Five big 2020 Pirates questions: How does the bullpen come together? - TribLIVE

This week at “Breakfast With Benz,” we have isolated one major question surrounding the Pirates per day as they ramp up for the start of this delayed 2020 season.

So far we have looked at the lineup, the starting rotation, and the future of first-round draft choice Cole Tucker.

Thursday’s entry looks at the relief pitchers.

Thursday’s question: How will the Pirates stack the bullpen?

Thursday’s answer: Shhh! Don’t ask! If we don’t talk about it, maybe nothing else bad will happen.

Here’s how things went in the Pirates bullpen last year.

• Kyle Crick and All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez got into a fight last September. Crick injured a finger in the incident and needed a tendon surgically repaired.

• Also in September, Vazquez was arrested for solicitation of a child.

• Keone Kela had an altercation with performance coach Hector Morales and manager Clint Hurdle. Kela was suspended two games for it.

• Kela was suspended 10 games for throwing at Cincinnati Reds outfielder Derek Dietrich.

• Crick also had a confrontation with bullpen coach Euclides Rojas.

• Richard Rodriguez gave up nine home runs in his first 22 ⅓ innings pitched.

• The 376 runs allowed by the Pirates bullpen was the second-highest total of any National League team, trailing only the Colorado Rockies.

Aside from that, things were totally smooth.

Meanwhile, this offseason …

• Vazquez was hit with 21 more felony charges in November and another in May. Most of those related to child pornography, unlawful contact and child corruption.

• Kela has yet to pitch in the team’s rebooted spring training due to what some fear is infection from covid-19.

• Crick made public that he was tipping his pitches. He also suffered a terrible personal loss when his twin brother died after a fall while on vacation in Mexico last December.

• Edgar Santana is out for 80 games because of a performance-enhancing drug suspension he received in late June. The right-hander was one of the final seven players the Pirates optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis in late March.

So, again, totally smooth.

Let’s be honest, the Pirates may not be in position to be leading after seven or eight innings often this year. So when they are, it might be nice to actually close the deal.

Theoretically — with Vazquez gone — those duties should fall to Crick or Kela. But we haven’t seen Kela yet at PNC Park and very little of Crick.

General manager Ben Cherington had no update on Kela Wednesday, offering only this on the closing situation.

“We certainly expect that (Kela) is going to be an important part of the team this year,” Cherington said. “We’re excited about what we’re seeing from the pitchers who have been on the field, in the simulated games, and guys who have maybe taken a step forward since spring training. We are encouraged by the guys who have been out there pitching the innings.”

Recently, that has been Crick. He allowed a single, a walk and got two flyouts Wednesday. This after a spotty performance Sunday.

“He really took advantage of the time between March and now,” Cherington said of Crick. “He looks good physically. We’re excited. He’s a guy who can miss bats. He’s got good stuff. He wants to pitch towards the end of the game. We’re encouraged by how he looks.”

Keep in mind, though, between these two options, Kela had one save last year and Crick had none. So even if these two realize the potential in their arms, there is the hurdle of mastering the role of a closer.

Getting to that point could be an adventure as well. Rodriguez’s 2019 was a mystery. His propensity to allow the long ball was well chronicled, barfing up 14 in 65 innings. But, for as bad as he was early and then again in late August and part of September, he was spectacular in June and July. During those two months, he yielded just one run in 24 ⅔ innings pitched.

Beyond that you’re looking at Michael Feliz (3.99 ERA), whose 2019 was a slightly less erratic ride than Rodriguez’s (3.72 ERA). And a bunch of guys who manager Derek Shelton will pencil into a game with one hand while crossing his fingers with the other.

We’re talking about the likes of Nick Burdi, Chris Stratton, Clay Holmes, Dovydas Neverauskas. So nothing special, and a dearth of left-handed options, especially if Steven Brault and Derek Holland work as starters.

Sam Howard anyone? Nick Turley? Robbie Erlin?

You know, the more I ask questions, the less I want the answers.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

Categories: Pirates/MLB | Sports | Breakfast With Benz