It's hard to believe Geoff Geary was optioned to the minors earlier this season. Today, the right-hander is the seventh most productive reliever in the National League, according to Hardball Times Win Shares.
Geary entered 2006 with a reputation for pitching well only in low-pressure spots, but in the past few weeks, the Phillies have successfully tested him in the later innings of close ballgames. He’s 4-0 with a 3.05 ERA in 38.1 IP, 9th most among NL relievers.
Next to Tom Gordon and possibly Rheal Cormier, the 29-year-old has been the Phillies most effective reliever. He had a career-best 13.2-inning scoreless streak earlier this year, in addition to an 11.2-inning scoreless streak halted Saturday night against the D-Rays.
This is all pretty remarkable considering he was optioned to Scranton earlier this season to make room for Cole Hamels. Geary was on the bubble to even make the team out of spring training, but thanks to injuries to Julio Santana and the ineffectiveness of pitchers like Ryan Franklin, Geary is sliding closer and closer to the set-up role. The seventh inning may already be his. He's got the stuff to earn it - he's one of the best groundball pitchers on the team.
Textbook example of your late-blooming, slow-rising relief pitcher found throughout baseball.
Geary has definitely improved this year, but I don't think he's a set-up type. I think Manuel has used him pretty well thus far, and he's responded. He's made the biggest contribution to the bullpen besides Gordon...yet I still don't have a whole lot of faith in him to pitch in late-inning, tight situations. He's become a solid sixth/seventh inning pitcher.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 03:10 PM
I would love to see Geary, Fultz and Cormier get a bigger role in this bullpen, to me, they are pitching pretty well, and they are being misused in these spot - situation roles that CM keeps depending on.
Posted by: Will | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 03:33 PM
I would put Geary as the 4th best reliever, behind Fultz and Rhodes. I know Rhodes ERA is high, but I think he's been incredibly unlucky. I hope Rhodes doesn't lose his spot as the setup man after last night.
Geary, Fultz, and Rhodes numbers:
Geary: 38.1IP / 3.65 FIP / 25K / 12BB / 0 HR
Fultz: 39 IP / 2.97 FIP / 40K / 10BB / 4 HR
Rhodes: 24.7 / 2.47 FIP / 30K / 16BB / 0 HR
All of them seem pretty good. They've all basically got at least 2:1 K/BB ratio and have been doing a great job keeping the ball in the park. Rhodes has brought his walk numbers down since the first month, he's only walked 8 since April.
Either way, if the 3 of them continue to pitch the way they have been, along with Gordon, the Phillies will have one of the best bullpens in baseball.
Posted by: Jeremy | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 03:44 PM
Rhodes... When they signed him I groaned and thought here is another guy that will come in and give up runs. I lived in NYC for a while and followed the Yankees and watched a lot of their games between 98 and 2003. They have ALWAYS killed Rhodes. It didn't matter who he pitched for...Seattle in particular jumps to mind. I was in a bar with a bunch of Yankee fans.. I think it was the 2000 ALCS... as soon as Seattle brought in Rhodes all of the Yankee fans knew they had a chance. Rhodes has never come through when the Real pressure is on... in fact last night the CBP was packed, mildly pressure filled situation and he blew the game. I am not a betting man but if I was I would bet a heap that we see him do this type of thing a bunch of times before the season is over. That is unless they continue to sink... and the games matter less. Franlin and Rhodes remind me a lot of Worrell. They just come in and give up runs plain and simple.
Posted by: john | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 04:11 PM
Rhodes has been an enormous disappointment this year. His shaky outings have outnumbered his solid ones be a considerable amount, and that's not what you want from a guy coming in the seven and eighth innings of close games. It appears to be yet another inadequate job of attempting to fill a void by Mr. Gillick. At the time of the trade, I thought Rhodes could get the job done. Now that he's proved to be insufficient, however, they just keep running him out there, results be damned, he's the best we've got, and we won't even try to look elsewhere for a solution. That's the part that gets me.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 04:54 PM
Gillick has my permission to throw away his Seattle book now. It was a lousy read.
Posted by: Tom Goodman | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 05:01 PM
While Rhodes ERA is disappointing, I completely disagree that he's been a disappointment.
He's blown 2 games this year, the one in Milwaukee a month ago and the one last night. The other 15 times he's came in with the lead he's held it. He has great strikeouts, no home runs and his walks have come down.
Even in the game last night, I don't think he pitched that poorly. Bell botched a ball, the double by Cabrera would be an out if it was hit just about anywhere else in the infield, and even Damon's triple might have been an out if Rowand doesn't play the shallowest center field of just about anyone in the majors.
If Rhodes is continued to give chances I have confidence in his success.
Posted by: Jeremy | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 06:16 PM
The issue is not so much Rhodes, as Manuel not knowing when to alter his game plan. If Rhodes has pitched two days in a row, Cholly needs to know he needs to take a day off. That simple, the guy isn't 25 anymore.
Posted by: yt | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 07:22 PM
Practically every time Rhodes has come into a game with a lead, he's at least threatened to blow it. He plays with fire and instills no confidence out there. I'd say that if anything, he's been pretty lucky to not have worse numbers than he has. I'm glad at least one person seems not to mind his high-wire act.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 08:26 PM