Braves search for stability in patchwork bullpen

By The Associated Press

Posted 12:00PM on Saturday 10th June 2006 ( 17 years ago )

Chris Hammonds. Greg McMichael. Alejandro Pena. Juan Berenguer.Atlanta Braves general manager John Schuerholz proudly recites the names as evidence of the success he and his scouting department have had in turning reclamation projects into successful relievers, some as closers, in the last 15 years.Tyler Yates. Chad Paronto. Peter Moylan. Travis Smith.Many of this year's reclamation projects look more like retreads. Schuerholz and his staff have found little more than bloated earned run averages that have helped bring down a bullpen also burdened by Chris Reitsma's inability to close games.The numbers confirm what booing Atlanta fans already know: The Braves have one of the worst bullpens in baseball. The relievers don't deserve all the blame for the team's drop below .500, but if the Braves are to extend their 14-season run of division titles, help must be found.The bullpen ranks 15th in the NL with an ERA around 5.00 and last in opponents' on-base percentage.Atlanta has 14 saves and 11 blown saves, a very unhealthy ratio.The Braves have no established closer or set-up man. Journeyman Ken Ray has provided some hope with his three recent saves, but he is a rare pleasant surprise in a bullpen that also is leaning heavily on 40-year-old Mike Remlinger.Macay McBride is the only one true product of the Braves' farm system in the bullpen."I just know you look up and it's different than last year, but bullpens are like that usually," McBride said of the heavy turnover in relievers.Ray, a 31-year-old right-hander who before this year last pitched in the major leagues in 1999 with Kansas City, probably will continue to receive save opportunities as long as he has success. Paronto has no wins or saves, but he also has earned a longer look, unlike the other reclamation projects:_ Moylan, 27, was signed by the Braves in spring training after pitching for his native Australia in the World Baseball Classic. After seven appearances, Moylan and his 9.53 ERA were sent to Triple-A Richmond._ Smith, 33, was 2-3 with a 6.20 ERA with Atlanta in 2004, and he had a 6.75 ERA with Florida last season. That didn't stop the Braves for bringing him back. He was 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA when he was placed on waivers and opted for free agency._ Yates, 28, was signed to a minor league contract on May 3. He was 2-4 with a 6.36 ERA with the New York Mets in 2004 and missed the 2005 season following rotator cuff surgery. Through four appearances with Atlanta, he had an ugly 8.10 ERA.The team was hurt by the loss of Blaine Boyer, a promising rookie in 2005 who had shoulder surgery in April but could return in the second half of the season.The team's top relief prospect, Joey Devine, was quickly shipped to Richmond after giving up seven runs on five hits in two appearances in early April. He then learned of a lower back problem that has caused him to spend almost two months at extended spring training in Orlando.It is not known when Devine will be ready to pitch again.The bullpen blues have reached the point that former closer John Smoltz fielded questions from reporters this week about a possible return to the bullpen. No way, said Smoltz, who instead reminded the media of the patchwork composition of the relief corps."No one really wants to assess the situation, where we have a guy who was out of baseball for several years (Ray), a guy who was playing baseball in Australia (Moylan), you know what I'm saying?" Smoltz said. "These guys are going to be doing what they know. With the exception of Remlinger, what's our most veteran guy?"After Remlinger, the reliever with the most major league experience is Oscar Villarreal, who with Lance Cormier was acquired in the offseason from Arizona for catcher Johnny Estrada. Cormier was sent to Richmond on May 30 with a 6.10 ERA.Villarreal has blown each of his four save opportunities. He is 7-0 despite a 4.82 ERA.Smoltz hinted at the team's low-cost approach to building the bullpen. Reitsma is making $2.75 million this year, but Remlinger is the next-highest paid reliever at $700,000, followed by Villarreal at $462,000.As the highest-paid reliever, Reitsma also has been the biggest disappointment.Reitsma has blown four of 12 save opportunities and has a 7.62 ERA after giving up two runs in Thursday night's loss to Houston.The struggles point to Schuerholz looking elsewhere for help, as he did last year in acquiring Kyle Farnsworth. But many other clubs also are looking for relief help."We feel we're going to be able to do what is necessary to make our team as strong as it needs to be to battle for our division championship," Schuerholz said. "Whether it's through internal repairs or external repairs, we're going to do what we have to do."Veteran third baseman Chipper Jones says the relievers' struggles are hurting the starting pitchers."It's a little bit of a domino effect," Jones said. "Because of the early struggles of our bullpen, our starters are going out there trying to strike everybody out. That's why you see the high pitch counts."Jones also said the pitchers are throwing too many inside pitches instead of working the outside corner."You make a mistake on the inner half, you give up a home run," Jones said. "We've given up a lot of home runs this year on pitches, quite frankly, we shouldn't have thrown."Ray asked for patience with Reitsma and the bullpen."As far as I'm concerned Reitsma is still the guy and however I can help out and fill in for the ninth inning, I'm willing to do so," Ray said."We're going to be fine. We've got the arms down there definitely to do it. We just need to put it together as a group."

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