More Dumpster Diving

[MongoLikeSox]

Might as well make a pitching Dumpster Diving thread out of it as much as we'll be doing this year as we try to find something to keep up with the injuries and overall poor performance.

Another waiver claim 2 days ago. A BP Righty named Justin Garza, DFA'd a week ago by the Angels. Has 21 MLB appearances, all with Cleveland in 2021 with a 4.71 ERA. 6 games in AAA this year 4.32 ERA. 1 Walk every two innings, 1K per inning for last few years.

We got Bernadino of Waivers from Seattle last week. Kind of decent Minor League stats, save for a 6-something ERA in 2018. He disappeared to the Mexican League(s) after being released in 2019 before being picked up by Seattle in 2022. A wretched 2-game start in AAA (2g, 6IP, 13ERs) made him expendable when Seattle needed the 40-man spot. And now he's ours. 31 years old. He's not done badly at all with us in his first few games, though the WHIP is sitting on 1.50.

Kind of curious to know how many of these Dumpster Dives pitching that we've taken that have worked out? Last year we had Schreiber, though his velocity has taken a dive this season.

[Sea Dog 23]

Might as well make a pitching Dumpster Diving thread out of it as much as we'll be doing this year as we try to find something to keep up with the injuries and overall poor performance.

Another waiver claim 2 days ago. A BP Righty named Justin Garza, DFA'd a week ago by the Angels. Has 21 MLB appearances, all with Cleveland in 2021 with a 4.71 ERA. 6 games in AAA this year 4.32 ERA. 1 Walk every two innings, 1K per inning for last few years.

We got Bernadino of Waivers from Seattle last week. Kind of decent Minor League stats, save for a 6-something ERA in 2018. He disappeared to the Mexican League(s) after being released in 2019 before being picked up by Seattle in 2022. A wretched 2-game start in AAA (2g, 6IP, 13ERs) made him expendable when Seattle needed the 40-man spot. And now he's ours. 31 years old. He's not done badly at all with us in his first few games, though the WHIP is sitting on 1.50.

Kind of curious to know how many of these Dumpster Dives pitching that we've taken that have worked out? Last year we had Schreiber, though his velocity has taken a dive this season.

I saw that Vinnie Barbarino --- nah make that Bernadino -- got his first MLB win  last night at age 31.  I'll have to hit the record books for that one.
OK a guy named Jaimie Moyer of Rockies got his first when he turned 49.

[MongoLikeSox]

The Sox subsequently DFA'd the dumpster-dive Zach Littel. I think he lasted 3 days? The Rays picked him up meaning that nobody else wanted him. I hope he doesn't whack our winkies later in the season. Just our luck.

Next up - Pablo Reyes. Bought from the A's. Has some MLB time. I suspect it's just a minor league depth move. There are a couple AAAA players with opt-outs coming up. 

I saw that Vinnie Barbarino --- nah make that Bernadino -- got his first MLB win  last night at age 31.  I'll have to hit the record books for that one.
OK a guy named Jaimie Moyer of Rockies got his first when he turned 49.

I remember Moyer. One of those Crafty Lefties that ate up the edges of the strike-zones. well into the 40's for the Mariners. (fast forward ten minutes) it looks like he missed a year at age 48 in 2011, has AAA stats for Baltimore and Toronto in 2012 before going to the Rockies to start 10 games. Looks like the Tommy John sort of break. July 20, 2010 through April 7th, 2012. 22 months. He did his two AAA stints after being released by the Rockies. I wonder if he was shooting for pitching in the Big Leagues after age 50? 

[longgame]

Reyes is starting today.  Probably helps he's a righty in a lefty heavy lineup. 

[Sea Dog 23]

After a weekend when the Sox bullpen imploded in all three games, I think, what do they do to pick up the pieces?

Some moves, Brasier was DFA'd on Sunday.  Most think they are clearing a spot for lefty Joely Rodriguez this week.  Bleier, Bernardino, Brasier, and of course Jansen were pummeled by the Cards over the weekend.  Jansen seems to be spooked by the new rules and batters are taking advantage of the time clock with him.  He was pretty slow in mechanics to begin with.

The bullpen is getting over analyzed when maybe their two best relievers - Houck and Whitlock - have been pressed into spots in the starting rotation because of failure by Kluber and Sale early on.  Now Kluber and Pivetta cannot get it going.  A plus would be sending Pivetta to the bullpen, then finding another Bello type in AAA to bring up.  Then what to do with Whitlock if he can get his arm in service again.  Cora said last week that he wants 6 pitchers in the rotation.  I have no idea what that will accomplish considering we only have a couple of consistent rotation guys.

