Atlanta Braves bullpen angst heading to the finish line
By Fred Owens
The Atlanta Braves swept the Marlins despite a bullpen collapse in the ninth inning that exposed the weak links in the bullpen.
The most obvious issue last night was how badly the Atlanta Braves mop-up man Josh Tomlin performed. Entering the game with a nine-run lead, he faced seven batters, recorded two outs, and left two men on base that came in to score when Will Smith gave up a home run.
Tomlin walked off the field with his head down as he should have. I’ll get to Smith in a minute, but my question now is, why is Josh Tomlin still on the active roster? I understand he’s a knowledgeable pitcher and, by all accounts, a great guy; I’d like to talk baseball with him over a beer. However, I don’t want to see him come into another game from the Braves bullpen.
Tomlin’s getting slack from Atlanta Braves’ leadership that other pitchers haven’t received because he’s a veteran. If the Braves were out of the chase it wouldn’t matter, but they aren’t and it does.
A little history from early in the season. Tomlin started the season with 4 1/3 innings scoreless innings in four games. In his next 16 games, he threw 23 1/3 innings and allowed 16 runs for a 6.17 ERA.
In Sean Newcomb’s first 16 games he threw 14 1/3 innings and allowed eight runs for a 5.02 ERA.
Over Tomlin’s next ten games he threw 12 1/3 innings and gave up nine runs for a 6.57 ERA.
In Sean Newcomb’s first 10 games he threw 11 innings and allowed eight runs for a 6.57 ERA. Not having the benefit of 4 clean innings, Newcomb was sent to Gwinnett.
In eight games this season, Jesse Biddle allowed 10 runs and 10 1/3 innings for an 8.44 ERA.
In Josh Tomlin’s last nine games, he’s thrown 12 2/3 innings, and allowed 14 runs for a 9.95 ERA.
If not for his first four shutout innings, Tomlin would have a 7.53 ERA.
The Atlanta Braves DFA’d Shane Greene after 17 innings and a 6.76 ERA.
Since July 5, Tomlin’s allowed 19 runs in 13 2/3 IP for a 12.51 ERA.
Since going back to Gwinnett, Newcomb’s thrown six innings, and struck out eight without a walk while giving up one run.
Lefty Dylan Lee’s thrown 36 2/3 innings for the Stripers, struck out 36, walked five, and pitched to a 1.72 ERA, 0.764 WHIP and recorded one save.
Lee and Newcomb are still at Gwinnett, and Tomlin is still holding a roster spot a useful pitcher could fill.