Bullpen Question

[onepghkid]

Why does it seem that there has been so much effort and worry about the pen this off-season?  Makes me think DL is still lurking about.  Anyways, wouldn't it make more sense to use some of the failed #1's in the pen?  You have Burnett, Van Benschoten, and Bullington that two righties and a lefty with stuff good enough that they were #1 picks.  Seems to make sense to me.  For that matter, they should have tried this with Bradley too before they allowed him to completely ruin his arm.

This just seems like it could be a good pen.
Capps
Grabow
Marte
Burnett
Van Benschoten
Bullington
 
Throw in one of the minor league free agents or the rule five and there is your twelve man pitching staff  plus it would be cheap.

[81omar]

  I think they want JVB and Bullington to start in the minors because they still have that option left and if worse comes to worse let them go to the bullpen next year. Burnett will probably be in the bullpen,possibly the 6th starter/mop up role. Evan Meek will probably make the team and then the rest after Capps/Marte/Grabow is anyones guess. If wondering who the inning eaters out of the bullpen for the first month until they fail is going to be,is exciting to you then spring training should be a blast. Unless they actually go out and do something!

[onepghkid]

exciting may be an overstatement.  It just seems that every time I read a Q&A or someone from the Pirates talk they always bring up the pen and it just seems like such a non issue with the pitchers we have in the minors.

Although it does look like spring training could become some type of gambling game with last reliever standing.  Maybe we can all pick a guy from the not obvious list and see who comes out on top.

[81omar]

they could keep Dave Davidson or Romulo Sanchez i guess since they seemed to have skipped over everyone else. Davidson didnt look so great but Sanchez did pitch in 16 games and did ok. Maybe Jonah Bayliss will finally show signs of being a decent pitcher. He is 27 and has pitched in parts of 3 seasons so its now or never for him. Otherwise its a bunch of suspects as of right now

  Jaret Wright doesnt do anything for me. He looked bad in 2006 with the Yankees but got alot of support and last year he was just horrible when he barely pitched.Hes been injured alot during his career and I really hope he doesnt make the team,but if he does,he earns a spot thru pitching well at AAA

[SyrBucco]

exciting may be an overstatement.  It just seems that every time I read a Q&A or someone from the Pirates talk they always bring up the pen and it just seems like such a non issue with the pitchers we have in the minors.

Although it does look like spring training could become some type of gambling game with last reliever standing.  Maybe we can all pick a guy from the not obvious list and see who comes out on top.

This excellent post is worth repeating.We are in a great spot with some quality arms ready to convert to relief. A good pitching coach should be able to find some middle relief in there somewhere.

[Woobie]

I agree about keeping VanB and Bullington in AAA.

Bullington is just blah, while VanB needs to figure out how to throw strikes again. I'd still give the latter another shot as a starter.

Meek seems a good candidate to stick. I also like T.J. Beam -- the Bucs, and anyone else in baseball, could use a 6-7 guy that throws gas.