« Gonzo, Lo Duca start against Hampton | Main | Chipper wants to trade for Josh Johnson »

How bad has the Marlins bullpen been?

How bad has the Marlins’ bullpen been on this road trip?

Relief pitchers are responsible for three of the four losses, and the pen has given up 12 runs in 16 innings (6.75 ERA). The pen has been hit hard (21 hits) and has been wild: 10 walks and a wild pitch that cost the Marlins a game in San Francisco.

The 10 walks include two bases loaded walks in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s meltdown against the Braves, one each by Arthur Rhodes and Joe Nelson.

And to think, the road trip started with Ricky Nolasco pitching a complete game.

The bullpen was already falling apart before the trip began. The pen had allowed 14 runs in the previous five games before the Marlins left South Florida. That’s 14 runs on 21 hits and 10 walks over 14 2/3 innings (8.63 ERA)

Entering Wednesday’s game against the Braves, the Marlins had gone 5-7 over their previous 12 games , and the pen was responsible for six of the seven losses. Kevin Gregg lost three games, Renyel Pinto lost two and Matt Lindstrom lost one. The bullpen’s ERA over that stretch was 7.64. The pen was hammered for 26 runs on 42 hits and 20 walks .over 30 2/3 innings.

It’s ironic that when the team broke camp last spring the two strongest parts of this Marlins’ club was its ability to score runs and its bullpen. Those are the two biggest reasons the team has been on a free-fall.

Comments