Eenie meenie miney mo, pick any reliever and they're going to blow.
Following Juan Rivera's first two appearances in May, that seems to be the saying that Sheens manager Jonathan Campbell is following. Rivera went 0.2 innings allowing two runs on two hits in a May 2 outing that resulted in a blown save at Kalamazoo, which resulted in a Sheens loss. The following day Rivera went 0.1 innings and gave up a run on two hits, yet the Sheens managed to eek out a 5-3 win against Kalamazoo.
Following that May 2 loss to the RwC, pitching coach Juan Padilla had seen enough of the veteran righty in the closer role and recommended that Campbell avoid Rivera taking the mound with the game on the line. Campbell didn’t name a new closer, rather telling the media that Alexis Villegas and Irwin Conway would both get opportunities.
The Sheens have gone 6-19 in May, and plans for a second BSA championship parade are being put off for yet another year. The Sheens bullpen has stood out for its ineptness, recording a 5.48 ERA while permitting batters to put up a .293 avg with a .367 OBP. Sheens relievers have allowed 155 hits and 57 walks while striking out just 81 hitters in 133 innings. (For some perspective, Austin has allowed 158 hits, but have done so in 147.1 innings but with a .277 opp avg and a 4.76 ERA).
The Sheens hope Rivera's struggles are just the effects of a long season and a tired arm, so they have given Villegas and Conway more save opportunities while limiting Rivera's appearances and to prevent him from appearing in back to back games. While the Sheens rarely have the lead in late innings, Conway has still managed to record three saves, but has shown hints of cracking under pressure this month and already recorded a blown save. He's allowed runs in four of his six appearances in May and his ERA has gone from 4.15 entering May to 4.91 as of May 25.
Villegas, meanwhile, has flourished in the closer role. His ERA was 7.71 entering May and after seven appearances this month seen that number drop to 3.86. He's not allowed a run in May and only surrendered four hits and a walk in 5.2 innings pitched, while recording two saves.
St. Charles reporters think Rivera needs to reset mentally to be effective in the bullpen, and that his closer experience should be over. The Sheens are not giving up on him as a starter at this point, and like Conway, economy of pitches is not his strong suit. Rivera is still effectively keeping his sinker and curveball down, allowing two home runs in 21 appearances (16 innings pitched). But in 2026 he allowed just six home runs in 74.2 innings pitched, so Padilla knows Rivera can do better.
It’s closer by committee for St. Charles right now. Padilla wants to see Conway stop throwing so many fastballs and go back to using his sinker more often. Conway also prepared to turn to Jeff Lynn and even veteran starter-turned-reliever Joe O'Sullivan in an emergency situation. In classic sports terms, it’s day to day.
No comments:
Post a Comment