FanPost

Solving the Oakland A's Bullpen Internally

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

I don't need to give some long-winded introduction about how disappointing the A's bullpen has been thus far. Just go back and read the recaps of basically any loss so far this season and you can learn all about it. Instead, I'm here to provide my idea of a solution. No, the solution is not to call up Pat Venditte, or to pitch Ike Davis, nor is it to DFA everyone. Billy Beane could choose to pick up a guy like Anthony Varvaro, who was just designated for assignment by the Red Sox. However, other teams could certainly be in on Varvaro, who had some very nice years with the Braves. Other options may become available on the trade market, but those would only fill in part of the puzzle, and would require some restructuring of the 40-man roster. Outside of DFAing Cody Ross, which should happen as soon as Coco Crisp is healthy, if not sooner, and maybe DFAing Chad Smith, there isn't much flexibility with the A's 40-man. It must also be remembered that within a couple months, one of the 40-man spots will need to go to A.J. Griffin. So what options do the A's have right in front of their faces?

First off, let's look at who's on the 40-man:

Fernando Abad: After an excellent 2014 in the left-handed specialist role, Abad has gotten off to a rocky start in 2015, with left-handed batters faring better against him than right-handers. As in 2014, he hasn't pitched like much of a specialist, and could probably be used in a normal middle relief or setup role.

Raul Alcantara: Currently on the minor league DL recovering from Tommy John. He's almost certainly not going to factor in.

R.J. Alvarez: Alvarez excelled in a brief stint in the Padres bullpen in 2014, and until one ghastly outing in Anaheim, he had looked pretty good in 2015. He was mostly sent down because the bullpen needed fresh arms. He mainly relies on a mid-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider.

Chris Bassitt: Bassitt has looked very good in two relief appearances this year, and can throw as high as 96 or 97 when he comes out of the bullpen. He can also manage as a starter, but he doesn't really have much of a place in the rotation for now, and with Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin coming back soon, there'll be even less room for him there. Unless an injury pops up, or he's needed for a spot start, Bassitt could find himself in the bullpen for a while. Hopefully he's put to good use.

Jesse Chavez: For the foreseeable future, he'll be starting.

Tyler Clippard: Clippard's had issues with walks in his eight appearances so far this season, but he's had very good command throughout his career. The walk issues are most likely a blip (clip?) on the radar that will hopefully vanish soon.

Ryan Cook: With Cook, you know what you're getting. He can throw mid-to-upper 90s with his fastball, and has a slider that sits in the mid-80s. You also know that he's either going to be lights-out or break down, and you can usually tell from the very first batter he faces. Cook is frustrating because there are times when he looks like an elite reliever, and there are also times when he completely melts down. Still, it should be noted that his 3.42 ERA last year was his highest of his three full seasons in the bigs, and he certainly merited his All-Star selection in 2012. He's an interesting case because his potential is so high, but he's also so susceptible to breakdowns. I wouldn't mind selling high on him the next time his value peaks.

Arnold Leon: He's been starting in Nashville, and made an appearance last Wednesday to pitch a low-leverage inning. I don't think he'd factor in much as a reliever, other than to eat innings when the bullpen is tired.

Eric O'Flaherty: O'Flaherty had a very solid 2014 after returning from Tommy John surgery. So far in 2015, almost all of O'Flaherty's issues have been against right-handed batters. Lefties are are just 1 of 14 against him with 2 walks. Right handers, though ... that's another issue. They're 9 of 15 with 2 walks, and of the 9 hits, 2 are doubles and one is a homer. That home run came from Rickie Weeks on April 12. A week later, he gave up doubles to Lorenzo Cain and Kendrys Morales that led to a series loss in Kansas City. His splits throughout his career aren't huge, but he is better against left-handed batters. Either his struggles are a guy who's still not long removed from Tommy John surgery, or he's a guy who belongs in a specialist role. Either way, I think he does belong in the A's bullpen one way or another.

Dan Otero: Otero was nothing short of excellent in 2014, as a ground ball machine who was able to pitch for multiple innings at a time. So far in 2015, he's been less impressive. He allowed a home run on April 11 to Nelson Cruz, and gave up a triple on the 17th to Paulo Orlando that gave Kansas City the lead. However, he turned it around just three days later with a great four-inning performance in Anaheim. He allowed just one hit over the four innings and struck out four batters. However, he then gave up two 10th inning runs on the 24th thanks to a two-run single by Marwin Gonzalez, but he was one pitch away from getting out of the inning. Otero's issues seem to be the toughest to figure out, because it's difficult to tell just how good he is.

