News: Manuel looking to Shake Up Bullpen
Prior to tonight’s game, Jerry Manuel told reporters he may consider moving John Maine, Oliver Perez or Mike Pelfrey in to the bullpen – even after Billy Wagner returns from the disabled list next Monday.
In a post to his blog for the New York Post, Bart Hubbuch writes, “Maine, Perez and Pelfrey all told reporters today they would be OK with a move to the bullpen.”
According to Manuel, the team’s biggest problem right now is finding a pitcher to ‘finish the game.’
…he’s right, in effect, because, by finding a ‘closer,’ it would allow pitchers like Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano and Scott Schoeneweis, to return to going match-up by match-up, which is what they do best…
Manuel also told reporters that Eddie Kunz will likely serve as the team’s closer tonight, as Aaron Heilman is unavailable.
In a recent update on WFAN, Ed Coleman speculated that Jon Niese could be promoted from Triple-A New Orleans to replace whomever is taken from the rotation and put in the bullpen.
…i wonder how serious jerry is about all of this – or, is he’s simply trying to light a fire beneath the entire pitching staff by making maine, pelfrey and perez freak out a bit so that they put pressure – between teammates - on the bullpen…or, maybe he’s serious…
…either way, he’s thinking outside of the box, as opposed to simply ‘going with his guys,’ as some one used to say…
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