Around the Horn: Bullpen
01/12/2006
Welcome to Kevin Towers' workshop. He's the guy with the toolbox over in the corner, busy as always, pounding out a new bullpen around closer Trevor Hoffman, the enduring fixture and centerpiece.
With a 2006 season that replicates '05, Hoffman will become the all-time save king in the Major Leagues. The anchor, signed to a new contract in December to the relief of Padres fans everywhere, is 42 saves away from Lee Smith, who retired with 478.
With Scott Linebrink and Akinori Otsuka setting him up, Hoffman was second in the NL to Chad Cordero with 43 saves, converting 38 in a row. He blew only three saves and was NL Pitcher of the Month for May.
There will be some new faces and personalities in Hoffman's midst in '06, but that's nothing new.
"Getting Hoffy back is huge," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's the best of all time. And I have a lot of confidence in Liney. We have some things to sort out in middle relief, but I think we'll be in good shape again in the bullpen."
If there's one area where Towers has specialized in his decade as the Padres' general manager, it's in piecing together quality bullpens -- often without the resources available to colleagues.
Towers was at his best last winter, overhauling his relief corps with the seemingly modest acquisitions of veterans Rudy Seanez and Chris Hammond. With both men delivering handsomely, the Padres boasted a bullpen with few equals on their way to the NL West title.
The return of Hoffman means Linebrink, a dominant force, is back in his eighth-inning role, giving the Friars a one-two punch at the end of games few clubs in baseball can match.
In the eighth inning, Linebrink is money, as good as it gets.
The 29-year-old Texan was 8-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 73 appearances in '05, striking out 70 while walking just 23. He's 17-5 with a 2.23 ERA in 189 games as a Padre, striking out 204 in 218 1/3 innings.
The questions involve middle relief and the seventh inning.
After bidding farewell to Seanez and Hammond as free agents and dealing the durable Otsuka to the Rangers, Towers is challenged to work his relief magic.
Summoned from Triple-A Portland at midseason, Clay Hensley was 1-1 with a 1.70 ERA across 47 2/3 innings -- and did not allow a home run with his sinking fastball and variety of pitches. He made one start in 24 appearances, going five solid innings in a loss to the Dodgers.
The 26-year-old Texan has the repertoire and mind-set of a starter but might be needed in the bullpen for another season.
Also back from '05 is veteran Scott Cassidy, who was 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in 10 games. The 30-year-old right-hander has an excellent Minor League resume to go with a 2-5 record and 6.15 ERA in 69 Major League games.
The new names in the mix are Doug Brocail, Brian Sikorski and Steve Andrade. How these three right-handers fare in Spring Training could determine whether Hensley can get the starting shot he covets.
Originally a Padre, signed in 1986 as a first-round pick (12th overall) in the January Supplemental Draft, Brocail, 38, was signed to a one-year, $1 million free agent contract after a solid season with the Rangers.
In 61 appearances covering 73 1/3 innings, Brocail was 5-3 with a 5.52 ERA, striking out 61 while walking 34 and giving up only two home runs -- no small feat for someone pitching half his games in hitter-friendly Ameriquest Field.
Physically imposing at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Brocail broke in with the Padres in '92 and was 4-13 in 24 starts in '93. He was converted into a reliever the following season, starting an odyssey that took him to Houston, Detroit and Texas. He's 37-40 in 442 Major League games with a 4.06 ERA.
Sikorski, a 31-year-old Detroit native signed as a free agent, was 1-3 with a 5.73 ERA for the Rangers in 2000 before moving to Japan and spending five productive seasons with Lotte and Yomiuri.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Sikorski was 21-20 and fashioned a 3.51 ERA in 238 games. He throws strikes, evidenced by his 387 strikeouts against 116 walks in 386 2/3 innings. He'll be given a shot at taking the seventh-inning role occupied by former Japan import Otsuka.
Acquired for cash considerations in the Rule 5 Draft from Tampa Bay, which made him the third overall pick, Andrade, 27, was selected from Toronto's Syracuse SkyChiefs roster.
"[Andrade's] a guy who just gets hitters out, everywhere he pitches," said vice president of scouting and development Grady Fuson. "We think he's got a chance to make our staff. He's a big guy, 6-1 and 220 pounds, and he hits 89-90 [mph] with good command."
Andrade was 3-2 with three saves and a 1.97 ERA in 35 games with Double-A New Hampshire of the Eastern League. He struck out 71 with 16 walks in 50 innings pitched.
