The Cognac Blues
by Grant Brisbee on May 7, 2008 12:47 PM PDT
Email
PrintThe morning after a bottle of Brad Hennessey:
That's what I've always imagined Charlie Brown's line would like. Hennessey has been in 11 games, and the opponents have scored runs off him in nine of those games. In seven games, he's given up multiple runs.
It's usually silly to make judgments based on one month, but it isn't as if Hennessey is still pumping sinkers in the low-90s and getting beat. He started the year in the mid-80s, and he's had a couple of appearances in the high-80s, but he isn't throwing with the same velocity that he was after moving to a setup/backup closer role last year. And it isn't helping that his slider isn't sliding.
The options:
a) Designate him for assignment, which would expose him to waivers. If he clears waivers, send him to Fresno. If another team shows interest, try and work out a trade.
b) Stick with him. His batting average on balls-in-play indicates that he's also had a substantial amount of poor luck. Maybe he shared a straw with Matt Cain.
Them's the options, and they ain't pretty. I sincerely doubt a team would claim him right now. I sincerely doubt the Giants would kick up too much of a fuss if he were claimed. He's already in his arbitration years, and the Giants have some arms in AA and AAA to replace him.
But the spot-starting, pseudo-setup guy from 2007 did have some value to a team, don't forget. Kicking him to the curb after one bad month seems like a pretty drastic step.
Comment starter: A or B?
Edit: Apparently Hennessey had an option left. That memo was never forwarded to my mother's basement.
48 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
First!
I voted wait and see. It’s not like we don’t have enough relievers. I’d slowly work him in low-stress situations and hopefully he can get his stuff back. We aren’t paying him a ton of money so if he could come back to form it would be better than Sabean overpaying on a reliever to replace him.
Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!
every outting for him
has been low stress.. he only has been in mop up duty and still gets hit hard
by Azmanz on May 7, 2008 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Stick with him. His trade value is probably close to as bad as it’s going to be, he can stay in a mop-up role, and his struggles aren’t exactly going to cost us a playoff spot.
If he doesn’t get himself straightened out, then try to get him through waivers.
by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on May 7, 2008 1:09 PM PDT reply actions
Send him packing
Sorry, but it isn’t as if they have no other choices. He isn’t getting major league hitters out, plain and simple. By giving up that many hits per inning, he adds no value to this team, especially when they have other options in AAA or even AA that can run the ball up there with more velocity and movement. Right now, he’s taking up a valuable roster slot on a team that needs to develop its future this year.
+1
He has been a disaster so far this year. Similarly to Zito, his stuff is gone. He should not be finding his stuff @ the big league level. If we lose him to waivers, oh well. Plenty of other’s to take his place.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on May 7, 2008 1:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Hennessey's like a trolley car...
There’s plenty of them in the ocean.
"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler
I thought I read somewhere at the beginning of the year that he had an option left. I can’t find the article so maybe I am mistaken.
It’s possible that a move has already been made. I saw this link on the MLB.com Giants board so take it for what it’s worth.
Billy Sadler, a relief pitcher and former Catholic High standout, has been called up by the San Francisco Giants and will meet the team in Pittsburgh for their game tonight against the Pirates
I can’t find confirmation anywhere else yet, so I guess we will wait and see.
http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080507/SPORTS/80507014/1002
I can’t get the entire link to work, can somebody help?
Adopted Giant Brian Wilson: One of the few reasons to watch this year.
I also voted "other" because that's how you roll.
Also, because I’m pretty sure Hennessey still has an option left, and can be sent down without being waved first.
"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK
by Josh from Hollywood on May 7, 2008 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't know what to do with Hennessey
What I do know is that he singlehandedly turned me into a blathering lolcat yesterday.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
Well then, maybe you need some hats!
by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on May 7, 2008 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Well yeah
I mean, it is dead.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on May 7, 2008 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
I’ve never been huge on Hennessey and he’s making $1.6M this year I think. I’d keep him on the team for a little longer but he hasn’t shown much this year.
