Jeurys Familia is on board with being used when he is needed, not just at the end of the game. Mickey Callaway is going to try to pull off a huge change in strategy for bullpen usage:
“He came from Cleveland and that worked,’’ Familia said Thursday at the Mets training complex at First Data Field. “For me, I always say, ‘He’s the manager, and I am going to do my job when I get the ball and try to win the game and enjoy the game.’ ’’
When asked about getting the call in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning, Familia said, “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m just trying to win the game.
“I talked to Mickey in the offseason, he called everybody to try to be on the same page and I think not every manager does that. That’s a good start. This year I am going to try to attack the hitter more and get ahead in the count.’’
Cleveland was able to pull this off due to Andrew Miller bought into the idea. Most pitchers like a defined role. Callaway’s success in Cleveland gives him the opportunity to try this with a different group of pitchers.
I suppose that instead of defining roles by innings, he can define the roles by situations. In close games, with certain parts of the lineup due, pitchers can get the idea they will be needed. It’s a less simple definition of a role, with the pitchers required to think along with the manager. If Callaway is predictable for this bullpen staff, it might work. On paper, it’s a better strategy than using the same person to close the game whenever a save situation exists.
from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/2nVf58d
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