Tribe Season Review: The Bullpen

We’ve hit our final installment of the Indians season review. The last group we will look at is the bullpen. If you had to pick one unit and call it the team’s strongest on the season, it would have to be this group. Many of the names and roles changed from the beginning of the season, but we saw several players make major strides and define roles for themselves. Most importantly,the Indians found a young, flame-throwing closer who will be their guy for years to come.

Opening Day Bullpen

Closer – Kerry Wood DL

Set Up – Chris Perez (63 games/2-2/1.71 ERA/1.08 ERA/61 K’s in 63 IP), Tony Sipp (70 games/2-2/4.14 ERA/1.38 WHIP), Rafael Perez (70 games/6-1/3.25 ERA/1.59 WHIP), Joe Smith (53 games, 2-2/3.83 ERA/1.35 WHIP)

Middle Relief – Jamey Wright (18 games/1-2/5.48 ERA/1.59 WHIP), Aaron Laffey (29 games/2-3/4.53 ERA/1.62 WHIP), Jensen Lewis (37 games/4-2/2.97 ERA/1.29 WHIP)

Projected 2011 Bullpen

Closer – C. Perez

Set Up – R. Perez, Smith, Sipp

Middle Relief – Frank Herrmann (40 games/0-1/4.03 ERA/1.28 WHIP), Vinny Pestano (0-0/1 save/3.60 ERA, 1.80 WHIP), Josh Judy

Lets talk first and foremost about the closer role. The Indians started the season with high priced Kerry Wood on the DL. From day one, he wasn’t long for this team and he pitched like it. He was unimpressive to say the least in his time in Cleveland and with a young closer ready to take his place, it was only a matter of time that he was jettisoned out of town. The main issue was always his contract. But as I said before the deadline, all it takes is one team. That team of course, was the New York Yankees. With the Indians, Wood had an ERA of 6.30 in 23 games. With the Yankees, Wood had an ERA of 0.69 in 24 games. That would be two earned runs in 26 innings.

But enough about Wood. His trade paved the way for Chris Perez to take the job that was rightfully his. If you had to pick one player who exceeded all expectations on this 2010 Indians team, it was the man they call “Pure Rage.” He saved 23 games in 27 chances, had an ERA of 1.71 and a WHIP of 1.08 on the season. But the last three months is where he really made his mark. In his last 32 innings, he allowed just two earned runs, both in the same game. Not only was he automatic in the closers role, but his demeanor and attitude is perfect for the job. He is your closer in C-Town for the foreseeable future. The local media has to be thrilled with that. There is no better quote than “Pure Rage.”

The set-up men really started to take shape in June. That coincided with the re-emergence of the forgotten man, Rafael Perez. Raffy was literally on the verge of being designated for assignment, and magically turned his season around. On May 31st, Perez had an ERA of 7.20 and he had zero control of his out pitch, the slider. But in June he found it, and a return to the set up role would eventually come his way. Between June and July, Perez allowed just two earned runs in 22.2 innings pitched. He jumped right back into the reliable role late in games and has once again positioned himself as they top lefty set up man for 2011.

The top left for 2010 going in was going to be Tony Sipp and he certainly pitched that way early in the season. Then he went to New York in late May and imploded. He into that weekend with an ERA of 1.40 and left town with an ERA over four. Two weeks later, he went from set-up man to mop-up man. The month of June was not kind to The Sipper. He gave up nine earned runs in 5.2 innings. He righted himself in July and became reliable again by September, but Sipp still struggled with his control and with the home run ball. He allowed a team high 12 homers out of the pen, not a good sign when you are a late inning reliever. You can bet though he will be a part of the 2011 pen.

Joe Smith is an enigma. He struggled early on with his command, spent time on the DL, and was eventually shipped off to Columbus to find himself. He is a right on right specialist. Everyone knows it. Lefties seem to own him. But when he has his good stuff working, the side-winder can be very effective. Upon his mid-season return from AAA, the guy the Indians thought they were getting from The Mets two seasons ago had appeared. With Raffy Perez revitalized and Chris Perez as a lockdown closer, Manny Acta finally had late inning options he could count on.

While Smith was trying to find himself, Frank Herrmann burst onto the scene carrying an obscenely low 0.39 ERA with him from Columbus. He has factored himself right into the mix with a solid Spring and kept the train rolling in AAA. The Indian brass had no choice but to bring up the Harvard grad. With Smith in Columbus, Raffy ineffective, and Sipp still up and down, Acta immediately put the rookie right hander in the set up role. For the first month and a half, he was terrific and kept his scoreless streak in tact. However, by August, the book was out on “The Herrmannator.” He had trouble with left-handed hitters and opponents were laying off his breaking stuff and sitting on his fastball. Come early and mid September, Herrmann had settled back into a middle relief role. I still see good things with him in 2011 as a sixth inning type of guy.

Another pitcher who emerged out of nowhere was Justin Germano. During the time of the Jake Westbrook trade and the Mitch Talbot shoulder injury, the Indians were short on pitching. Guys were being shuttled back and forth from Columbus and with the way things worked, rookie starters Jeanmar Gomez and Josh Tomlin both had to work on three days rest in back to back games. With that, an extra reliever was added for insurance. That man was Germano, a re-tread who had been pitching in Japan. His one appearance in Toronto was supposed to be that, just one appearance. But Germano saved the Tribe bullpen that night with three scoreless innings. So they kept him around for a little while longer. He became a long man of sorts, but went on a 17.1 innings scoreless streak and made himself into a vital part of the pen. So much so that he was a late inning option all the way through the end of the season. His ERA jumped to a season high 3.31 after he was called upon to start the final game of the year (he allowed 5 runs in two innings), but he earned himself a shot as a middle reliever in 2011. I don’t see him making it, but you never know.

Ah, Jensen Lewis . At this point to me, I’ve seen enough of Jenny Lew and his 85 mph straight fastball. Then again, I was ready to cut bait with Raffy Perez early this year as well. Lewis was so good down the stretch for the ’07 Tribe and in the playoffs he was even better. I think that is why he continues to get so many chances. Nobody rode that I-71 shuttle more than he did in 2010, but next year is make or break for him. He is out of options. In the meantime, he finished the year strong and had an ERA under three. Maybe he wins that last bullpen spot again next year and finds “it.” I for one, and ready to move on.

Two young guys who are intriguing to me are Vinny Pestano and Josh Judy. Pestano closed this year in both Akron and Columbus and earned himself a late September call up. He has good stuff and seems to be well liked by the brass and by Acta, who trotted him right out there for his first Major League save opportunity when Pure Rage Perez was away from the team watching his son be born. He will be a factor in the pen one way or another next year. Judy is a guy who has long been on the radar. He’d have been up this year with the big club if not for injuries that robbed him of half his season. He was a dark horse out of Goodyear, pitching well, but the Indians wanted to get more seasoning out of him in the minors. I could easily see him break camp with the club in April.

Lastly, Hector Ambriz. How one man not named Andy Marte could have lasted so long without Major League credentials this year is beyond me. He may throw 95, but his stuff is flat and usually right down the middle. You won’t see him next year as he just had Tommy John surgery. Can’t say that’s such a bad thing.