jun 6 vs. Phillies – 1 run in 2/3 of an inning, Braves lose
Jun 8 vs. Phillies – 3 runs in 1/3 of an inning, takes the loss
Jun 12 at Cubs – gives up game tying run which allows the Cubs to eventually win in extras

There’s 10 examples for you. Boyer is NOT as good as everyone thinks.

Also, how many runs has Stockman given up in the 7.1 innings he’s pitched this year? ZERO!

by jjcollins on Jun 19, 2008 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Boyer also has 30 appearances where he didn’t give up any ERs…so…?

by Smoltz's Beard on Jun 19, 2008 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

If you had mentioned something about the fact that the opposing batter’s OPS explodes to .886 with 2 outs in an inning, where it’s just .479 or .673 with 0 or 1 outs respectively…that might have worked. Or that with 2 outs and RISP batters drum him to the tune of .333/.474/.667, that would also have worked.

What we have on our hands is a pitcher who is lights out when there is a margin of runs larger than 4 (most pitchers should be). Batters have an OPS of just .451 in that regard. But as the game slowly gets closer and more tense, he gets worse and worse:

Tie Game – 1.041 OPS against
Within 1 R – .914 OPS against
Within 2 R – .789 OPS against
Within 3 R – .756 OPS against
Within 4 R – .750 OPS against

Sample sizes are all relatively small at this point in the season, but those are alarming numbers.

by Smoltz's Beard on Jun 19, 2008 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

WXRL for Braves relievers:

Ohman 1.494
Bennett 1.114
Ring 0.693
Soriano 0.497
Campillo 0.365
Carlyle 0.279 0.021
Stockman 0.109 0.015
Gonzalez 0.060 0.060
Ridgway -0.049 -0.014
Resop -0.251 -0.014
Boyer -0.290 -0.007
Acosta -0.550 -0.016

WXRL measures the leverage of the situation a pitcher is in and how they pitch while in the game. It’s displayed in wins added or lost (ie, Acosta has lost us half a win based on his preformance all season and Bennett has added a bit over one win all season). Only relief outings count (ie, Bennett and Campillo’s starts aren’t factored in). The second column is WXRL divided by innings pitched.

While Boyer hasn’t been as bad as Ridgway, Acosta, and Resop, he has pitched poorly AND pitched the most innings of any reliever on the team. That’s never good. Add to that that he’s pitched in the highest leverage situations of any relievers with more than 10 IP based on BP’s Leverage statistic while Stockman’s Leverage score is the lowest of any Braves reliever, despite pitching reasonably well.

This all points to Bobby Cox’s poor management of his roster in general and bullpen specifically. Acosta is currently the worst pitcher on the team preformance wise and has options left, while Stockman was carried on the roster for a month, pitched 7.1 solid innings, and is demoted. It’s really unconscionable to carry two guys who are specifically LOOGYs on your roster while leaving guys like Ryan Basner and Phil Stockman at AAA.

Completely off-topic, but Chuckie James has been pitching really well in AAA. Since being demoted he’s tossed 21 IP, allowed 15 H, 3 BB, and struck out 18. Nice to see him getting confidence back and hopefully his control.

by 17843 on Jun 19, 2008 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions