Setup Man

As it turns out, it wasn’t losing Trevor Hoffman that wounded the Padres bullpen this year.  It was losing Heath Bell that really hurt.

Happy To Be The New Trevor

See, Hoffman was replaced by…Heath Bell.  And Bell has been perfect as closer.  He’s even got a larger-than-life, brash and bold persona, for good and ill.  Bell is fine as closer.  But he can’t pitch the 8th every day.  And the guys who have been asked to replace Bell’s role as setup man haven’t been able to do the job.  Same story on Saturday night, as Luke Gregerson and Cla Meredith combine to cough up a late rally in a 5-4 loss to Houston.  

Bell was warming up in the 8th as Black watched Gregerson walk the leadoff man, Michael Bourn.  Instead of asking his closer to get six outs, Continue Reading →

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