Relieve Me, Please

PA at the LoHud Blog has a post about Joe Girardi and his bullpen plans. According to Girardi, he’d like to inclue a lefty reliever and a long man in the pen. Jeff Karstens is probably a safe bet for a long man but Kei Igawa could be a sleeper. Karstens has the ability to stop runs and, although Igawa could excel in the role (his fastball could gain a jump in velocity), he may be prone to giving up a couple of home runs (he leaves the ball up too much), which, as a long man who’s (likely) working with an already overblown defecit, could put the nail in the coffin.

Igawa could be the lefty Joe is talking about, but you also have to wonder about the true value of a lefty reliever for the team. Is there really a point in bringing in a lefty to face David Ortiz in a big game (he has a career .839 OPS against them)? You probably want a guy who can throw to multiple batters, not just one big lefty (who will probably smoke the pitch over the bleachers). I’m not sure if that’s what Girardi wants or if he wants a specialist. It seems more likely that he would like a reliever who can throw against a bunch of guys. However, the only way Joe will retain a guy like that is if he can actually be effective (earn the spot), so it’s not guaranteed. Igawa could still be the guy they go to as a lefty option because he can strike some guys out, and pitch to multiple batters, especially if he keeps his walks/pitches down. Also, Igawa was a big financial investment, so I doubt they’ll let him rot in the minors.

There are other options, including Sean Henn (please God no), but Chase Wright (he’s a lefty) can also get a look in ST. I’ve already stated what I think he is capable of (as a reliever) as long as his confidence and his control is in check.