Jarrod Parker: The plan seems to be for him to return as a starter, which opens up a few other options.

Drew Pomeranz: Considering his inability to go deep in most of his starts and his reliance on two pitches, Pomeranz would be an especially good candidate to join the relief corps. Throughout his career, Pomeranz has been much better against left-handed batters. Considering Abad and O'Flaherty's struggles, Pomeranz could find himself in the bullpen when Jarrod Parker returns. However, he could also find himself in Nashville to hone his skills and to save some of his service time.

Evan Scribner: Scribner has been one of the only nice surprises in the A's bullpen in 2015. His cutter fits in nicely with his fastball-curveball mix, and he needed a third pitch to become more than an AAAA guy. If he keeps up what he's shown so far in 2015, he could factor in as a key piece in the bullpen.

Chad Smith: Currently in Nashville, and probably one of the lead candidates to get designated for assignment when a 40-man roster spot is needed. He pitched 11 2/3 innings for the Tigers last year.

The solution:

Until Sean Doolittle is healthy, I'd make these adjustments:

Switch Abad and O'Flaherty's roles. O'Flaherty belongs as a specialist, while Abad can face batters from either side of the plate. Yes, both need to be better, but changing their roles may go a long way in improving the two southpaws.

Switch between Alvarez and Cook. The two throw virtually the same stuff, but Cook is much more hit-or-miss. The two could continually be sent in and out when one is used up. Alvarez has given up two home runs this year, and avoiding home runs has typically been Cook's specialty. If Alvarez can keep the ball in the yard, he'd likely be superior to Cook. Either way, Alvarez and Cook need to both be given late innings, as they throw very similar stuff. The next time Alvarez comes up, he needs to be more than a mop-up guy.

In the long run:

There's a chance that one of the struggling relievers, if not more than one, continues to struggle. Relievers come and go very quickly. One minute they're on top of the world, and they're pitching in an independent league the next. Maybe Abad's command continues to escape him. Maybe O'Flaherty continues to struggle. Maybe Otero can't locate his sinker.

If Abad or O'Flaherty continue to struggle, put Pomeranz in the bullpen once Parker is healthy. Pomeranz relies on two pitches, and putting his focus on those and giving him lefty-heavy innings would put him in a position to succeed. Abad has been shaky, and O'Flaherty has been downright awful against right-handed batters. Pomeranz could help solve the bullpen once Parker is back.

Keep giving Scribner high-leverage innings as long as his cutter works. I expected Scribner to hardly factor in. He seemed like something of a mop-up guy, but the new cutter has been a great addition. His fastball barely gets into the low 90s and doesn't do much. Using just the fastball and a curve that sits in the low 70s, he really can't do all that much. The cutter has been an excellent addition that's made Scribner a legitimate setup man, and he's done so in that typical Oakland A's way that can frustrate opponents to no end. He's become a vital piece out of nowhere, and as long as he keeps this up, there's no reason to stop him. Once Doolittle is healthy, he and Clippard would be an excellent setup mix.

Get R.J. Alvarez higher-leverage innings. Once he's recalled, Alvarez has the stuff to factor in as another key piece of the bullpen, and when another of the setup men struggles or is tired, he needs to be considered as another option. The top relievers aren't going to be available every single night. Alvarez could make a reliable third option.

It should also be noted that relievers get shuttled up and down quite often, as has already been seen this year. R.J. Alvarez, Ryan Cook, Dan Otero and Sean Doolittle all have options remaining. Tyler Clippard, Fernando Abad and Evan Scribner are out of options. Eric O'Flaherty can refuse an assignment if optioned. If some of them continue to struggle, they may find themselves out of jobs.

The bullpen problems might not actually be as bad as they seem. However, if the current options continue to struggle, the front office will need to consider some of the options available in Nashville or elsewhere. These options include Pat Venditte, Fernando Rodriguez, and Taylor Thompson and Sean Nolin once they're healthy. Eury De La Rosa could also factor in if he clears waivers, but he'd have to be added to the 40-man.

I don't know how the A's will choose to go forward with their bullpen, but I can tell you this: Billy Beane is not one who will sit tight if the bullpen continues to struggle. These problems will be solved, but it's important that they're solved sooner rather than later. The bullpen has already cost the team a handful of games, and these games can't continue to pile up. Luckily, there are solutions available, both internally and externally.