IIRC, Kelley pitched multi-innings in 4 of his first 10 outings in 2009 and landed on the DL.
In glancing at his 2009 results -- he wasn't particularly effective in most games where he threw more than 30 pitches, (the multi-inning affairs).
So ... did WAK state that Kelley was going to be a long guy this year, or is this just the way everyone is WANTING him to be used? Because his quote after the game was pretty clear that Wak considers K-Tex the long man in the pen.
During first week of the season, I don't know of ANY manager who readily throws relievers into 3-inning stints, unless absolutely necessary.
Every April baseball month I've ever watched has been like a high school chemistry experiment for the managers -- trying out lots of different combos until the optimal one eventually materializes some time in May.
IMO, the bulk of the 11-man staff argument has been based around the (flawed) premise that everything always goes to plan. Clearly, the CLUB has considerable confidence in the pitchers on the roster - else they wouldn't have opted for the 11-man pen. In a baseball reality where *ACES* only throw 7 innings, you're running sky-high risk with a thin pen. This is doubly true for a club specifically built to consistently be playing 3-2 games. TIE games create mountains of uncertainty. And the club started the season with TWO 7th-inning ties.
Since the club plays 10 games before an off-day, I'd be shocked if there isn't some serious scrambling during these first couple of weeks. But, when Lee returns, who gets sent down? I think that choice is best served if you have ALREADY seen everyone in action as much as possible. If K-Tex or Kelley or White implodes ... maybe Fister heads to the pen.
It's not JUST about today's game - especially in April. Good managers have to balance the long AND short-term concerns. They have to balance personalities against stat sheets. They have to balance actions against player X that might have effects on player Y. For a real GM - *NO* decision is in a vaccuum that only applies to the immediate situation. And for those Managers that DO mono-focus on this one moment without contemplating all those other variables and ramifications ... well, those guys typically end up coaching in places like Pittsburgh or Washington, blaming their 100-loss seasons on the GM.
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