White Sox answer last year's bullpen criticism
Last month at SoxFest, one of the most interesting panel discussions focused on the 2014 bullpen.
Robin Ventura frequently was criticized for the way he used his relief pitchers, but general manager Rick Hahn came to his manager's defense at the White Sox' annual winter gathering.
When the Sox all but dropped out of contention after losing 11 of 13 games in June last season, Hahn gave Ventura the OK to put unproven relievers in stressful situations for evaluational purposes.
Some, such as Jake Petricka (2.96 ERA, 14 saves) and Zach Putnam (1.98 ERA), came through in good shape. Others, such as Ronald Belisario (5.56 ERA) and Maikel Cleto (4.60), did not.
When the season ended and the White Sox were first among American League bullpens with 236 walks (in 471 innings) and 14th with a 4.38 ERA, Hahn knew big changes needed to be made.
"I think whenever you look at a bullpen and, given how erratic and how limited performances can be, it's important to have quality options and a great deal of depth," Hahn said. "I think we've gotten ourselves in position where we have those quality options."
Adding three established relief pitchers - David Robertson, Zach Duke and Dan Jennings - instantly improved the bullpen. Still, questions remain as White Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training Friday in Glendale, Arizona.
Can Robertson close?
From 2011-13, the 29-year-old reliever was Mariano Rivera's primary setup man in New York, and he tied for the major-league lead with 97 holds over that stretch.
When Rivera retired, Robertson took over as the Yankees' closer last season and got the job done, ranking third in the AL with 39 saves and fifth with 96 strikeouts (in 64⅓ innings).
Desperate for a reliable arm in the ninth inning after blowing 21 saves as a team in 2014, the Sox made a major investment in Robertson, who signed a four-year, $46 million contract. The right-hander is not lacking confidence.
"When you've got an anchor like that in the bullpen, it's a lot of help," Robertson said. "It gives a little guidance for the younger guys, people who may not have as much experience.
"For me, I'm going to try to be as approachable as I can. I haven't played this game for a long time, but I've been in a lot of pressure situations. I'm hoping I can be that anchor and that guys can get the job done in front of me and I can get it done at the end."
Who sets up Robertson?
Duke is another expensive newcomer, and after signing a three-year, $15 million contract, look for the left-hander to be Robertson's main bridge.
With the Milwaukee Brewers last season, Duke appeared in a career-high 74 games and was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 12 holds.
"He dropped his arm slot a little bit, changed his pitch mix a little bit, used a cutter a little more frequently, as well as his slider and curveball, than in years past," Hahn said of Duke's performance last season.
"As a result, you saw a tremendous spike in his strikeout rate, his groundball rate, his effectiveness to get both lefties and righties. He obviously had a sensational season last year."
Is Jesse Crain back?
Time will tell.
When last seen on a major-league mound, Crain was pitching for the White Sox in 2013, he had a minuscule 0.74 ERA and he was named to the AL all-star team.
Crain went down with a shoulder injury in late June of '13 and hasn't pitched since. He signed a minor-league contract with the Sox in late January and is heading to spring training. If healthy, Crain would be a huge boost.
"This is one where we know what we get if he's healthy," Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said of Crain. "So it's our job now to get him right, get him healthy."
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