Bullpen Predictions?

Hennessey and Walker make a setup combo with Kline as the LOOGY.  With Henny's starting experience, I'd like to see him used less often, but in more 2 and 3 inning situations, but that's not the way bullpens are used these days, I guess.

I know they are talking about possibly carrying only 11 pitchers, but I don't see how they get away with that the way Bochy uses his pen.  I'll assume that leaves 3 bullpen slots open.

Randy Messenger, Vinnie Chulk and Jack Taschner are the incumbents.  There should be plenty of competition and some very interesting stories here:

Merkin Valdez is back from TJ and is out of options.  If he flashes his 98 MPH heater in spring training, the Giants aren't going to want to DFA him.  He could start the season on a rehab assignment in Fresno, but that is for a limited time.

Jose Cappellan is a rule 5 draftee who hasn't pitched above A ball.  He is a lefty though and Taschner is shaky.  We have to offer him back to Toronto if he doesn't make the 25 man roster, so if he impresses in camp, he could stay.

Keichii Yabu(or whatever his name is) seems to ooze the kind of veteran savvy Bochy is looking for so he could land a spot even if he sucks in spring training.

Then there's Jonathan Sanchez.  Does he come to camp and blow everybody away thus winning a late-inning role, or does he go to Fresno as a starter in training/waiting?  I personally favor the latter.

Pat Misch is another lefty who pitched well in both Fresno and SF last year.  I think his stuff is more suited to starting, but he's pitched as well or better out of the bullpen.  Here's a guy who would make a perfect innings eater with his starter's experience and repertoire.  I think he still has options, so he will probably go back to Fresno if he isn't included in a trade.

Bartolome Fortunato is a non-roster invitee who has been injured two of the last 3 years.  He reportedly was throwing mid-90's gas in winter ball.  His minor league career K/9 >10, with 9+ in 18 innings of MLB with the Mets in 2004.  I'm guessing he goes to Fresno to polish his game and be an emergency callup option.

Last and probably least is Erick Threets.  Threets once again tries to harness his awesome fastball which isn't quite what is used to be.  Amazingly enough, BA listed him as having the best changeup in the organization!  Is Threets out of options?  He's been around forever, so I would think that's a possibility.  If so, I would think he is a prime candidate to either get traded or picked up by another team off waivers.

Although Taschner seemed to have good movement on his pitches, it appears Jack suffered from:

.  Poor command of his fastball, leading to far too many foul balls and too much contact.

.  Very poor control of his slider.

IMO Jack, as seems to be the case with several Giants pitchers, should use his change up more.  But as long as batters are able to foul off Jack's fastball half the time they swing at it, I think he will have a hard time keeping his strikeout level up.  Without Jack's having a dominant fastball, it would seem that batters would be able to look for Jack's change up if he started using it more often.