Kintzler, other newcomers aim to help reverse pitching fortunes
Brandon Kintzler doesn’t exactly recommend the kind of spring he’s had. The part on the mound, that’s been glowing for Phillies. But the rest of it, being a 36-year-old pitching for your professional life, a nonroster invitee with nothing but time to think in a semi-bubbled hotel in Florida, that’s been a bit tougher.
For a guy who played independent ball before he broke into the majors, who made his big-league debut at 26, who made his first allstar appearance the month before he turned 33, Kintzler knows about turnarounds. Being part of the Miami Marlins last year, a team that went from 105 losses in 2019 to a surprise playoff appearance, he also knows the difference a year can make.
After winning a job, as the Phillies look to turn around what was a 2019 Miami Marlins level bullpen last year, Kintzler knows that change can happen quickly.
“I think it’s really just a mentality switch,” Kintzler said last week. “That’s really all we did over there (in Miami), is just switch the mentality to focus on winning and win as a team. I think as a bullpen, we just focus on doing your job, embracing your job wherever your role is.”
That’s the hope for the Phillies. In the abbreviated 2020, the Phillies built not one but two atrocious bullpens, one that lacked experience and the interest of nowdeposed general manager Matt Klentak at season’s start, then one laden with veterans that were awful later on. The sum was one of the worst bullpens in baseball history, with an ERA of 7.06, a WAR of minus-.08 and a 44 percent rate of holding leads.
This season, the organization has made changes. The back end of a strong starting rotation has been shored up with the addition of lefty Matt Moore and Chase Anderson, both veterans. The changes allow youngster Spencer Howard time to build after a spring cut short with back issues and provides cover for whatever stage of development between rotation freefall and bullpen nonfactor Vince Velasquez opts for.
But the core of the changes come in the bullpen. Through a variety of trades, spring invitations and deadweight clearing, new team president Dave Dombrowski has given manager Joe Girardi not just options but a difficult final few days of spring to whittle down 10 capable arms for eight or so jobs.
After all the headaches that the bullpen created last year, Girardi is fine with this new vexation.
“I think Dave and his staff did a really good job,” Girardi said last week. “They were aggressive, they made some trades to give us some power arms. They were able to sign some guys to non-roster opportunities and some of our young kids got experience. I think they just did a really good job and were aggressive and understood the importance of it.”
The only holdovers are Hector Neris, though no longer as the anointed closer, and Connor Brogdon, whose flame-throwing 6-6 frame promised something to salvage from his rookie season. David Hale is the only deadline acquisition from last summer to survive the cull, while JoJo Romero remains in the mix, though the lefty will start the season in the minors. Both Hale and Romero had allowed just one earned run in 8.2 innings this spring, through Sunday.
Otherwise, the bullpen is stocked with new arms. Archie Bradley is one of the leaders in the clubhouse for the closer’s role, though Girardi has praised his flexibility in matchups. Bradley has allowed just one run in 10 spring innings after signing a one-year, $6 million contract in the offseason.
The only lefty in the Opening Day bullpen is triple-digit-throwing Jose Alvarado, a valuable piece in the Tampa Bay Rays’ run to the World Series last year. The 25-yearold Venezuelan has allowed just three hits and one earned run in 7.2 spring innings, striking out 12.
Also bringing the heat is Sam Coonrod, acquired by trade with San Francisco in January for a minor leaguer. A third-year pro, Coonrod has shown glimpses of his superlative stuff, allowing one earned run in 8.1 innings this spring.
“I think it’s going to be a big improvement,” Romero said a day before his demotion. “We’ve brought in guys that not only have the power like Alvarado and Archie, but you have guys you can throw almost every day like Kintzler that can just go out there and get the groun dball outs, the strikeouts we need. I think top to bottom, there’s going to be a lot of guys that are producing for us.”
So stocked with relief options were the Phillies that they let veterans Hector Rondon and Tony Watson, albeit after difficult springs, walk away. The also opted not to sign 34-year-old starter Ivan Nova, who allowed 10 earned runs in 12.1 innings this spring.
Moore and Anderson offer options to eat innings. Moore might not be the 17-win All-Star he was in 2013, having lost something in travels to three clubs and Japan since. But the 31-year-old was strong in the preseason, allowing eight earned runs in 15.2 innings to earn the rotation spot. Moore offers the Phillies a left-handed option for the first time since the illfated Drew Smyly/Jason Vargas cameos of 2019.
Anderson endured a tough 2020 with Toronto. But he’s a durable arm, having made at least 21 starts in each of the previous six seasons on the way to a 54-42 record and 4.06 career ERA. In 14.2 spring innings, he allowed five earned runs and struck out 15 (though walking nine).
However it soon shakes out, the difference in optimism from last year to this year is profound.
“Last year, we were really inexperienced in the beginning and when we brought in the experienced guys, for whatever reason they struggled,” Girardi said. “And I know they’re better than what they pitched, I know that deep in my heart, but it was just one of those years. But I feel like these guys we’ve brought in have a pretty good track record, have been successful and should really help our bullpen.”