Milwaukee Brewers Should Innovate Bullpen Use in 2017

Having dealt away their surplus of high-leverage relievers over the past year, the Milwaukee Brewers should be more visionary in their bullpen use.

Since the end of the 2015 season, GM David Stearns has flipped numerous relief pitchers to acquire young talent for the Milwaukee Brewers.

There’s been an incredible conversion to specialization in MLB, particularly as it pertains to bullpen roles. That often means an 8th-inning guy and a closer designed to pitch one frame, and almost always in a “save situation.”

Francisco Rodriguez, Will Smith, Jeremy Jeffress, and Tyler Thornburg all delivered in the late innings in Milwaukee. They all had the tools to shutdown the 8th or close out the ballgame – generally with success.

More from Milwaukee Brewers

Now all of them wear different threads.

That opens the door for another set-up man and closer combination to step up. Or, better yet, it gives manager Craig Counsell an excuse to be innovative with his relief corp.

It’s the perfect opportunity to eliminate the thinking of a closer and other stringent, arbitrary roles for each guy. How about just going with your best relievers in high leverage spots and matchup elsewhere?

Now is the time as the club lacks a guy who has any right to feel entitled to this mostly ceremonious job in the bullpen.

Some of the potential relievers include Jacob Barnes, Yhonathan Barrios, Michael Blazek, Tyler Cravy, Corey Knebel, Jhan Marinez, David Goforth, Rob Scahill, and Carlos Torres.

Depending how starters and minor leaguers pan out, the Brewers also have guys like Brent Suter, Tommy Milone, Damien Magnifico, Chase Anderson, Taylor Jungmann, and others.

Of the 10 or 11 hurlers you could see semi-regularly trot out from the pen, no one has more than four career saves. Carlos Torres, who had a pair of saves last season with the Brewers, also had two with the New York Mets in 2014.

He’d likely be the front-runner to be the closer if the Brewers stuck to traditional roles. Torres pitched extremely well (154 ERA+) last season, but he is 34 years old.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Jacob Barnes looked strong in 26.2 innings last year with a 2.70 ERA (160 ERA+). Photo Credit: Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports /

It would make more sense to develop a younger, less experienced arm in that high intensity spot – if you use a true closer at all.

A save, as it’s currently constituted, is a trivial stat that tries to validate the importance of simply finishing a close game – regardless of 99 percent of other factors.

The problem is that there are often far more important and difficult situations that arise earlier in the game. That is when you need your best reliever or the should use the most equipped pitcher out there.

Here’s an example:

You’re leading by one run in the 7th inning and the opposition has its 2-3-4 hitters due up. It’s clear this is where your best available pitcher should traverse to the mound.

This situation calls for a shutdown arm for a few reasons.

First, the lead is obviously small where just one mistake could cost you the lead.

Counsell can just look at each spot in every game to optimize his relievers’ skills and increase the Brewers’ odds of winning at critical times – regardless of the inning.

Secondly, your team is facing the best hitters in the lineup – the ones most likely to produce runs – so use your best weapon. In the 9th, it may be the 8-9-1 guys creating an easier road for a “lesser” pitcher.

And thirdly, by the time you get to the 9th inning you may have lost the lead already because you used an inferior pitcher. Or you might have built a six-run lead when you don’t need an elite arm any more.

Why risk losing the game just to set up a save situation that may or may not happen?

Tossing in your bullpen ace in the 7th inning of the example above increases your odds of winning, in part by avoiding a focus on the save stat, which only occurs when MLB statistical rules allow it.

Other scenarios may creep up when, if you dedicated pitchers to specific roles (e.g. “Closer,” “8th-inning guy,” etc.), you back yourself into a corner and limit the best options.

Imagine the 7th frame with a pair of tough left-handed hitters coming up. It would be most logical to utilize your best left-hander in relief instead of waiting for the 8th because that’s “his spot.”

Maybe your club has a reliever who is terrific at getting strikes low in the zone. When the enemy has hitters coming up who struggle with pitches down in the zone.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Corey Knebel has the tools to dominate out of the pen when healthy. Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

There might even be a man on base and you’re desperately looking for a double-play ball. Call for your best ground ball pitcher now rather than in the 9th because he’s the “closer.”

You can’t ignore that value does exist in a pitcher knowing his role. It makes mental and physical preparation simpler and more predictable, especially for the closer.

Many, and likely most, relievers want to know when they’re most likely coming into the game.

Also, some guys really do succumb to the pressure of those final three outs. There have been countless examples of terrific set-up men struggling as a closer.

Maybe that wasn’t always because of a mental battle with nerves, but you can’t ignore those intangibles.

The other challenge to adjust pitchers’ thinking is the ultimate factor of money. Like it or not, saves still drive up a reliever’s salary on the market.

More from Dairyland Express

Some GMs have adjusted their thinking on the value of saves and look to other stats to justify a contract. Convincing certain players and agents to do the same might be tough.

Milwaukee can be at the forefront of true change.

With big league wins still a secondary focus, and no proven veteran arms, now is the time. Give younger, inexperienced relievers work at the MLB level.

Not only to get them used to pressure, but also to pitch in different situations.

Instead of typecasting them into a specific role, train them to be ready to pitch at any time. Let them go out there and simply concentrate on their strengths as a pitcher.

Counsell can just look at each spot in every game to optimize his relievers’ skills and increase the Brewers’ odds of winning at critical times – regardless of the inning. You can win or lose a game in the 6th or 7th inning as easily as the 9th.

Next: Packers: The Geronimo Effect

It’s possible Stearns will still sign an older free agent this offseason, but that doesn’t mean the strategy should change. The 2017 year could be one of innovation in the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen.

Home/Milwaukee Brewers