Things to look for from the bullpen

[Todd4State]

Someone inform me what's the deal with Price? I know he gets an inning here and there but he was a damn good closer two seasons ago. I assume, it's slow working him back into the mix. Does he not have the stuff and ability to possibly be in the mix if Cole can't get it done.

Price is in the same spot about where Blake Smith was last year. He is still recovering technically and that's why his velocity isn't 100% back. He can be effective in spots like today- but making him the closer would overexpose him which is what happened with Blake Smith last year.

[tcdog70]

Cole is long relief is all people are saying. That's what made him key last year, he wasn't closing games

Damn, you must be a baseball genius. You can see this but our Coaches can't. How stupid are they for running Cole out there to pitch. He only had about 20 something scoreless innings, but you can see how he sux. If another pitcher turns out to be a better closer I'm sure our Staff will make them the closer. In the mean time please keep posting with you infinite baseball knowledge.

[msbulldog]

Damn, you must be a baseball genius. You can see this but our Coaches can't. How stupid are they for running Cole out there to pitch. He only had about 20 something scoreless innings, but you can see how he sux. If another pitcher turns out to be a better closer I'm sure our Staff will make them the closer. In the mean time please keep posting with you infinite baseball knowledge.

Damn, who pissed in your cheerio's?

[tcdog70]

Damn, who pissed in your cheerio's?

Dude we are 18-2 and beat The Gators 2 of 3 in Gainesville . Has Cole blown a save ---no.. but for some reason some want to whine. Throwing over 20 scoreless innings just isn't good enough. Sit back and enjoy our success and remember it's baseball and some days you eat the bear and other days the bear eats you. I think I'll be glad to see Cole march in from the bullpen until he starts losing games..

[Todd4State]

Dude we are 18-2 and beat The Gators 2 of 3 in Gainesville . Has Cole blown a save ---no.. but for some reason some want to whine. Throwing over 20 scoreless innings just isn't good enough. Sit back and enjoy our success and remember it's baseball and some days you eat the bear and other days the bear eats you. I think I'll be glad to see Cole march in from the bullpen until he starts losing games..

I think our fans want what's best for the team. One of the trends in baseball right now-moreso the postseason- is to have a long relief guy like an Andrew Miller that can come in at any point in time and pitch multiple innings and get multiple hitters (LH/RH) out. Cole does have that kind of ability and we have a couple of guys at least in Colby White and maybe if he's healthy Spencer Price that can handle the traditional one inning closer role. We were ahead of our time with what we were doing with Lindgren and Girodo and also having Fitts as an opener basically.

[tcdog70]

I think our fans want what's best for the team. One of the trends in baseball right now-moreso the postseason- is to have a long relief guy like an Andrew Miller that can come in at any point in time and pitch multiple innings and get multiple hitters (LH/RH) out. Cole does have that kind of ability and we have a couple of guys at least in Colby White and maybe if he's healthy Spencer Price that can handle the traditional one inning closer role. We were ahead of our time with what we were doing with Lindgren and Girodo and also having Fitts as an opener basically.

I want the best also. But I trust our staff to know what is best. They think Cole is a closer---so far he damn sure is. Cole like most closers are good if the UMP doesn't squeeze the Zone. he squeezed Cole and it pissed Cole off--Yes he got into trouble but He also got His self out of trouble.

[BiscuitEater]

Also, midweek play is only one game a week now, so that should free some guys up.

Schedule say .. we play two midweek games THIS week. Home with Little Rock and @ Samford on Wed.

[The Federalist Engineer]

I think our fans want what's best for the team. One of the trends in baseball right now-moreso the postseason- is to have a long relief guy like an Andrew Miller that can come in at any point in time and pitch multiple innings and get multiple hitters (LH/RH) out. Cole does have that kind of ability and we have a couple of guys at least in Colby White and maybe if he's healthy Spencer Price that can handle the traditional one inning closer role. We were ahead of our time with what we were doing with Lindgren and Girodo and also having Fitts as an opener basically.

I don't think our staff is settled beyond Small and Ginn as #1 and #2. For exceptionally good reasons like the emergence of leibelt, Barlow, and White and If we consider that Price, Cerantola, and Spring could be prime time ready by May - we may have many interesting ways to deploy our talent.

I wonder if we end up with a super talented freshman with multiple pitches and stones in the Closer role like we did with Jonathan Holder in 2012. Thinking about Cerantola who also seems ready to potentially start by May

Assuming that Cerantola could do it.

[Randolph Dupree]

His breaking ball has looked sharp to me but you are absolutely correct on his FB and I think that's something that will only come in time, if it ever does. Look at Ethan Small for example. Ethan was throwing mid 90's early in his career but has lost some zip since his injury but some of that is due to his refinement from a thrower to a pitcher.

Look for Price to be our closer a little later in the year. My understanding is that everything is back (for the most part), it's just a matter of location/control consistently and really just getting back to game ready.

We are good enough at closer for the time being and taking it slow with Price is a smart move. If we make it to the post season with Price healthy and only a half season of relief of wear, look out.