San Francisco Giants: 10 Ways to Jumpstart the Bullpen Without Brian Wilson

The San Francisco Giants' bullpen has been a strength of the team through the first quarter of the season.  The bullpen is ranked ninth in baseball with a 3.21 earned-run average and fifth in the advanced stat, fielding independent pitching. 

However, with Brian Wilson on the shelf after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery and Guillermo Mota out until the end of August due to a failed drug test, the Giants are dangerously thin in the pen right now.  Another injury or a sudden performance decline could turn the bullpen from a strength into a weakness very quickly. 

While Santiago Casilla has filled in admirably for Wilson in the closer role, the middle of the bullpen has become vulnerable.  Shane Loux and Steve Edlefesen, both of whom would not be on the roster if Wilson and Mota were still available, are two relievers that the Giants should look to replace.

At the trading deadline in 2010, it seemed as though the Giants desperately needed offense to get over the hump.  Instead, general manager Brian Sabean swung two less heralded deals for middle relievers Ramon Ramirez and Javier Lopez.  The cost of adding offense was too high, so Sabean strengthened what was already a strength, and the rest was history. 

The Giants' bullpen is good, but the goal should be to find additional pieces to make it great.  With the extra wild-card spot in play this season, the cost of adding offensive talent is going to be even more steep than in prior seasons.  If the Giants cannot upgrade the offense, improving the bullpen could be a cheaper alternative to improve the roster. 

Let's take a look at 10 possible additions that the Giants could make to the bullpen. 

Tim Lincecum

If Tim Lincecum continues to struggle to get through four innings as a starter, the Giants should attempt to straighten him out in the bullpen. 

Lincecum could be used as a three-inning reliever twice a week.  His velocity would tick up in a reliever role because he would be used in shorter stints and there would less wear on his elbow. 

The goal for now should be to have him work out his issues in the rotation.  However, if Lincecum is not showing signs of returning to his former dominant self in the rotation by midseason, a move to the bullpen could salvage some value this year. 

The Giants simply cannot run him out there as a starter every fifth day if he continues to pitch as poorly as he has through his first nine starts.  Shifting him to the bullpen should be a last resort, but with each poor start, the possibly should be considered. 

Brad Penny

The Giants recently reacquired Brad Penny when they signed him to a minor league contract last week. 

Eric Surkamp, the sixth starter, remains out indefinitely with an elbow injury that may ultimately require surgery, so Penny could be an option if one of the five starters goes down to injury or ineffectiveness.  Penny could also fill the vacancy in long relief that was created when Mota was suspended. 

The 34-year old right-hander struggled as a starter with the Detroit Tigers last season.  He still had good enough fastball velocity, and a move the bullpen should lead to an improvement in his stuff. 

Brett Bochy

Bruce Bochy's son, Brett, is currently dominating the competition at Double-A Richmond.  In 21 innings of work, he has averaged over a strikeout per inning with an ERA of 1.66. 

The 24-year-old was a 20th-round draft pick out of the University of Kansas three years ago.  Bochy was recovering from Tommy John surgery when he was drafted, but he returned to the field last season and completely dominated the competition.  In 39 innings at Single-A Augusta, Bochy struck out 53 batters against only eight walks last year. 

Bochy features a fastball that sits in the 91-95 MPH range and a slider.  He could be part of the Giants' right-handed setup corps by the end of the season. 

Heath Hembree

Hembree was dominant early in the season as the closer for the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies, but he has been roughed up in recent outings.  His combination of a mid-90s fastball and slider should eventually lead to success in the big leagues. 

Hembree was dominant during spring training and at the Double-A level last season.  Conquering the competition at Fresno is his final challenge before being promoted to the big leagues.  He could be a solution in middle relief this season as the Giants groom him to be the eventual successor to Wilson. 

Dan Runzler

Dan Runzler has missed the entire season with a shoulder injury that he suffered during spring training, and he recently had another minor setback in his rehabilitation. If Runzler can get healthy, his mid-90s fastball would be an excellent addition to the bullpen. 

While the Giants' bullpen has been successful in the early going, they lack pitchers with elite velocity.  Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Clay Hensley, the three primary setup men, all throw fastballs that average less than 88 MPH. 

