Closing In On Colome
May 31st, 2016
Heeee’s baaaack.
Brad Boxberger was activated from the disabled list yesterday, the news acting as one of the few bright spots in another kick-to-the-nads loss at Kauffman Stadium.
To no surprise, manager Kevin Cash will handle Boxberger with care as the reliever returns from adductor surgery. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times was there to collect the details:
Manager Kevin Cash made it clear before Monday’s game that it was merely a matter of when, and not if, Boxberger reclaims his closer’s job from Alex Colome, who did quite well in his absence.
The only hesitation is Cash’s “perfect world” plan to find a “soft landing” for Boxberger to make his season debut, having been sidelined since March 17 core muscle repair surgery. Had the Rays not tied the score, he would have worked the eighth Monday.
“I think it’s fair to say we would probably work Boxy back into the closer’s role than stick him right into it,” Cash said.
Joe thinks this is a smart move. Colome, who’s 12-for-12 on save opportunities, is capable of holding down the fort until Boxberger is comfortable taking over the ninth inning. This conversation was irrelevant Monday, of course, after the Royals’ four-run eighth propelled the defending World Series champs to a 6-2 win at a ballpark that has become a familiar house of horrors for the Rays.
Still, Colome has allowed Tampa Bay the chance to re-introduce Boxberger to his hot-spotlight role in an effective way. Now it’s up to others to make sure save opportunities happen.
Your 2016 bullpen stats:
| Player | W | L | ERA▲ | G | GS | SV | SVO | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | AVG | WHIP |
| Colome | 1 | 1 | 1.23 | 20 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 22.0 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 29 | .171 | 0.77 |
| Marinez | 0 | 0 | 2.45 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .154 | 0.55 |
| Cedeno | 2 | 1 | 3.21 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14.0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 16 | .189 | 1.14 |
| Ramirez | 6 | 3 | 3.29 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38.1 | 32 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 28 | .230 | 0.99 |
| Webb | 0 | 0 | 3.31 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.1 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 10 | .338 | 1.53 |
| Farquhar | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | .304 | 1.69 |
| Sturdevant | 0 | 1 | 4.50 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .375 | 1.50 |
| Romero, | 1 | 0 | 4.58 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17.2 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 14 | .215 | 1.25 |
| Geltz | 0 | 2 | 6.06 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16.1 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 12 | .226 | 1.22 |
| Eveland | 0 | 1 | 7.43 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.1 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 15 | .278 | 1.88 |
| Garton | 0 | 0 | 10.13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 2.63 |
May 31st, 2016 at 7:23 pm
Desmond Jennings was lazy playing a single into a double, which eventually scored. Hank Conger (former 1st round draft pick) tried to throw a man out stealing third and threw so poorly, that Longoria didn’t even bother trying to catch the ball. Another run scores. What is the reason that these 2 clowns are on their major league roster ? Anyone’s major league roster. I can see it now, Tarnished Silverman and Kevin Cash-less talking to each other on getting Conger (who was 1 for 43 in throwing out runners) before anyone else grabbed him. There must have been laughter throughout the league.
Desmond Jennings – Haven’t we seen enough of him ? Can’t hit, can’t steal a base. and has a noodle for an arm. He needs to go. NOW! It’s one thing if these guys could hit to help the team out, but Conger’s hitting .182 and Jennings is hitting .168. They are looking pretty clueless as well as the front office.
May 31st, 2016 at 7:35 pm
Colome, who is 12 for 12 in save opportunities with a era of 1.23, along with 29 strikeouts versus 4 walks and you want to take him out of the closer’s role ? This is why this team is heading south. Idiotic decisions like this. This team had so much promise at the end of last year and now, there is no hope. Only dispair.