Frustration: Yesterday’s Scores That Matter [Wednesday Morning Quarterback]

The Marlins drop a game they should have won in the 9th inning. It’s just disheartening.

15 June

NPB
Still finishing up interleague make-ups.

MLB
Washington Nationals (4) at Detroit Tigers (7). John Lannan just does not have a great outing. Can’t do much about that. Washington drops to 31-34 in last.

Texas Rangers (3) at Florida Marlins (2). It’s tough being a closer, I get that, but Leo Nuñez blows this game in the 9th by walking batters and screwing the Marlins over. Matt Treanor, former Marlins catcher, gets the game-winning hit with a triple and I just get mad. 31-33 in fourth. Pull it together, Florida!

Tampa Bay Rays (10) at Atlanta Braves (4). David Price saddles Kenshin Kawakami with yet another loss. David Price is easily one of the Rays best starters and this win ties him for most in the AL with 10. A Yankees win keeps them tied for first with their 41-23 record.

Baltimore Orioles (4) at San Francisco Giants (1). Jake Arrieta is finally doing what the Orioles youngsters are supposed to do: winning with good pitching. 18-47 in last.

Each year there’s maybe a team or two who has got a rock solid bullpen. The Rays had one in 2008, but struggled in 2009. The Marlins have had closer troubles for as long as I can remember. It’s just frustrating. Is there a way to improve bullpens? Most clubs look at the bullpen as a place to put pitchers who aren’t quite good enough to be starters. What if this is the wrong idea?

Washington drafted Drew Storen last year in the first round. I’m not part of the organizational brass, so I don’t know if it was their plan all along, but it sure seems to me that the kid was picked to be a reliever from the getgo. From day 1 of his callup, Storen has been in the Nats bullpen and it seems like specializing him this way is paying dividends.

His 11.2 innings are on the low side for conclusive evidence, but, still, he’s pitching with a 1.54 ERA this year in a bullpen that, outside its setup man and closer, has had its struggles.

Who’s to say that other teams aren’t really doing this, I know, but it just seems like, with Florida, at least, that the bullpen is composed of guys who aren’t making it as starters. You need good people to get you to your closer, so why not develop them that way, Florida?