Mark Bowman is stupid

by Land-Man on Jan 4, 2009 11:19 PM EST Comment 13 comments

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081221&content_id=3725191&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl

Basically, he's saying that our bullpen is so scary good that it will offset our starting rotation debacle. Really?

M. Gonzalez: Good/Very good closer, should be back to full strength after TJ.

R. Soriano: Pretty good closer but major health concerns. I'd go with Gonzo.

P. Moylan: Will need time to adjust from TJ. I would like to see him start the season in the minors.

B. Boyer: I'm looking for a breakout year in '09.

M. Acosta: Like Boyer, I'm waiting for him to live up to potential.

This would be a solid bunch, except for the ridiculous amount of injury questions. It's still not Putz/K-Rod or Madson/Lidge, and those two teams also have starting rotation superiority. And massive offensive superiority!

Sorry, but we shouldn't try to contend in '09.

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Not a fan of Bowman

And to your point, no bullpen is good enough to overcome a lack of starting pitching.

BUT, I agree with him about our top 2 guys (Gonzo/Soriano). I’d take them any day over what the Phillies/Mets have. Soriano is just as sick as Putz or Lidge when healthy. The fact they finally found something wrong with him at the end of the year renews my faith that he’ll be healthy and ready to go come spring. K-Rod, wouldn’t touch him. Not only is his arm about to fall off he’s one of the most overrated closers out there. Look up his stats and compare him to some of the better closers in the league. Madson made great strides this year but to compare him to Gonzo or even K-Rod is wrong. Gonzo is head and shoulders above these two when it comes to keeping runners off base.

Now the rest of our bullpen, well that’s another fanpost.

"Debated ya right not one person agreed with me" by ATLsportsfrk on Dec 27, 2008 6:31 PM EST

by scstrato on Jan 4, 2009 11:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with the OP and scstrato, to a point...

however, I believe that the Phillies outstanding bullpen won the World Series for them. In my opinion they had a much better bullpen then starting rotation, especially before they got Blanton. They effectively shortened every game by using Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero, Ryan Madsen, and Brad Lidge. Granted, the Phillies have an outstanding offense, and their starting rotation isn’t horrible; however, do not underestimate their bullpen’s role in the World Series win.

best defensive shortstop in baseball hahahahahahahahahah (omar visquel)

by mvandonsel on Jan 5, 2009 12:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Let me add to/clarify my previous post.

I, by no means, believe that we will duplicate the Phillies run because of our bullpen. First, like I said before, the Phillies are outstanding offensively, we are not. Second, as Land-man said, our bullpen is surrounded my many ifs and people returning from serious injuries, who knows how good our pen will really be. Third, perhaps the 2008 Phillies are the exception to the rule. I mean, maybe most teams would have lost the World Series with their rotation, especially when compared to the starters from the DRays (which I though was far superior, with the exception of Cole Hamels); however, they had enough good enough bullpen, as well as enough offense to win it all.

best defensive shortstop in baseball hahahahahahahahahah (omar visquel)

by mvandonsel on Jan 5, 2009 12:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You're stupid

Or maybe I’m stupid, because I can’t really find in that article why you’re so upset with the Bowman. He’s not saying it will “offset the rotation debacle,” he says it has the “potential to reduce the rotation’s workload.” He’s not saying it will replace what a good rotation can do, you’re really putting words into his mouth and reading way too far into his statements. He also says the same thing about the lineup that he does about the bullpen, so where is your fury with that statement. And both statements are prefaced by the clear need to add at least one more starter and one more bat.

by gondeee on Jan 5, 2009 8:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Fran Wren is a bird

I just now figured out what that insult was supposed to mean.

RE: Bowman

I just borrowed the title of the Buster Olney is stupid post. I have no fury towards Mark Bowman, just wanted to quash any notion that the bullpen would be a saving grace next year. I’m basically responding to the title of his article rather than the substance. And, yes, it’s completely unfair of me.

by TradeAndruw on Jan 5, 2009 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

IF

the entire pitching staff is filled with "IF"s
Smoltz and Glavine IF they can return from injury.
Jair IF he can show his early season form throughout the entire season.
Campillo and Reyes IF they can live up to their potential.
—No wonder we had to go trade for a sub-.500 pitcher. At least Vazquez has been consistent.
Bullpen is really just as bad. None of them have consistently done anything. Really it’s all just hope.
Realistically, we just CANNOT compete in this division with these pitchers, unless ALL of the "IF"s are answered favorably.

by Lee-Roy Jenkins on Jan 5, 2009 10:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

hope springs eternal.....

by sddbaker on Jan 5, 2009 2:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

to be fair gonzo has dominated pretty consistnetly… i have very few concerns about him, because of his performances last year… maybe i can get some help from Victor W on his pitching mechanics (Is gonzo due for more injuries because of bad mechanics, or was the TJ thing more of a fluke?)… but i agree we have the same amount of IFs as we did last year, except last year our garuantee was Hudson this year its Vazquez, I’d say thats a bit of a drop off.

"We win today, that's two in a row... if we win tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before..."

by Swo12bv on Jan 5, 2009 5:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

FUN WITH SPLITS

in save situations: 2.81, .585 OPS allowed, 22 K
in non save situations: 5.60, .793, 22 K

bobby cox, take note

BIG JOE SUCK ONE

by bigjoe on Jan 5, 2009 6:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s all in his damn head, there’s no difference between the ninth inning and the eighth. I’d much rather have Gonzo come into the game when its tied in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and no outs than I would the ninth with a one-run lead.

The only reason closers pitch poorly in non-save situations is the mentality that the ninth inning is more important than the others. Three outs is three outs, no matter what inning it comes in.

by bravesfan91 on Jan 5, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, it IS all mental, and we all would nearly start killing when bobby would drag gonzo in during a game we were losing by 5 runs to “get some work in” and he’d get lit up.

BIG JOE SUCK ONE

by bigjoe on Jan 5, 2009 8:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Raffy had that same problem the year before. Gonzo actually did need work last year, so I can excuse Cox’s liberal use of him. That being said, the philosophy I like least about Cox is his bullpen management. I would’ve said impatience at the plate, but that has to fall on Pendleton somewhat.

by Land-Man on Jan 5, 2009 8:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, the bullpen could be all right. But if the bullpen is consistently having to cover for a couple of 3-inning starts a week as it seemed to have to do this past season, it’ll get worn out and will suck like it did last year.

by Tokyokie on Jan 7, 2009 12:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs