Tag: Joe Smith
-
Jason Grilli lurking after several good outings
July 4, 2014 Pittsburgh Pirates – His first two appearances as a Pirate had gone relatively smoothly, but last night, Ernesto Frieri had one of his signature meltdowns, allowing five runs and five hits in just 0.1 innings. At this point, with the way Tony Watson is pitching this year, we don’t think Frieri would…
-
Joe Maddon rewards the chivalrous Grant Balfour
July 2, 2014 Tampa Bay Rays — Oh, Joe Maddon. No one was surprised to see him call on Jake McGee to face the Yankees’ 2-3-4 hitters in a one-run eighth. A few people were surprised when he summoned Grant Balfour to nail down the save with the same score in the ninth. But everyone was surprised when Maddon revealed his reasoning in…
-
Petricka picks up save, Jason Grilli and Ernesto Frieri traded
June 28, 2014 Chicago White Sox – Jake Petricka came on to get the last two outs of the 9th inning and preserve a White Sox win. After the game Robin Ventura said they don’t have a closer right now. He did mention that Petricka would be used in the later innings, but that this could…
-
Joe Smith tightening his grip on Angels’ closer gig
June 27, 2014 Los Angeles Angels – That Joe Smith is one shrewd sidearmer. After inheriting three of Ernesto Frieri’s baserunners with two out in a 5-run 9th inning last night, Smith cleverly allowed a double to the first hitter he faced, plating all three runs and raising Frieri’s ERA to 6.39. Then he looked…
-
Kevin Gregg? Kevin Gregg. And Twitter hates Brian Wilson’s beard
June 26, 2014 Miami Marlins — We can’t hide from this anymore. Kevin Gregg, fresh from coaching Little League, is relevant again in Miami. Wednesday night, he pitched a perfect eighth in a one-run game, an enormous, bespectacled bridge to Steve Cishek. His vast (if checkered) closing experience, combined with Mike Redmond’s obvious willingness to use him in big spots, will…