Leone Sent Down

[NWinAZ]

Ryan Divish ‏@RyanDivish 6h6 hours ago

Dominic Leone was packing up his locker in the clubhouse. He's been optioned to Class AAA Tacoma.

 

[NWinAZ]

Greg Johns ‏@GregJohnsMLB 6h6 hours ago

McClendon confirms Carson Smith will be recalled to take Leone's place in bullpen. Says Leone needs to get command back.

 

[Anointed One]

I have to admit... The bullpen has been disappointing thus far in Spring Training... Definitly the weakness of the team atm, imo...

 

[NWinAZ]

We have to live by the adage that spring stats don't matter.

 

[cezero]

the bullpen is not the team's biggest weakness

just a little over 50 hours to go until felix's first pitch of the 2015 season

 

[SeattleCoug]

I imagine adrenaline makes a huge difference for relief pitchers given the situations where they enter the game. It's just not simulated easily In spring training when the games are meaningless. Not saying the pen won't struggle some but Im not worried about what they look like in spring. I think having Leone and Biemel in Tacoma is a nice luxury to have if guys do struggle.

 

[wazzu31]

Do M's relievers ever do well in the spring? I think most spring numbers for pitchers are pointless especially for relievers who really don't get much time to work on things in game.

Only one more day until Safeco Field is rocking.

 

[NWinAZ]

I was thinking the same thing SeattleCoug said and that relievers are creatures of habit and in spring they are pitched in different situations and the intensity isn't really there. I mean you have closers pitching in the middle of games and setup men coming in early as well. I think velocity shows more than anything this early and maybe his ball was just flat.

 

[wazzu31]

Well if you think about it starters generally get more than one working to work on their multiple pitchers, generally relievers only have a couple of pitches and are mostly working on their secondary pitches and most aren't in season shape where they have the accuracy with their change/slider/curve or whatever and if they are throwing their fastball it's mostly a given where it is going to be. Even you Zona can hit a 95 mph fastball if you know the exact location of it.

 

[NWinAZ]

Well if you think about it starters generally get more than one working to work on their multiple pitchers, generally relievers only have a couple of pitches and are mostly working on their secondary pitches and most aren't in season shape where they have the accuracy with their change/slider/curve or whatever and if they are throwing their fastball it's mostly a given where it is going to be. Even you Zona can hit a 95 mph fastball if you know the exact location of it.

I'll take that bet...lol. I can still hit a 3 at any time, but my days of hitting any fastball are long gone. But I get your point and it is true...just not in my case.