Pirate Bullpen Preview

The Pirates Bullpen is the thing to watch as Spring Training starts and continues. There is a lot up in the air. It was a major weak spot, ranking 15th in the National League last year. However that 15th was bolstered by the good work of people like John Grabow who got traded and Jesse Chavez, who got tired by the end of the year and was traded in the off season. So the pen at the end of last year was an absolute wreck. In fact it did not even have a left handed reliever. All that has changed as the Pirates have added more talent in the bullpen than any spot on the roster. Let’s take a look.

The spots that are closed for sure are as follows:
Closer: Octavio Dotel will be the closer. He has not been a closer for a few years, but has experience doing it. It has been an effective, high strike out late inning guy for the last few years. Dotel is at least as effective as a good Capps, who departed in the off season. Capps had a really bad year last year, so Dotel is an upgrade over last year for sure.

Late Inning/Set Up: The 8th and 7th inning will be filled by three guys. Evan Meek, who is probably the closer of the future for the Pirates if he does well this year (with Daniel Moskos as another option). Meek needs the late inning experience, but Meek did well in his role last year before an injury struck. This time he will not be alone and will not have much pressure. A good transition year for Meek.
Joel Hanrahan is another option for the late innings, and he is the insurance as the closer if Dotel were to implode. Hanrahan has been a closer with the Nationals, and did some late inning work for the Pirates last year. In fact, he was excellent for the Pirates. His ERA for the year was over 4. But after joining the Pirates it was under 2. If he can keep that up, or split the difference, he will be a valuable part of the pen.
The other option is 38 year old Brendan Donnelly. Donnelly was with the Marlins last year and has shown he can throw well.

Left Hander: Javier Lopez is the left hander who was added to the pen. He brings experience and the ability to get lefties out. This was sorely missing once Grabow departed last year.

The last two sports are up for grabs. The competition for those spots ought to be entertaining.

Favored: DJ Carrasco pitched in the White Sox bullpen and has a shot at making the Pirates although he does not have a major league contract. He has always been a good Triple A guy, but he does need to show he can be a major league guy.

Long Relief? That is a question the Pirates will have to decide. Will they put a guy in the pen that can throw long innings and spot start if they need it. Right now the long guy on the 40 man roster is Chris Jakubauskas. Jakubauskas had an ERA of almost 5.50 last year mostly in relief, but did show he can make a spot start. He was 6-7 for the Mariners and struck out 47 guys. That is not overly impressive. Which leaves the door open for people not on the 40 man roster like Jeff Karstens, who had a decent year from the pen last year, and won a couple of spot starts. Karstens is a known quantity. The other option is the loser of the contest for the fifth spot on the starting rotation. Kevin Hart and Daniel McCutchen both make better starters and have the ability to be sent to Triple A, which will be crowded in the starting rotation. However, putting them in the pen will be a set back to future starting hopes.

So that could round out the bullpen, but the Pirates could decide to forego a true Long Reliever, or Carrasco might not earn his spot. These are the other names to look out for.

The Long Shots:
Justin Thomas is a true lefty, which might help his cause. Yet, his major league career was not impressive. He will have to show a lot to make this team.

Jack Taschner is a lefty with experience. He is mostly a left handed specialist, which would seem to be taken right now by Lopez. Thus, I put him as a long shot. He is also 31.

Vinnie Chulk is a right hand pitcher who has a decent career ERA for a bullpen guy and can strike people out. Yet again he is already 31 and has washed out now of several places. He also has twice as many losses as wins. Not a great sign.

Wilfredo Ledezma is best known for eating his hat, literally. However, he is still in his late twenties. His failure at the major league level is not a good sign. He is a long shot.

Decent Chance:
Brian Bass has some experience. He has youth. And he has some success. A 9-7 record in 44 games with the Twins including 99 strikeouts. Better yet, he has starting pitcher experience and major league long relief experience. He is a righty with some growing yet to do making him an intriguing guy to watch during spring training. If anyone was going to displace someone listed above, my money is on Bass.

Brian Burres is a lefty handed pitcher with a good change up, but a fastball that might could use a little more zip. He has been a started more often than a reliever, and perhaps a transition into the pen is what his career needs. He has potential to make this ball club and could serve as long relief. Adding a second left hand pitcher to this team could also be a plus.

Stephen Jackson pitched well last year for the Pirates. He was removed from the 40 man roster, and that is a bad sign. However, he is still with the Pirates and will be a real option. If he comes in and shows consistency, he may very well pick up the pieces if Carrasco falters.

In the end this is a really good group for the Pirates. They have other less attractive options as well like Virgil Vasquez and Anthony Claggett, but those guys are not really in the mix. The Pirates are loaded with potential and some experience in the bullpen now. They have more strike out pitchers than last year, and they now have a deep group to choose from in Triple A when the inevitable injury hits. I like Bass and Burres more than Jakubauskas, but the Pirates have Jakubauskas on the 40 man right now. Hopefully that will change after Spring Training. Having lefties in the bullpen will be good and having lefties at Triple A like Thomas (in all probability) is great insurance. The Pirates ought to have a good year with the pen.