Eyre Acquisition Makes Sense
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Fri, August 08, 2008 06:58 AM | Comments: 131
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The Phillies yesterday traded for left-handed pitcher Scott Eyre, who was designated for assignment by the Cubs. Eyre was 2-0 with a 7.15 ERA for the Cubs this season, obviously bad numbers on the surface, but really, Eyre isn’t that bad.
The 7.15 ERA comes from four of his last five appearances with the Cubs. He gave up a run to Toronto, then four days later gave up four to Tampa Bay. A week later the Cubs shuttled him out against Baltimore and he let up two runs, then they popped him on the disabled list with a left groin strain. In his first appearance back he surrendered three runs on three hits to Milwaukee in 0.1 innings. That was the end of him in Chicago.
But before those poor starts Eyre had a long scoreless streak. Pitching mostly to one, two or three batters, Eyre continuously got outs, barely walking hitters and letting up base hits. From May 10 to June 13 he walked just two and allowed five hits. Not bad.
In 2007 Eyre was maybe Chicago’s most valuable reliever down the stretch. From July 4 to the end of the season, Eyre let up just two runs, and it was in the same game. In 2006 Eyre had a few long strings of scoreless baseball. In 2005, after August 7, he surrendered just four runs. For his career, Eyre has a 3.24 ERA in September and October. While there’s reason to feel concern because of his recent slide (and possible injury problems), he could provide a long stretch of good play down the stretch.
And he can beat lefties. They’re hitting .244 against him for his career (.259 this season). Meanwhile, righties this year are hitting a horrible .421 against him. Yowza. But like it was predicted, Eyre is here to face lefties.
Of course, JC Romero is in the same mold. Lefties are hitting just .083 against Romero, while righties are at a .289 clip. Obviously Romero is being used in a setup role (110 PA against RHB, just 81 PA against LHB), but he gets guys out much more reliably than Eyre this year.
This means Eyre won’t be thrust into the back end. Instead, he could see time in the sixth and seventh innings, with one lefty coming up. Eyre shouldn’t see right-handed hitting. Let him build his confidence and health back while facing what he can defeat out of the gate. Hopefully he’ll start showing nice results, and the Phils can then slow him into the back end as the fall approaches. The goal, obviously, is to have him as the situational lefty in crunch time, with Romero as a glorified LOOGY in the latest innings. It’s a good situation, though the Phils could still use an experienced righty who can pull some weight off Chad Durbin and possibly Ryan Madson.
Most of all, the move will help solve the puzzle lingering in the front end of the bullpen. Either Les Walrond or JA Happ will be brought back to AAA Lehigh Valley once Eyre debuts. Walrond probably deserves another chance in the bullpen; Happ, however, should either get extended innings or go back down to the minors. Hopefully the Phils know this too, and will make the adjustments accordingly.
Eyre cost the Phils pitcher Brian Schlitter (and the $1.15 M left of Eyre’s salary), who was 4-3 with a 2.22 ERA in the Clearwater bullpen. These stats are sure to make you swallow the loss hard: 58 K, 21 BB, 1.83 GB/FB ratio. But you have to give up something. Eyre is here for the rest of the season; hopefully by the end of August he’ll be an integral part of the bullpen. If not, at least they took this gamble.
Posts: 0 Don M
THere are allllll kind of articles out there about how K-rod or F-rod or whatever his name is.. hasn’t had to pitch in anything close to the amount of pressure situations as some of the other bullpen guys on his own team..
Like that Moneyball concept… the odds of you not winning are game that you are leading by 3 runs in the last inning are ridiculous… There are never runners on base when he comes in.. etc.. Closers really are an overrated position, as almost anyone can be sucessful in that role based on the criteria for it
Posted: 12:21 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Rob E
Kotchman is a very good player and I believe the braves made out well with him. The guy is the hardest player to strike out in the league
Posted: 12:22 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Rob E
david Montgomery would trade Howard for a bottle of Bourbon
Posted: 12:24 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Kotchman and a pitcher with high-upside… both teams made out in the trade because the Braves were going to lose him anyway, so they got something in the deal.
