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Post by brendan98 on Aug 9, 2016 22:53:56 GMT -5
So Barnes has the high octane fastball, and the breaking ball that coupled with the fastball is really tough. Question I have is, what is Barnes future role? Is he a closer in training, or is he more likely to settle in as a setup man?
There is quite a bit of value in being able to pitch him for multiple innings, which isn't necessarily what you would see out of your late inning guys, so I wonder if he stays in a role similar to what he is now for a few years. Thoughts?
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fenwayfaithful
Rookie
A prospect is fun to watch, but trading him for a sure thing in the Majors is never a losing deal.
Posts: 114
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Post by fenwayfaithful on Aug 9, 2016 23:16:32 GMT -5
He's got the velocity he just needs to be more consistent and he can very well be a closer.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Aug 9, 2016 23:47:37 GMT -5
The big contrast to the beginning of the season is that he's making his pitches. His command has greatly improved. The last pitch he threw to Teixeira is a perfect example. Admittedly, the guy cannot get around on hard stuff like he used to, but Barnes hit the upper outside corner. No hope of doing anything with it.
He needed to pitch to figure out how to do it consistently and, to the team's credit, they let him do just that.
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ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
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Post by ericmvan on Aug 10, 2016 1:11:56 GMT -5
He's got the velocity he just needs to be more consistent and he can very well be a closer. Starting June 21: 20 IP, 16 H, 2 BB, 22 SO. The three times (out of 16) he wasn't great, it was with a big lead and didn't cost the team anything.
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Post by telson13 on Aug 10, 2016 1:54:31 GMT -5
Supposedly, he still has dreams of starting.
As for likely role, he's got the stuff to close if he keeps hitting his spots, especially if he keeps the change as a fringe-average "show-me" that he can steal a strike with.
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Post by barney27 on Aug 10, 2016 6:11:13 GMT -5
It appears his best chance to stay is as a closer. Hopefully he does not end up like joba. It sounds like to be a starter you need a dominate 1, an average second and a fringe 3rd to be successful at the bare min.
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Post by James Dunne on Aug 10, 2016 12:11:14 GMT -5
Supposedly, he still has dreams of starting. I suppose he got word of how much Ian Kennedy is getting paid.
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ericmvan
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Supposed to be working on something more important
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Post by ericmvan on Aug 10, 2016 13:54:10 GMT -5
He's easily been the best guy in the pen since June 21. Ross edges him for WPA adjusted for LI (the stat below, WPA Rate or WR, is per 60 games), but only Ziegler can match his SIERA and XIP-, and that's in half as many appearances and with a good rather than great WPA (and I'm fudging that by adding a full 1.00 for Hanley's error in Anaheim).
Pitcher G ERA- FIP- xFIP- SIERA WPA inLI WR Ross 16 107 79 98 3.53 0.70 0.84 3.13 Barnes 20 51 64 71 2.41 0.97 0.97 3.00 Kimbrel 8 153 124 112 5.17 0.60 2.00 2.25 Ziegler 10 22 78 68 2.67 0.47 2.04 1.38 Tazawa 12 105 154 106 3.60 0.07 1.42 0.25 Uehara 12 138 164 80 2.61 0.01 1.09 0.05 Kelly 3 56 101 121 5.58 -0.04 0.81 -0.99 Buchh. 7 84 57 130 5.17 -0.08 0.39 -1.76 Hembree 12 81 92 126 4.39 -0.72 0.90 -4.00 Abad 3 87 221 134 5.43 -0.56 1.71 -6.55 Naturally, Ross, who has the 4th best deep metrics and has gotten the most valuable results pound-for-pound, has been the #6 guy in the pen by leverage. And the next guy up in the pecking order is Barnes -- but he has a 1.53 inLI since July 20, and smart is better late than never. Barnes has a 3.92 WR since then.
Kimbrel's xFIP- of his 8 appearances from best to worst (* = after DL stint):
-69 -33* -2* 121 132, but a .29 WPA after getting out of his own bases-loaded no-out jam on 6/23 184 223, but a .17 WPA; 1 BB, 0 SO, Nava 2B closing out the Angels 5-4 on 7/1 440*
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Post by telson13 on Aug 10, 2016 14:56:11 GMT -5
Supposedly, he still has dreams of starting. I suppose he got word of how much Ian Kennedy is getting paid. You think he's confident he can go .500 with a mid-4 ERA? Because 5/70 would be the biggest closer deal ever...
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Post by theghostofjoecronin on Aug 10, 2016 17:13:34 GMT -5
I can't see him being the closer while Kimbrel is on the team, but could see him as the setup 7th/8th inning guy to bridge the gap to Kimbrel...similar to the roles of Betances and Miller pre-trade deadline, working in high leverage situations to get the game to Chapman.
Barnes definitely has the velocity and the secondaries, just needs a bit of polish on his command and I think he, Smith, and Kimbrel with make a lethal 7/8/9 combo for the next few years.
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Post by pasadenasox on Aug 10, 2016 20:28:04 GMT -5
Hopefully Barnes continues to develop into a shutdown reliever so that the Sox can deal Kimbrel for a bunch of prospects before his contract is up.
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Post by sibbysisti on Aug 11, 2016 11:33:22 GMT -5
He's got the velocity he just needs to be more consistent and he can very well be a closer. Consistency is the key word. As we all saw, from a high on Tuesday, he regressed to bomb yesterday. His role us still being refined.
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