Top Bullpens in 2015: National League
The snow is (hopefully) melting and we are beginning to thaw out. That means one thing for many of us: It’s almost time for baseball! To kick the season off, let’s take a look at how the top MLB bullpens are shaping up this year. We’ll first take stock of the National League’s mound offerings:
Marlins
Miami was more competitive last season than many expected because of their 6th ranked relief staff. Bryan Morris, acquired mid-season last year, posted a 0.66 ERA in 40 2/3 innings, joining A.J. Ramos as a solid setup option. Closer Steve Cishek racked up 73 saves over the past two seasons with his unorthodox arm angle that proved effective against batters on both sides of the plate. And although they seem to have lost out on James Shields, they may have a good chance at another strong free agent in Francisco Rodriguez.
Nationals
Losing Tyler Clippard is tough, but for the low price of $5 million for a single year with Casey Janssen, the Nats are hoping for a big payoff. Even though he doesn’t have the quickest fastball, he frustrates hitters with an effective flurry of changeups, curveballs, and cutters. And even if he doesn’t stack up, their setup situation is strong; Aaron Barrett and southpaws Matt Thornton and Jerry Blevins all have FIP marks below 2.77. They also shelled out a hefty sum ($210 million for a seven-year contract) to Max Scherzer with the hopes that the Cy Young winner can add some more accolades while on their roster.
Cubs
The 2014 Chicago Cubs were no slouches, but the crown jewel of the team was definitely the pitching. With a gang including Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez, and Pedro Strop setting up for closer Hector Rondon, the opposing batters should be shaking in their spikes. Between them, Rondon, Ramirez, and Strop gave up only 6 home runs in 168 innings! Add a World Series closer like Jason Motte to the mix, and the Cubbies are definitely going somewhere this season.
Pirates
Pittsburg is hoping its new lefty, Antonio Bastardo, will augment an already aggressive lineup. They’re certainly happy to have retained the sub-2.00 ERA trifecta of Jared Hughs and all-stars Mark Melancon, and Tony Watson. The team is taking a chance with fastball specialist Arquimedes Caminero, hoping to cash in on what may be a diamond in the rough. And if John Holdzkom’s hot streak carries into this season, the Buccos pitching staff has a good shot at improving their ranking from last year’s 9th.
Giants
Since 2010, the Giants have been building their bullpen. And the truly impressive thing is that they’ve been able to hold onto so much of it. The most recent retentions are Ryan Vogelson and Jake Peavy who remain in the ranks with Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Yusmeiro Petit, and Tim Lincecum; a long and talented list of fan familiars, conducted artfully by manager Bruce Bochy. You can bet they’ll take the NL West this year.
The National League has some promising talent this year, but they’ll be lucky to keep up with the AL. Keep an eye out for the second installment of the series, coming soon!
Head to Rukket.com for any practice net need you may have for any season, indoor or out!