With the sixth pick in the Rule 5 Draft, the Friars tabbed Seth Etherton, a right-handed starter from Kansas City's Omaha roster. Etherton, 29, is 8-6 in his Major League career with a 6.08 ERA in 108 innings pitched.
"Etherton was the No. 1 guy we identified in the Minor League Six-Year Draft," Towers said. "But he ended up taking a non-roster deal with Kansas City. He's a guy with good command and some experience, and we'll take a look at him in Spring Training."
Etherton, from USC, throws in the 88-91 mph range with a good breaking ball and changeup, said Fuson, and will compete for a spot in the rotation or long relief. His best year came in 2000, when he was 5-1 with a 5.52 ERA in 11 starts with the Angels.
Property of the A's in '05, Etherton was 1-1 with a 6.62 ERA at the Major League level and 7-7 in 19 starts (20 games) at Triple-A Sacramento with a 2.72 ERA. He struck out 99 and walked 30 in 112 innings.
The club signed former Padre Alan Embree to a Minor League contract, and the southpaw will be given every opportunity to provide some lefty balance in the 'pen.
Embree, who pitched with both the Red Sox and Yankees last season, had a 1.26 ERA appearing in 36 games (29 innings) for the Padres in 2002 with a 3-4 record. He was dealt to Boston with left-hander Andy Shibilo on June 23, 2002, with the Padres getting right-handers Brad Baker and Dan Giese.
Embree, who throws in the 90s with excellent command, had a 4.25 ERA in 65 games for the Red Sox in 2003 and had a 4.13 ERA in 71 games in 2004.
He appeared in 67 games for the Red Sox and Yankees last season, but his ERA was 7.62.
"The way you get a good non-roster player for less than a million dollars is after a bad season," Towers said.
"It's a no-lose situation for us. If he makes the club, we got a solid veteran guy and a bargain price. If he doesn't, it won't cost us a dime."
Jon Adkins, Andy Ashby, Erick Burke, Eric Junge, Ryan Meaux, Brian Sweeney and Mike Thompson are other non-roster pitchers bidding to make the club.
Also in the picture are Dewon Brazelton and Kenny Baugh, talented right-handers hoping to crack the rotation, and Minor League southpaws Rusty Tucker and Sean Thompson, who will try to make an impression in Spring Training.
Craig Breslow, who performed capably in spot duty in '05, is a free agent.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
Welcome to Kevin Towers' workshop. He's the guy with the toolbox over in the corner, busy as always, pounding out a new bullpen around closer Trevor Hoffman, the enduring fixture and centerpiece.
With a 2006 season that replicates '05, Hoffman will become the all-time save king in the Major Leagues. The anchor, signed to a new contract in December to the relief of Padres fans everywhere, is 42 saves away from Lee Smith, who retired with 478.
With Scott Linebrink and Akinori Otsuka setting him up, Hoffman was second in the NL to Chad Cordero with 43 saves, converting 38 in a row. He blew only three saves and was NL Pitcher of the Month for May.
There will be some new faces and personalities in Hoffman's midst in '06, but that's nothing new.
"Getting Hoffy back is huge," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's the best of all time. And I have a lot of confidence in Liney. We have some things to sort out in middle relief, but I think we'll be in good shape again in the bullpen."
If there's one area where Towers has specialized in his decade as the Padres' general manager, it's in piecing together quality bullpens -- often without the resources available to colleagues.
Towers was at his best last winter, overhauling his relief corps with the seemingly modest acquisitions of veterans Rudy Seanez and Chris Hammond. With both men delivering handsomely, the Padres boasted a bullpen with few equals on their way to the NL West title.
The return of Hoffman means Linebrink, a dominant force, is back in his eighth-inning role, giving the Friars a one-two punch at the end of games few clubs in baseball can match.
In the eighth inning, Linebrink is money, as good as it gets.
The 29-year-old Texan was 8-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 73 appearances in '05, striking out 70 while walking just 23. He's 17-5 with a 2.23 ERA in 189 games as a Padre, striking out 204 in 218 1/3 innings.
The questions involve middle relief and the seventh inning.
After bidding farewell to Seanez and Hammond as free agents and dealing the durable Otsuka to the Rangers, Towers is challenged to work his relief magic.
Summoned from Triple-A Portland at midseason, Clay Hensley was 1-1 with a 1.70 ERA across 47 2/3 innings -- and did not allow a home run with his sinking fastball and variety of pitches. He made one start in 24 appearances, going five solid innings in a loss to the Dodgers.
The 26-year-old Texan has the repertoire and mind-set of a starter but might be needed in the bullpen for another season.
