Blog : Spring Training Preview: Part III - The Bullpen

Coming off a season where they ranked 10th in the league in bullpen ERA, the Pirates relieving group will see some major changes in 2013. Of the top four pitchers on the staff in relief innings, only Jared Hughes returns. The biggest subtraction obviously will be Joel Hanrahan who had been the team's closer for 2+ years.
The Closer:
Jason Grilli (R) - Grilli steps in as the team's new closer at a bargain price as he signed a 2 year $6.75 million deal while Hanrahan was still on the team and didn't have any incentives put in based on games finished. Grilli comes off a monster year where he struck out 90 batters in only 58.2 innings. Grilli has really only had two successful full seasons in the majors, one in 2012 and one in 2008. He did show the same often dominating stuff in the second half of 2011, though. Several questions linger here, however. Beyond whether he can keep up his performance, there's always the issue of whether a guy can close. There is also a question about Grilli's durability. In 2012 Hurdle seemed hesitant to use Grilli too many back to back days. It will be interesting to watch it play out.
The Late Inning Guys:
Jared Hughes (R) - Hughes had a bit of a surprise season in 2012 as he led Pirates relievers in innings pitched while sporting a 2.85 ERA for the season. He relies primarily on the ground ball as he doesn't have overpowering stuff that he can throw right by you. Plenty of relievers have had seasons like this and fallen off completely, while a select few have been able to keep it up. How Hughes fares in 2013 will go a long way in determining the quality of this bullpen.
Tony Watson (L) - Watson really stepped up in 2012 as he developed into a guy who can completely shut down lefties (.554 OPS against) while not being a liability against right handers (.691 OPS against). More of the same in 2013 would be very welcome for the Pirates.
Mark Melancon (R) - Melancon had a disastrous start to the season for the Red Sox in 2012 and found himself back in the minor leagues. When he made his return he had his ups and downs, but primarily ups. In 2011 he saved 20 games and posted a 2.78 ERA for the Astros. A return to the comfort of the NL Central could help Melancon regain his confidence and develop into a very strong late inning option again. It's also worth noting that his strikeout rate actually increased and his walk rate decreased in the AL East in 2012. There is potential for big things here.
Battle for the Middle:
Bryan Morris (R) – Morris got off to a fantastic start at AAA last year as he spent his first year as a full time reliever. For some reason the Pirates preferred using a host of random pitchers over Morris on the major league side (including Chad Qualls) and he ended up struggling a bit around this same time. He finally got to come up for real at the end of the season and pitched fairly well over a few innings. Morris is out of options so this is a make or break spring for him. The fastball and slider combo looks like it could translate into a great relief package, but he still isn’t quite a finished product.
Chris Leroux (R) – Leroux is also out of options. He tried his hand at starting in AAA last year with some decent results, but has always looked like a guy whose future was in the pen. He had some MLB success in 2011, but has struggled every other time he’s been called up, including a brief stint in 2012.
Jeanmar Gomez (R) – Gomez is an option as a long man who you can also bring in when you need a ground ball. The Pirates had some early success with Mike Crotta in that type of role a couple years back before he completely exploded. Gomez doesn’t have anything close to the stuff of the guys previously listed here.
Justin Wilson (L) – Wilson’s story is one that has been told hundreds of times. Lefty with great stuff who can’t keep it in the zone. That has likely ruined his starting career, but he still has the potential to dominate out of the bullpen. If he can harness it just a bit over short bursts Wilson can be a dominant reliever from the left side.
Andy Oliver (L) – Oliver had just reached the point where the Tigers had given up on his future as a starter when he was traded to the Pirates. Does this mean the Pirates want to give him one more shot in the rotation? Maybe. But there is a good chance Oliver ultimately winds up in the bullpen. He could be used in long spots to start out before settling in as a guy with late inning stuff.
Vin Mazzaro (R) – The Pirates slipped Mazzaro through waivers after picking him up from the Royals this offseason. Mazzaro has bounced between the rotation and a swing role the last few years. Again the stuff isn’t great, but there’s still some hope Mazzaro turns his career around and can be a solid long man (or even 5th starter).
Mike Zagurski (L) – Another lefty who has struggled to keep it in the zone, and has struggled mightily against right handed hitters over his career. Zagurski is another option if the Pirates look to go with two lefties in the pen.
Jonathan Sanchez (L) – Although he’s mostly started in the majors, Sanchez has the potential to turn into a great left handed reliever. He’ll really have to bounce back a long way from last season’s disaster, but if Oliver Perez can have success in relief there’s no reason to think Sanchez doesn’t have a chance.
In the Wings:
Victor Black (R) – Black was taken in the supplemental round back in 2009. He struggled to stay on the field his first couple years, but showed flashes of dominance as he stayed healthy in 2012. He should start the year at AAA and has the potential to make a late impact this season.
Duke Welker (R) – Long held as a prime example of Littlefield’s terrible drafts, the 2007 second rounder busted badly as a starter, and somehow looked even worse when he was first moved to the pen. In Welker’s first year of full time relief in 2010 he walked more than a batter an inning. He continued to light up radar guns and got to hang around a little longer and some things started to click. He pitched okay enough at Bradenton in 2011 that he got a late call to AA. He posted very strong peripherals there and was a bit of a surprise addition to the 40 man that offseason. He came back and pitched very well at AA again in the first half of 2012 before struggling a bit at AAA. Welker looks like he should at least make the majors, with a chance that he really turns it on at some point. A far cry from where he was a few years ago.