Closer to the Edge

Many encouraging things could be said about last night’s game. Wade Miller somewhat kept us in the game, despite not having his best stuff. The bats adjusted to a cruising Cliff Lee, and eventually put runs on the board. We were even able to rally a lead off of the Indians’ normally lights-out bullpen, giving us what should have been enough push to begin our next winning streak.

Now, the bad news about last night’s game. We lost. And something is very, very wrong with Keith Foulke. It’s surprising to be reminded that Foulke has blown only 3 saves thus far, since it has felt like walking on eggshells watching him pitch during the entire 2005 season. With every bad outing comes a new excuse – not enough consistent work, still working on mechanics, problems at home, problems locating the changeup. It’s no longer the time to be making adjustments. This is July and we’re just barely leading a hot pennant race. We cannot be blowing 3-run leads in the 9th inning.

You heard it here first, folks, Keith Foulke is injured. You don’t just lose visible fastball velocity for no reason. The man has avoided questions about possibly injury so well that you’d swear he took lessons from Johnny Cochran. Fans would all be willing to chip in to buy him a fleet of new trucks if he could just show us that 88 mph fastball and devastating changeup that carried us to last year’s world championship. Even worse, the Fenway Faithful are beginning to turn on him, and his recent inflammatory comments have only made a bad situation worse.

I’m sure Theo would consider a trade. Foulke himself has said that he could see himself being traded this year. But something tells me there’s little market for relievers with a $14 million contract, a batting practice fastball, and a bad attitude. Don’t get me wrong, I will always respect Keith Foulke for his heroics in the ’04 postseason, but this is not the time to keep “running him out there,” as Terry Francona would say. Call me crazy, but this “Johnny from Burger King” sees the need for a major bullpen adjustment.

Foulke needs to go on the disabled list and figure out whatever health/mechanical/personal trouble is preventing him from pitching up to his potential. If there is, in fact, no injury, he must be given lower leverage innings until he regains his fastball, proper mechanics, and confidence. A similar stint for Embree would also be ideal. One or two pitchers from the minors must be called up until a trade becomes viable. Arroyo must be moved to the bullpen as soon as Schilling can reclaim his spot in the rotation, and Francona must not be afraid to use Arroyo in multiple types of situations.

The “closer” situation is a tricky one, as Mantei’s control has been suspect all year and Timlin excels in his current role. I hate to advocate the dreaded “Closer By Committee”, but the gravity of the situation would probably merit it. We must see if Mantei can shake his control problems, if Arroyo can replace Timlin’s middle relief innings, and if Timlin can close. We also need to audition one or two minor leaguers, in hopes that they don’t implode like the infamous “Cla Meredith Project.”

Your thoughts?

At some point, I’ll do a writeup on possible bullpen arms, names such as: Mota, Linebrink, Rhodes, Affeldt, Farnsworth. That’s all for now.