From MLB.com (and thanks to The Nationals Enquirer)
It could be that he's had too many days off. I could be.Clippard pitched on three days' rest and manager Jim Riggleman felt that Clippard might have received too much rest.
"I think he's had too many days off, lately," Riggleman said. "He hasn't pitched since Wednesday in New York. He has been up a time or two. He is throwing the ball OK. He is just not locating it. He doesn't quite have the finesse on his changeup, which has been a savior for him."
Or it could be, and this is just a crazy thought, it could be the fact you pitched him 5 times in 7 days right before the rest. Or that you had him basically leading the league in appearances AND IP by a reliever before this short 3 day rest?
I mean it could be either one. He's either pitching poorly because of an level of use that would have him on pace for 86 games and 119 IP for the season or because his arm rested an extra day. Who knows which is more likely to be the reason for his recent struggles? Flip a coin I say.
4 comments:
I feel like there are some ex-Chicago Cubs pitchers who may be able to provide insight into this mysterious "over-rested" phenomenon.
I wouldn't blame Riggleman (at least not for the # of apperances)- I think it's more the current mindset of managers. "My relievers pitch fewer innings then they used to so therefore they can pitch more games" Well that and the fact that the Nats happened to have so many games that needed Clippard.
I'd love to see Clippard (and more pitchers infact) used for a lot of 1+ inning outings, just less often. I think the one inning and done relief pitcher era makes no sense.
(of course I don't see why you couldn't go back to a 4-man rotation with a staff of veteran arms.)
Clippard didn't get a pure 3 days off either, though. He warmed up pretty hard in the blowout game before the offensive outpouring allowed them to shut him down. Another part of the problem with the runs that they did give up in that game was that Clippard didn't get all of his rest.
Clippard sometimes struggles with his first man and control and it finally came back to bite him in the Rockies game.
I hope that Storen and Slaten will allow them to rest Clippard more and strive to use him no more than every other day going forward.
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