[SeaBeachFred]

After a weekend when the Sox bullpen imploded in all three games, I think, what do they do to pick up the pieces?

Some moves, Brasier was DFA'd on Sunday.  Most think they are clearing a spot for lefty Joely Rodriguez this week.  Bleier, Bernardino, Brasier, and of course Jansen were pummeled by the Cards over the weekend.  Jansen seems to be spooked by the new rules and batters are taking advantage of the time clock with him.  He was pretty slow in mechanics to begin with.

The bullpen is getting over analyzed when maybe their two best relievers - Houck and Whitlock - have been pressed into spots in the starting rotation because of failure by Kluber and Sale early on.  Now Kluber and Pivetta cannot get it going.  A plus would be sending Pivetta to the bullpen, then finding another Bello type in AAA to bring up.  Then what to do with Whitlock if he can get his arm in service again.  Cora said last week that he wants 6 pitchers in the rotation.  I have no idea what that will accomplish considering we only have a couple of consistent rotation guys.

Brasier DFA'd?????  Means nothing.  I've seen this act before.  He is DFA'd', no one picks him up and he is back with the Red Sox to get pummeled within two or three weeks.  HE MUST BE RELEASED  RIGHT AWAY!!!!!. AND DO NOT BRING BACK ORT EITHER BECAUSE HE IS JUST AS BAD AS BRASSBUM.

[MongoLikeSox]

Every once in a while, some dumpster diving pays off for short, but memorable MLB stints. Enter Reyes. I have to confess that I didn't dig too deeply. I would not have thought too much differently had I done so, but I did miss two key items in his extensive list of stops.

Lifetime .249 MLB, .274 Minors. Doesn't hit many HRs, but does not strike out a lot. 16% K-rate in minors, 21% in MLB. He's a natural SS, but makes far fewer errors at 2B. Plays all over. Errors dropped with age, but SS remains the iffy spot. 140 Minor League Stolen Bases, but caught steeling 70 times. 5 for 8 in MLB.

So, the one thing that sticks out to me is such a non-Chaim Bloom move because it looks like he is a contact hitter. Not just this past week, but over an extensive Minor League career with about 2/3 of a full MLB under his belt spread out over a few years. He's not a stats cast darling. No blazing speed nor prodigious HRs. Does not have excessive BB drawing skills. We don't have to figure out a lifetime of awful fielding, and he does not strike out nearly as much as some of the others he's landed.  At 29 years old, he is nobody's future position player, which is why he was not on the A's despite their awful start.

Long story short, it looks like Bloom got an actual ballplayer who isn't going to lamb out 1/2 his AB's and can at least cope with playing defense. Is this just pure luck and happenstance for Red Sox fans or a glimmer of hope that Bloom is starting to learn baseball?  Yeah, I hear ya.

[longgame]

Every once in a while, some dumpster diving pays off for short, but memorable MLB stints. Enter Reyes. I have to confess that I didn't dig too deeply. I would not have thought too much differently had I done so, but I did miss two key items in his extensive list of stops.

Lifetime .249 MLB, .274 Minors. Doesn't hit many HRs, but does not strike out a lot. 16% K-rate in minors, 21% in MLB. He's a natural SS, but makes far fewer errors at 2B. Plays all over. Errors dropped with age, but SS remains the iffy spot. 140 Minor League Stolen Bases, but caught steeling 70 times. 5 for 8 in MLB.

So, the one thing that sticks out to me is such a non-Chaim Bloom move because it looks like he is a contact hitter. Not just this past week, but over an extensive Minor League career with about 2/3 of a full MLB under his belt spread out over a few years. He's not a stats cast darling. No blazing speed nor prodigious HRs. Does not have excessive BB drawing skills. We don't have to figure out a lifetime of awful fielding, and he does not strike out nearly as much as some of the others he's landed.  At 29 years old, he is nobody's future position player, which is why he was not on the A's despite their awful start.

Long story short, it looks like Bloom got an actual ballplayer who isn't going to lamb out 1/2 his AB's and can at least cope with playing defense. Is this just pure luck and happenstance for Red Sox fans or a glimmer of hope that Bloom is starting to learn baseball?  Yeah, I hear ya.

Or even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then? 

He and Valdez have contributed far more than ever expected.  Of course I'd rather have middle infielders who are good with the glove, but they plug a hole at least until Story gets back and then we have someone to draw on when Arroyo gets hurt again.