Washington Nationals: Bullpen creativity is a must
The Washington Nationals’ bullpen currently ranks among the best in the league, but they must manage it creatively to ensure it remains that way.
For the first time in forever, the Washington Nationals have a strong bullpen entering a season. The ‘pen is stocked full of quality arms, but bullpen roles are mostly still up for grabs.
With Dave Martinez, a first-time manager, at the helm, it is yet to be seen how the bullpen will be utilized. Every manager has their own style, and we will soon discover Martinez’s.
However, Martinez would be smart to manage the bullpen creatively. Bullpen management is a hot topic for discussion in today’s game, and everyone has a different opinion. Andrew Miller changed the game forever in the 2016 postseason, pitching several innings at a time, regardless of the inning.
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Miller’s “super-reliever” role is unsustainable throughout an entire season, but it may not be a bad idea for the postseason. It is certainly unorthodox, and proves that there are many effective methods of managing a bullpen.
Since the Nats have several exceptionally injury-prone relievers, Martinez should not be afraid to get creative. Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson, Koda Glover, and Shawn Kelley have all dealt with many injuries throughout their careers, and must be managed carefully to ensure they remain healthy.
One possible way to manage the bullpen could be to split it into two “committees”. All four of the relievers could benefit from receiving additional off-days, and splitting the bullpen would make that possible.
For instance, Kelley, Glover, and Doolittle could serve as “Bullpen A”, while Enny Romero, Brandon Kintzler, and Madson form “Bullpen B”. This would give each committee a closer (Doolittle and Madson), two setup men, and a lefty.
Sammy Solis could also fill several roles, such as left-handed specialist, long reliever, or just pitch a traditional inning. He is the Nats’ most versatile reliever, and they should use this to their advantage.
Since the Nats have a few relievers capable of closing games, they could also pick a closer based on matchups, as opposed to just having a closer who always pitches the ninth.
If some big lefties are due up in the eighth, Doolittle could face them and Madson could close it out in the ninth. Or, Doolittle could even pitch earlier if big lefties are up with the game on the line. Sometimes, the true save is early in the game, which makes saving your best reliever for the ninth foolish.
The Nats have an extremely versatile bullpen, with several relievers capable of fulfilling several different roles. They should absolutely use this to their advantage.
On the other hand, the Nats have several relievers who have proven to be exceptionally injury-prone. While the bullpen is currently a strength, that could quickly change with a few injuries.
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All things considered, Martinez should not be afraid to get creative while managing the bullpen. The “bullpenning” movement is gaining steam, and the Nats need to hop on board.