I was ready to deal/DFA/DL/otherwise unload him last month
I thought he’d get sent down when they brought Chulk back up, but that didn’t happen. I don’t care if there’s an option left or not, he’s doing this team NO good whatsoever. If he gets claimed, fine. If he clears and makes it to Fresno and figures it out down there, fine. If he strains his suck and goes on the DL, fine. ANywhere but in the Giants bullpen.
Billy Hayes: Nine more big-league plate appearances than you.
He has an option left!
Don’t worry about DFA-ing Hennessey! He has an option left, and can be sent to AAA free and clear. If the Sadler news is true, I would assume this happened today. Kind of a bummer to see Hennessey pitching this poorly. Nice guy, had a good year last year. Hopefully, he can put it all togeather in Fresno.
Just needs to get back on the juice
to get that mysteriously dissapearing velocity back
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on May 7, 2008 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Too bad the Giants player who looks the most like Grant is having such a rough time of it.
Eagerly awaiting Crazy Crab Bobblehead Night on 7/18.
Christian Slater is a Giant?
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on May 7, 2008 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Please...
Science has already determined who we all look like, you souse:
by Grant Brisbee on May 7, 2008 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Learing that he looks like Mischa Barton makes me feel a little less weird about having my hand on Grant’s ass while that picture was being taken.
2008 Giants: A steaming pile of scrap!
/makes joke about “mastering the pan flute.”
by Grant Brisbee on May 7, 2008 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Brad Hennessey at one time
was rumored to be going to the White Sox for Joe Crede. Too bad that deal didn’t go through.
Option C
Convert him to a .500-slugging outfielder a la Rick Ankiel.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w_id=439773&w=/2005/open/topplays/archive07/072805_sfnmil_hennessey_hr_350.wmv&pid=mlb_tp&gid=2005/07/28/sfnmlb-milmlb-1&cid=mlb&fid=mlb_tp350&v=2
How ironic
that Hennessey hit the homer off Victor Santos, who’s now pitching for Fresno.
then we have to get him the juice.
Ryan Paul: Two four-letter words are better than one.
by The Enchanter on May 7, 2008 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions
The wounds are still fresh.
Give him a couple more months. His periodic brilliance has warranted that, and a knee-jerk DFA at this point would be premature. Let’s watch Zito, Lowry and Misch closely until we that situation plays out.
Derin McMains had five fingers, but he only used three.
I'd rather not watch Zito at all.
Blackout Be Praised!!!!
Masochist that I am I will , however , be listening.
Aaron "Swag" Rowand
by victor frankenstein on May 7, 2008 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Send him down (option or no)
You know that saying about, “Whatever doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger”? Well, Brad Hennessey is killing me. Like Larry kills Irwin. Like the Killing Joke killed Nazis.
I mean, I feel like anything good that happens this year is gravy, and I’m more than willing to put up with a lot of bad baseball this season in the interests of giving a handful of young players the chance to prove their worth (or lack thereof). But Hennessey’s got nothing.
There’s absolutely nothing redeeming right now with respect to Brad Hennessey pitching to Major League hitters. It’s cruel and inhuman punishment—to Hennessey, to his teammates, and to Giants fans everywhere. Heck, it’s almost even cruel for opposing hitters to have to repeatedly bash and batter this poor, defenseless excuse for a pitcher. Almost cruel. I’m sure Henney’s teammates in the field must be daydreaming about how nice it would be to be able to hit against Hennessey.
Send him away. It’s morally wrong to keep making him pitch to Major League hitters.
That’s how I feel, anyway.
That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!
On the contrary
Right now you’re weaker than a kitten.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on May 7, 2008 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I know I always misquote that
But I like it my way, anyway.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on May 7, 2008 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions
And that's all that matters to you right?
WHY CAN’T WE EVER HAVE IT MY WAY?! *runs into bedroom sobbing *
Bedroom... awesome!
Looks like more things are going my way, after all.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on May 7, 2008 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Option C
Why don’t we send him down to Fresno so he can work things outs. And while in Fresno why not call up one of their relievers – say a Billy Sadler.
Horrible Idea..
The Giants should NEVER do that.
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
Eh
It’s an idea.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on May 8, 2008 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