The fact that the Phillies never mentioned the idea of trading Burrell before they could lose him in the offseason, lets you know that they will be trying hard to re-sign him.
Posted: 12:25 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Fred
The only way they keep Burrell if he gives them a ‘hometown’ discount. Considering this may be his last big payday, the odds aren’t too good.
Posted: 12:28 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Georgie
I really believe that as long as they’re filling the park every game and the team remains “competetive”, management will never make any blockbuster moves, they are making their $$ and that’s all that matters to them.
Posted: 12:31 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
I don’t know how many teams are going to want to give Burrell more than 3 years, $30 Million…. I dont think the Phillies should go any more than that, because he will have to play 1stbase by then cause he’s already slow as hell, another couple season in the outfield, and his range will keep going down.
I could see an AL team going after him.. like the Yankees don’t get TEX.. because they have guys like Giambi and Matusi that they’ll want to get rid of soon.. but there are probably guys out there better than Burrell to 1b-DH or part-time outfield for that kinda scratch
Posted: 12:33 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
yea but being “competitive” wears out… they can see example #1 of that by looking across the street to the Eagles.. who aren’t getting 20,000 at training camp anymore..
They are smart enough businessmen to realize you need to keep improving your product or people will get bored with it… PlayStation .. to PS2… to PS3… etc..since we all like video games
Posted: 12:40 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
oh yeah, nobody gives a flying F about the eagles anymore. they blew their chance.
Posted: 12:54 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Right.. but remember when they first started making the playoffs, and then the NFC title games, and then the SuperBowl… and they had a window for a while, and never got through it…
The Phillies are in the same mold right now, where for the past 3 seasons they’ve been extremely close…last year they made it to the postseason… so you have to try to battle with this same team…hopefully add your own T.O. or whatever it takes to push all-in.. but next year, when they have a more established rotation and stuff is the better year to do that.. not this year when you never know what anyone on your team is going to give you… They definitely were not counting on Myers to respond the way he has.. which is why Happ was here.. Blanton looked good his last time out too.. I’d love to see him get another quality start tonight!
Posted: 01:00 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Its just funny to me how people follow sports in this city… when the Eagles started getting good 5 years ago… people were CRAZY with the “bleeding eagles green” and “#1 fan since birth” etc.. that is dying off, and its now like the cool thing to be a Phillies fan..
Meanwhile the Flyers are currently the best chance of a Championship in this city.. they have loads of young talent signed for the next few years!
Posted: 01:02 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
YES! thank you. i played hockey since age 5. the flyers are in GOOD shape. their GM recognized, at the behest of the owner, and after they fired clarke, that they just need to reload and rebuild. it was HIGH TIME to rebuild that franchise. now theyre loaded with prospects up and down the system and theyve got tons of nhl-tested young talent (lupul, richards carter, etc.) all locked up to long-term contracts to keep the core of the team together for years to come. that was so masterfully done.
i was never into the nfl as much as i was into mlb and nhl. so im ALL fired up that the flyers are back and the phillies are in the picture.
Posted: 01:06 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
Mike T says~ “here’s my lineup against all LH pitchers
victorino/utley/burrell/howard/rollins/bruntlett/coste/p/werth”
So few if any comments on Mike T’s proposed lineup. I thought I show support for Mike T’s idea. I have been aware and understood manager La Russa’s strategy with the line-up for some time. He is highly regarded for thinking outside of the box and his use of videos and computers is well known. If only Cholly Manuel is half the manager that La Russa is. Wishful thinking I suppose.
Posted: 01:10 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
I have a man-crush on Hartnell …. he’s just the right amount of dirty-player that if he was on another team, I’d HATE him… but since he’s on my team and plays to win.. I love him.
