It may not be The equal of the MFY bullpen, or Cleveland 2016, but so far it’s been very good.
ASB as expected:
Kimbrel — awesome expected, awesome delivered. Missing spring training made no difference.
Johnson — cromulent as a long man, better than expected as an emergency starter thanks to Cora showing him a quick hook.
ASB pleasant surprises:
Barnes — still the occasional game where needless walks hurt, but has also delivered more strikeouts when he really needs them than last year. Wouldn’t say I’m zen when he comes in, but surely closer to it than I was in 2017.
Hembree — great job with runners on, can go more than an inning, always available.
Workman — throwing strikes, getting outs.t
Velazquez — overdelivered with his emergency starter effectiveness in April/May. His work as a long man of late doesn’t make me supremely confident the Sox can roll him out every 5th day in EdRo’s absence, but work to date is a plus.
Brasier — I’m excited. Much too excited.
ASB concerns:
Kelly — started out like a house afire, but July has been a tire fire. Entirely possible he just needs a week to regroup, but could be a regression.
Scott — hasn’t shown anything. I was cutting him a break when I thought he was Robbie Ross, but have figured that out now. Proof that a bad lefty is indeed worse than no lefty, but a LOOGY would be nice to limit opponents’ pinch hitting options.
Incomplete:
Thornburg — definitely too early to write him off, and his resume is sublime...but he didn’t come out of the gate great.
Cuevas, Walden, Poyner, Haley, Beeks — of these, Poyner would be my bet to throw the most effective innings this year. As the only LHP, he may need to.
ASB damn it:
Carson Smith: I’d call him a moron, but I’ve done similar dumb stuff myself. Oh yeah, but I AM a moron.
Wright: was just great while he was biding his time in the bullpen awaiting Pomeranz’s collapse...but he’s so fragile I’m not sure he can be relied upon. Would be a huge boost.