New Rule Change Proposed for the Major Leagues

If the first relief pitcher in place of a starter blows a game for a starting pitcher and ends up getting the win, the credited victory should not go to the relief pitcher who blew the lead.

It happened again last night in the Mets-Cubs game. A starting pitcher leaves after seven innings with the lead, and then the bullpen comes in a blows the lead. In this case it was Bobby Parnell of the Mets going seven strong (109 pitches), before being relieved to start the 8th inning by Brian Stokes.  

Now, after a pretty decent season where he was solid save for a couple of bad appearances, Stokes had the wheels fall off August 28, when he allowed four runs in one-third of an inning, blowing Pat Misch opportunity for his first ever victory. Then on September 2nd, he allowed three more runs in one-third of an inning, allowing three hits and three walks.

Last night was brutal again. Stokes was blowing a lead and the win for Parnell, who needed a good appearance AND A WIN to get the confidence back.

After Stokes blew Parnell’s lead, the juggernaut Mets offense burned the Cubs bullpen for five runs to turn a 2-2 tie game into a 7-2 Mets lead. And with the Mets holding on for a 7-3 win (Stokes needed K-Rod help in the 9th), Stokes ended up getting credit for the victory.

Make no mistake, if a pitcher throws well like Parnell did last night, but does not get the win, he doesn’t feel good about the performance. How can he feel good? You will here starting pitchers say, ” I threw the ball well and kept us in the game long enough to where were able to win, and that is the most important thing.”

One work for that – bullshit. Parnell needed to get that win last night to build him up. A no decision means nothing.

For a team like the 2009 New York Mets, it is not the important thing for a team just to win a meaningless game. It is important for the young starter to pitch well and GET THE VICTORY. For a starter to give seven strong innings, and show nothing for it is useless.

And this is not a knock on Jerry Manuel in removing Parnell after seven innings and 109 pitches, because the Mets are only trying to save a young mans arm (snicker, snicker, cough, cough). Although a starting pitcher should be require to continue going until he gets in trouble. Personally, I would have run Parnell out there again in the eighth. How are young pitcher to learn how to go deep into game, if they aren’t allowed to go deep into games?

Bu this is not about the removing of pitchers too early. It is about the fact that a relief pitcher can blow a lead for a pitcher, and gets the win when his team scores runs the VERY NEXT INNING.

Phil Coke of the Yankees got two wins that way this season. The first time was on July 26 against Oakland, while the second was on August 9th versus the Red Sox. It was after that Red Sox game was when I first came up with the idea. The photo accompanying this piece is from that August 9th appearance.

So, my rule has to do when a relief pitcher comes in for the starting pitcher to BEGIN AN INNING, blows the lead any time while he is pitching, and his team comes back to take the lead while he is the pitcher of record. If their team ends up winning the game without giving up the lead again, then the starting pitcher should get credited with the win.

So, in last night’s game, Parnell goes seven innings, and leaves the mound with the lead. In comes Stokes to start the eighth inning, blows the lead, and then the Mets score a bunch of runs to take the lead when Stokes is pitcher of record. The Mets hold on and Stokes gets the win.

With my new rule change, the starting pitcher (Bobby Parnell inthis case) would still get the win as he gave the team all those effective innings.

With pitchers ever more reliant on the bullpen now (since managers almost never let starting pitchers go the distance), the starters should not be penalized because a garbage middle reliever can not do his job.

Yankees Need Another Lefty Specialist in the Pen

Normally, I am of the mindset that a pitcher, any pitcher, should be able to get out both lefty and right handed hitters. Those that can not work both sides really shouldn’t be in the majors.

Tony LaRussa formally changed the major league mindset during his Oakland A’s managerial days when he instituted the lefty specialist, giving the ball to Rick Honeycutt almost every day to face just one batter (or so it seemed). A former All-Star starter for over ten seasons, Honeycutt never once equaled total innings pitched in a season to his amount of appearances made during his final eight major league seasons.  

The Yankees have appeared to have possibly overworked their only lefty reliever, Phil Coke. He could use some help, and they have a guy who should be promoted now to the majors.

Over the last two seasons, this LHP has produced a combined record of 14-1 W/L record and sparkling 1.92 ERA in AA and AAA. So far this season, lefties are hitting .169 against him. Right handed hitters aren’t faring much better, only hitting .202, but they do get on base much more.

This pitcher seems to pitch away from right handed hitters more, issuing 18 free passes this season (AAA) in only 37 innings.

He is the perfect one batter, lefty relief specialist but can go multiple innings if need be. He can spell Coke, the only current lefty reliever on the Yankee roster. Coke has made 55 appearances this season, near the top in the American League.

Who is this lefty artist toiling away down in AAA when he can help the Yankees down the stretch?

Damaso Marte you ask? Never. Don’t even get me started on that trade last season.*

*But while I’m up…. Ross Ohlendorf has 10 wins starting for the Pirates (yes, you read that correctly) and Daniel McCutchen is dominating AAA right now, but either could be in the Yankees rotation as the #5 starter. And Jose Tabata has hit well in every level of the Pirates organization.

Marte is a waste and Nady never really helped last year and will never again play for the Yankees after undergoing his SECOND Tommy John surgery. I never liked that trade at the beginning and it looks even worse now. Brian Cashman has performed some nice minor trades recently (Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston, Jr.), but that one last year just plain sucked.

Anyway, why the hell is Zachary Kroenke not in the Bronx right now? Or actually in Seattle where the Yanks are playing?

Kroenke was almost lost last off season in the Rule 5 draft, when the Florida Marlins selected him. At the time, the Marlins thought they had their lefty specialist for 2009. And why wouldn’t they think that? Kroenke was 7-0 in AA and AA last year and again pitched well against lefties.

Fortunately for the Yankees, Kroenke was terrible in the spring and was offered back. The Yankees gladly accepted.

Kroenke was a teammate of Joba’s at the University of Nebraska and since being a 2005 5th round pick, have moved slowly up the Yankee chain. He needs to be put on the 40 man this off season to protect him, or surely some team will draft him again–and keep him

His walk rates are very high against right handed batter, and while he has shown that he can go multiple innings (he has also started 2 games this year), his role on the big club would be solely as a lefty specialist–at least at the beginning. I also want to point out that the Yankees organization trains most of their relievers to go multiple innings.

Let’s say that Joba or Mitre has thrown a ton of pitches into the 6th inning (not improbable!), and a lefty comes up with two outs. This is the perfect spot for a guy like Kroenke to ease him into the fray during less strenuous situations.

His presence would spell Coke for more important lefties and situations late in the game.

The Yankees should drop a guy off the 40 man now, someone they will never, ever need or use like Kevin Cash or Andrew Brackman. Or they can keep those winners and 60 day Chien-Ming Wang or Xavier Nady.

Just get Kroenke to the Bronx before Coke’s arm falls off.