Few things can undo an otherwise-solid relief pitcher quite like a strong platoon split. The ability to set down opposing hitters regardless of handedness will separate the middle relievers and closers from the LOOGYs (and ROOGYs). Of the many relief pitchers that currently don the Brewer blue, Michael Blazek stands out as arguably the most indiscriminate, […]
Tag: Michael Blazek
Putting Jungmann And Blazek Into Historical Context
It seems as though every year pitchers with little expectations get promoted and immediately find significant success. Last year, we saw Jacob deGrom and Matt Shoemaker climb into the spotlight. This year, to a lesser extent, there’s Taylor Jungmann. TAYLOR JUNGMANN Jungmann was picked twelfth overall in the first round of the 2011 draft. Yet, throughout […]
Michael Blazek: Effectively Wild or Lucky?
One of the few highlights in a dismal season for the Brewers has been its bullpen. Within that bullpen, one of the brighter spots and bigger surprises has been right-hander Michael Blazek. He was the last man added to the bullpen winning the spot out of Spring Training. I won’t lie, either. I thought it […]
Game One-Hundred Three Recap: Cubs 4, Brewers 2
TOP PLAY (WPA) Having already thrown 19 pitches in the top of the 3rd inning on Saturday, Matt Garza served up a fastball at the top of the zone to Anthony Rizzo, who promptly deposited it in the right field seats (+.298 WPA). The inning started pretty easily for Garza, who seemed to be settling into […]
The Poetic Injustice of a Bad Season but Good Bullpen
Nothing seems more unfortunate than a great bullpen on an otherwise bad team. After all, relievers are employed to lock down a game in which their team has the lead. When a team is having trouble getting the lead though, the assets in their bullpen are, to some extent, wasted. And a wasted pitching asset, […]
Michael Blazek’s Balanced, Killer Arsenal
Like his relief compatriots Francisco Rodriguez and Will Smith (each of whom BP Milwaukee has covered previously), Michael Blazek has shined this season with a sub-two ERA and peripherals to match. Unlike the other two, though, Blazek hadn’t accomplished much prior to 2015, and because of that, he perhaps hasn’t received much time in the spotlight. […]
Brewers Doom and Gloom
I self-identify as a glass half-full type of person. I like to think I’m an optimist in any given scenario. To me, a bad season of baseball is better than no baseball at all. Or watching mixed martial arts. And, despite what other people may tell you, two bad baseball teams playing against each other can […]
Overtaxing The Brewers’ Bullpen
On Monday’s game versus the Phillies, the Brewers found themselves in an all-too-familiar situation. Their starter, Jimmy Nelson, wasn’t pitching well, giving up a pair of runs in the first and second innings, which put the Brewers in an early 4-1 deficit. Nelson settled down, but he only managed to go five innings. The Brewers bullpen had to come […]