I’ll miss umberger but they def needed to add puck-carrying defensemen.. so you gotta like where they are headed.. I was looking into the 11 game packages yesterday.. even that is mad loot…
Homer did a GREAT job taking over for Clarke.. (he must have learned from Gillick, no?)
Posted: 01:10 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
i know. i cant afford the flyers more than a few times a year. MAD expensive. holmgren rebuilt the team in a year and had them in the conference finals. thats insanely awesome. hartnell is a solid power forward. hes like an updated version of a young, healthy john leclair. i think hartnell might actually explode this year.
i like umberger, but steve eminger is a fine defenseman. theyyll lock him and randy jones, and coburn up long-term this season. hatcher is a veteran leader, but he got exposed in the playoffs. their depth at center is almost unbelievable.
Posted: 01:13 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
LaRussa is one of the greatest managers in baseball history…
BUT I sometimes think he outsmarts himself.. why not construct your lineup the way it should be done, with fast guys at the top.. then guys to knock them in in the middle..and try to recreate that with #7 and #8.. faster guy at 7, worst hitter at #8, anything from down there is great..
If it works for LaRussa great.. but i’d still rather see Ruiz, Bruntlett, Coste, etc batting 8th instead of any of our pitchers..
Posted: 01:14 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
thanks, bruce. since we’ll have to “work with what we have”, can we change the subject to lineup proposals?
here’s mine against lefty’s… again:
victorino/utley/burrell/howard/rollins/bruntlett/coste/p/werth
Posted: 01:14 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
apparently giles is trying to block a trade to boston, so maybe the phililes will get another chance after all, but i doubt it. ill bet they pass AGAIN
Posted: 01:46 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
because they DONT WANT another near .300 hitter in the lineup. HAHAHAHA
Posted: 01:50 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
the phils made geoff insane.
Posted: 02:04 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Gavin
Out offense is like a bad heavy weight fighter. Yea, we can knock the shit out of you with the best of them, but when it comes down to doing the little things to win the fight we have nothing.
Posted: 02:04 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Georgie
Mike T-I like that line-up, obviously something has to be done to shake it up. Jimmy needs to be moved down, his attitude this season is a complete reversal from previous years, not a lead off hitter anymore. Did anyone see that interview with him after the game yesterday? I swear he’s on jj33…??? ‘s meds or something, he acted like he could give a shit that they got shut out. And the 2 lefties should be split up , no doubt. Werth in the 9th spot gives Shane a chance to shine, imo.
Posted: 02:05 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Richie
Well put Gavin!!
Posted: 02:06 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
oh definitely, rollins was riding high on jj33.
Posted: 02:08 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Richie
The 2 lefties absolutely have to get split up. Charlie’s reason for not is to make sure Howard gets more at-bats. When he faces a leftie, that cannot even be counted as an at-bat its like a drunk guy taking a moving target. If you split them up it puts the pressure on the other manager to throw a lefty at Burrell who he rakes.
Posted: 02:09 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Rich
What I don’t understand is that last year they had success hitting Burrell third. And now he won’t do it. Why? Burrell is having a better year than last year, and Howard a worse year, so flipping them should work better, shouldn’t it?
Posted: 02:29 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
burrell was great in the 3-hole
Posted: 02:34 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 The Phils ownership
HA HA HA HA HA! Take that foolish mortals.
We are fat, and rich, and greedy, and rich, and inept, and rich.
HA HA HA HA HA!
Posted: 03:17 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Kennedy
Personally, this season against lefties I would go 1. Vic 2. Werth 3. Utley 4. Burrell 5. Coste 6. Rollins 7. Howard 8. Feliz
Its insane to have Howard hitting cleanup against a LHP this season, hes never really been good against them and he is especially bad this season. He is basically a void in the lineup.
Posted: 03:40 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
but, if you could get a couple of prospects for j-roll…..
Posted: 03:46 PM on August 8, 2008
Posts: 0 KM
you can’t have howard that far back, but i wouldn’t mind plugging in burrell between utley and howard.
Posted: 09:21 AM on August 9, 2008