Also back from '05 is veteran Scott Cassidy, who was 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in 10 games. The 30-year-old right-hander has an excellent Minor League resume to go with a 2-5 record and 6.15 ERA in 69 Major League games.
The new names in the mix are Doug Brocail, Brian Sikorski and Steve Andrade. How these three right-handers fare in Spring Training could determine whether Hensley can get the starting shot he covets.
Originally a Padre, signed in 1986 as a first-round pick (12th overall) in the January Supplemental Draft, Brocail, 38, was signed to a one-year, $1 million free agent contract after a solid season with the Rangers.
In 61 appearances covering 73 1/3 innings, Brocail was 5-3 with a 5.52 ERA, striking out 61 while walking 34 and giving up only two home runs -- no small feat for someone pitching half his games in hitter-friendly Ameriquest Field.
Physically imposing at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Brocail broke in with the Padres in '92 and was 4-13 in 24 starts in '93. He was converted into a reliever the following season, starting an odyssey that took him to Houston, Detroit and Texas. He's 37-40 in 442 Major League games with a 4.06 ERA.
Sikorski, a 31-year-old Detroit native signed as a free agent, was 1-3 with a 5.73 ERA for the Rangers in 2000 before moving to Japan and spending five productive seasons with Lotte and Yomiuri.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Sikorski was 21-20 and fashioned a 3.51 ERA in 238 games. He throws strikes, evidenced by his 387 strikeouts against 116 walks in 386 2/3 innings. He'll be given a shot at taking the seventh-inning role occupied by former Japan import Otsuka.
Acquired for cash considerations in the Rule 5 Draft from Tampa Bay, which made him the third overall pick, Andrade, 27, was selected from Toronto's Syracuse SkyChiefs roster.
"[Andrade's] a guy who just gets hitters out, everywhere he pitches," said vice president of scouting and development Grady Fuson. "We think he's got a chance to make our staff. He's a big guy, 6-1 and 220 pounds, and he hits 89-90 [mph] with good command."
Andrade was 3-2 with three saves and a 1.97 ERA in 35 games with Double-A New Hampshire of the Eastern League. He struck out 71 with 16 walks in 50 innings pitched.
With the sixth pick in the Rule 5 Draft, the Friars tabbed Seth Etherton, a right-handed starter from Kansas City's Omaha roster. Etherton, 29, is 8-6 in his Major League career with a 6.08 ERA in 108 innings pitched.
"Etherton was the No. 1 guy we identified in the Minor League Six-Year Draft," Towers said. "But he ended up taking a non-roster deal with Kansas City. He's a guy with good command and some experience, and we'll take a look at him in Spring Training."
Etherton, from USC, throws in the 88-91 mph range with a good breaking ball and changeup, said Fuson, and will compete for a spot in the rotation or long relief. His best year came in 2000, when he was 5-1 with a 5.52 ERA in 11 starts with the Angels.
Property of the A's in '05, Etherton was 1-1 with a 6.62 ERA at the Major League level and 7-7 in 19 starts (20 games) at Triple-A Sacramento with a 2.72 ERA. He struck out 99 and walked 30 in 112 innings.
The club signed former Padre Alan Embree to a Minor League contract, and the southpaw will be given every opportunity to provide some lefty balance in the 'pen.
Embree, who pitched with both the Red Sox and Yankees last season, had a 1.26 ERA appearing in 36 games (29 innings) for the Padres in 2002 with a 3-4 record. He was dealt to Boston with left-hander Andy Shibilo on June 23, 2002, with the Padres getting right-handers Brad Baker and Dan Giese.
Embree, who throws in the 90s with excellent command, had a 4.25 ERA in 65 games for the Red Sox in 2003 and had a 4.13 ERA in 71 games in 2004.
He appeared in 67 games for the Red Sox and Yankees last season, but his ERA was 7.62.
"The way you get a good non-roster player for less than a million dollars is after a bad season," Towers said.
"It's a no-lose situation for us. If he makes the club, we got a solid veteran guy and a bargain price. If he doesn't, it won't cost us a dime."
Jon Adkins, Andy Ashby, Erick Burke, Eric Junge, Ryan Meaux, Brian Sweeney and Mike Thompson are other non-roster pitchers bidding to make the club.
Also in the picture are Dewon Brazelton and Kenny Baugh, talented right-handers hoping to crack the rotation, and Minor League southpaws Rusty Tucker and Sean Thompson, who will try to make an impression in Spring Training.
Craig Breslow, who performed capably in spot duty in '05, is a free agent.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
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