We’ve been saying all along that the bullpen would not be able to withstand the workload they are getting and remain successful.  I kept saying that they would be fried by August, but the injuries to Lidge and Eyre, coupled with the fact that our starters still can’t give us even 6 innings consistently, have apparently accelerated the timetable of the breakdown.

Also, wanting to use specific guys——Condrey, Romero, Durbin in certain situations, which, by extension, means staying away from specific guys—–Park, Taschner, and now Walker as well——in those situations only serves to place even more strain on the pen.

The cracks are out in the open for all to see now.  If Romero can settle in and Lidge comes back healthy, that would obviously go a long way toward strengthening the pen.  Even with that, if the rotation doesn’t turn around, and soon, it will all be for naught, as it is highly unlikely that we can be a serious contender while using our bullpen 4 innings per game.

While we are waiting for our starting pitching needs to be addressed, doesn’t it make sense to add another reliever to the roster?  We really need the help and carrying Bako is ridiculous, IMO.  Might as well use that spot on a position of serious need and where we could actually get a real benefit for the club.

“I’ve been thinking about that for 2 or 3 days if you want to know the truth,”……..”But at the same time, I think that with the way things are, we are kind of beat up, and we have guys out, and we come back in the game like we did today, and where we are at with the injuries and working people and things like that, I don’t know if that’s the right time to go in there and start screaming and hollering and cussing and throwing things.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m headed that way, I guess. But I ain’t quite there yet. Maybe somebody ought to push me into it.”
Somebody should definitely push him into it because it needs to be done now.  I can understand what he’s talking about with the injuries and having other guys filling in.  However, it was Utley and Rollins who fell asleep on Scutaro which lead to a gift run and Feliz is the one who made another late-inning error which lead to two gift runs.  None of these guys are young or inexperienced.  They gave away 3 runs in a 1-run loss.  No need to take it easy on them.
Mayberry is another story, but it seems to me that now, immediately after he made a mental mistake, is really the best time to get on him/correct him/hold him accountable.  I mean, what is Charlie going to do, wait a while and then say, “Hey, John, remember two weeks ago when you were lazy going after a ball and Rolen took second on you?  That wasn’t a good play.  You’ve got to keep your head in the game.”  I’m sure that somebody said something to Mayberry about it, though.
We are sliding badly and the blame cannot be placed entirely on our injuries or the guys who are filling in.  Our regular, everyday, core players have shown an alarming lack of focus lately, more than just the occasional lapse, and it is costing us games, as in several.  This needs to stop right now because the damage is adding up quickly.
 
 

OK, I promise I’m done now.  Just got lathered up about the whole thing.