Can it Be Jepsen AND Fuentes?

by Rev Halofan on Sep 18, 2009 4:01 PM PDT in News Comment 20 comments

Los Angeles Angels closer Brian Fuentes, left, celebrates with Howie Kendrick after the Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. Fuentes got the save, and Kendrick drove in the go-ahead run. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

4 months ago: Los Angeles Angels closer Brian Fuentes, left, celebrates with Howie Kendrick after the Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. Fuentes got the save, and Kendrick drove in the go-ahead run. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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With all the talk about thinking outside the box when it comes to relief pitching roles, why not think way beyond the box as well and consider keeping pitchers in the game by slotting them in defensively negligent positions for a batter or two?

Would Mike Scioscia I just posted a comment on Rob McMillin's blog about a distant memory I had and if you are a retrosheet whiz perhaps you can find the game in question.

Without recalling the specifics of the situation, I recall Tommy Lasorda bringing in a reliever to face a batter late in a game. I do not recall the specific matchup, but let's say he brought in a LHP to face a Lafty batter. Instead of taking out the RHP, though, he took out the Left Fielder (again, the precise details of this memory may be incorrect, but the overall details occurred and are well within a manager's right to do) and moved the RHP to LF. After the LHP got the batter out, he moved the LHP to RF, the RFer to LF and allowed the RHP to continue pitching. I don't recall if it was the 9th inning, but the outfielding pitcher could of course switch positions once again until he was replaced by an adequate fielder once the manager was happy with pitching matchups ahead in the lineup.

This method would work seamlessly under the National League rules, but late in a game with the lead forfeiting the DH for the best possible pitcher withot definitively using a bullet MUST be soemthing that Mike Scioscia can at least investigate.

So last night is perfect example. Kevin Jepsen could have been removed from the mound, sent to LF and waited for Brian Fuentes to dispatch of David Ortiz and then move back to the mound with Fuentes going to RF and Gary Matthews Jr. or Reggie Willits moving to LF. IF Scioscia was pleased enough to think that Jepsen could handle any possible Red Stocking Pinch Hitter, he could have brought in a defensive replacement for his pitcher in the outfield.

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Let's see..

Plenty of OF in the dugout, Rivera/Abreu can switch off as necessary, hmmm.

by LittleCupcakes on Sep 18, 2009 4:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Playoff Race....

Too Risky!

by Kluless on Sep 18, 2009 4:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I love clever. Count me in.

(The post is edit worthy. Especially the title.)

The worst thing is the day you realize you want to win more than the players do. - Gene Mauch

by Stirrups on Sep 18, 2009 4:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for fixing your title. It was kind of embarrassing.

(The body still needs some polishing.)

The worst thing is the day you realize you want to win more than the players do. - Gene Mauch

by Stirrups on Sep 19, 2009 1:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd use Jepsen for the 9th and only the 9th

The Soth can mix-and-match Fuentes, Bulger, Oliver and Palmer to take care of the 7th and 8th.

by Fan Since 1981 on Sep 18, 2009 4:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Lou PInella did that.

Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch

by red floyd on Sep 18, 2009 4:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And I think it was this July.

Talking about the pitcher => Left Field.

Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch

by red floyd on Sep 18, 2009 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

80s Mets

used to do this a lot, I think with Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell but I could be wrong about the players. Maybe John Franco was involved, but I remember that this used to happen.

I would do it not because of matchups, but because we could go back to Jepsen if Fuentes lost control. The problem with using Jepsen as the setup man and then taking him out of the game is that you can’t put him back in. I suppose this is less of a problem in the postseason though because we probably will have Ervin in the bullpen.

by Brody on Sep 18, 2009 4:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Man, thats som wacky shit...

but I love it. And would be perfect with our deeper than a well outfield platoon.

Do it for Nick '09

by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on Sep 18, 2009 4:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

juggling the ninth

A recurring concern in the era of specialized relievers is that odd instance in which a pitcher, albeit a reliever, needs to see a few live batters before he can "buckle down." The archetypal reliever is allegedly cut from grittier cloth than a starter, who enjoys a longer leash, and so entrusted with the benefit of the doubt with one at-bat potentially signifying the game. I often wonder whether diversifying the relief ensemble in the late innings sometimes heightens the risk of a pitching poor performance making an appearance.

by Seraph on Sep 18, 2009 5:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I have always wondered

why they don’t do this more often. Can a pitcher get a win and a save? Say Jepsen comes in the 8th inning in a tie game, the Angels go up by a run in the bottom of the 8th. Jepsen comes out and starts the 9th inning for a batter. He is taken out and put in right field for a batter as Fuentes gets out the lefty. They bring Jepsen back in and he gets the final out, does he get the win and save?

by AngelKeith on Sep 18, 2009 5:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

A pitcher that is awarded the save....

cannot be the winning pitcher according to rule 10.19 for baseball. At best, Jepsen would get the win and Fuentes is awarded a “hold”. No save would be awarded for the game.

Beat the Angels if you can... Survive if they let you.

by blast21dave on Sep 18, 2009 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Love it

Creative thinking is a wonderful thing.

First we had a Salmon and now we have a Trout, let's see the same results.

by angelskid2210 on Sep 18, 2009 7:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

FINALLY found it

I remembered it at first as Valenzuela, but Fernando never pitched! August 17, 1982, a 21-inning marathon; Bob Welch played left field in the 21st replacing Valenzuela, and Welch swapped with Dusty Baker. A crazy game.

Witty .sig goes here.

by scareduck on Sep 18, 2009 9:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

On second thought

maybe you’re thinking of this October 1, 1991 game with Roger McDowell entering the game in the eighth with one out, replacing Bob Ojeda. In the ninth, he moved to left with John Candelaria coming in to face Fred McGriff. McGriff struck out, McDowell returned to the mound, and retired the next two batters in order to finish the game. And yes, McDowell got the save!

Witty .sig goes here.

by scareduck on Sep 18, 2009 9:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love this line.

Fernando Valenzuela moves from RF to LF; Dusty Baker moves from LF to RF

Let's do this for Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart, and Henry Pearson.

by AlanFalcon on Sep 24, 2009 5:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And it's J-e-p-s-e-n

Witty .sig goes here.

by scareduck on Sep 18, 2009 9:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

not a bad idea in the NL—cant do it in the AL—-the dh prohibits this-sorry——the DH needs to be in both leagues period—-the oitcher would have to bat in the AL for this to happen——Dh in both leagues now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

by spc7@verizon.net on Sep 19, 2009 7:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Crap. Yep. You're correct.

“Once the game pitcher is switched from the mound to a defensive position this move shall terminate the DH role for the remainder of the game.”

The worst thing is the day you realize you want to win more than the players do. - Gene Mauch

by Stirrups on Sep 19, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

trades

Angels need to dump Mathews— Cubs-Braves? each have middle relivers available and could use Mathews-Angels trade for young players and pay them $ 500k and pay most of mathews salary like 7 million cubs and braves would pay 3 miilion and they would do it!Angels dont need the distraction

by spc7@verizon.net on Sep 19, 2009 7:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs