The Importance of Being A Reliever: National League

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It would be an egregious understatement to say that middle relievers play an important role in the day-to-day functions of a major league baseball team.

Over two months have gone by and 1,000-plus games have been played in the Major Leagues this year.  That’s a lot of innings to go around without many quality arms throw them.  

Consider this: There have been just 67 complete games in 2009, nearly half of the 136 that were thrown last season.  Starting pitching has been getting deeper into games as a whole, but it’s just a matter of time before relief pitchers get involved.

More than ever, this phase of the game is being utilized.  In 2008, relievers threw roughly 15,000 innings combined, an astounding number considering just 20 years ago, that number was 11,780 innings pitched.

Last season we watched the New York Mets melt because they couldn’t get it done past the starters.  This season, it’s the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who are struggling at the back end, sporting an ERA close to six.

In the National League specifically, its quite easy to tell who boasts a strong bullpen.  Arizona, Colorado, and Washington are all at or near the basement in their respective divisions, and all sit at the bottom of the NL in reliever ERA.  

Singularly, a great reliever can take your staff as a whole to a different level. During the Philadelphia Phillies championship season of ’08, it was the “Bridge to Lidge” that made a world of difference.  J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson were stallions in the seventh and eighth innings, and even late-season acquisition Scott Eyre was insanely good after joining the Phillies.  

Many of the names you do not know, because they live in the shadows of the middle innings. Here are a few of the very best in the National League.  It’s time you learned them.  And, we aren’t talking closers here – strictly the guys in between.  

-Clay Condrey, Philadelphia Phillies: (4-2, 6 holds, 3.34 ERA, 32 games)

Condrey is the unknown in the bullpen for the Phillies.  He sits second on the team in innings pitched by a reliever with 34, also good for eighth in the NL.  Condrey won’t get a lot of publicity, but he has been solid.  A pleasant surprise during the Phillies title run, Clay can normally be seen in the sixth inning, but for now, he is near the back end with Brad Lidge on the disabled list.

-Ramon Troncoso, Los Angeles Dodgers: (1-0, 6 holds, 2.34 ERA, 29 games)

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