While all three of those relievers have been effective, getting a flame-thrower to compliment those three soft-tossers would diversify the bullpen and give opposing hitters another element to contend with.

Runzler's average fastball was over 95 MPH last season, which would easily be the best of any current Giants reliever.  There is no timetable for his return, but if he gets healthy, he could be the flame-thrower that the middle of the bullpen is currently missing. 

Glen Perkins

The Minnesota Twins are going nowhere fast.  The roster is devoid of many trade pieces that would bring back premium prospects.  However, one player who could bring back a decent return is reliever Glen Perkins.

The 29-year-old lefty flamed out as a starter two seasons ago.  The Twins converted him to relief where his career has been completely rejuvenated.  Since the move to the bullpen, Perkins has a 2.86 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 78 innings of work. The move to the bullpen increased his fastball velocity from 89-92 MPH as a starter to 94-96 MPH as a reliever.

Also, because of his time as a starter, Perkins could be stretched out to go more than one inning.  His experience as a starter has enabled him to get right-handed hitters out, making him more than just a lefty specialist. 

If Lincecum settles back in as a starter and if none of the relief prospects are ready, Perkins would be a great trade target to upgrade the bullpen. 

Jason Grilli

When Brian Sabean took over as general manager of the San Francisco Giants in 1997, his first draft pick was Jason Grilli, a right-handed pitcher out of Seton Hall.  Sabean eventually dealt Grilli to the Florida Marlins for Livan Hernandez in a deadline deal.

Fifteen years and several arm injuries later, Grilli has established himself as an outstanding reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  While the Pirates have been good at preventing runs this season, their offense is simply atrocious.  Thus, they are likely to be sellers at the trading deadline.

Grilli, 35, has been excellent in his two seasons in Pittsburgh.  In 48 innings in the black and yellow he has struck out 64 hitters while posting a minuscule 2.40 ERA. 

The last time the Giants brought a journeyman/former top prospect back into the fold, it worked out quite well—Ryan Vogelsong made the All-Star team last season.  Perhaps Grilli can end up being a similar success story in the bullpen this season. 

Ramon Ramirez

Like the Pirates and Twins, the New York Mets are likely going to be out of contention by the trading deadline. 

Teams that are headed nowhere are better of dealing relievers for prospects to save money and perhaps steal a potential sleeper in the deal, as the Houston Astros famously did with Jeff Bagwell over 20 years ago.  Trading a reliever for a no-name prospect likely won't land a Hall of Famer, but the risk is certainly worth the potential reward. 

The Mets acquired Ramon Ramirez from the Giants this offseason along with Andres Torres with Angel Pagan going to San Francisco in the deal.  Ramirez has struggled with his command in the early part of the season, but he has continued to miss bats with his low-90s fastball, slider and changeup.

He has good stuff, misses bats, can pitch nearly everyday and throw more than one inning at a time.  Ramirez was a key piece of the Giants' excellent bullpens during the past two seasons. 

Sabean caught lighting in a bottle when he acquired Ramirez from the Red Sox in 2010.  When the Mets inevitably fall out of contention, the Giants should jump at the chance to reacquire Ramirez and see if lightning can strike twice. 

Tim Collins

For the 27th straight season, the Kansas City Royals are going to miss the postseason.  They finally have some hope with a lot of good, young everyday players and a solid farm system in place.  One way to continue to stock the farm system would be to deal young reliever Tim Collins for additional prospects.

Collins stands only 5'7", but he has a big fastball that averages 93 MPH.  His outstanding fastball-curve-changeup combination has led to a 36 percent strikeout rate so far this season. 

Like Perkins, Collins is just as effective against right-handed hitters as he is against lefties.  With Wilson and the beard gone, adding another tiny Tim to the staff would not only improve the roster, but it would give the Giants' marketing department some new material. 

Brett Myers

The Houston Astros have exceeded expectations during the first two months of the season, but they remain the least talented organization from top to bottom in all of baseball.  They moved Brett Myers into the closer role during spring training, presumably to improve his trade value. 

Unlike all of the other options listed, Myers could move back into the rotation, take over the closer role if Casilla struggles or pitch in middle relief.  His versatility and experience make him an attractive option for the Giants, who lack both starting and relieving pitching depth in the minor leagues. 

Moving Myers to a contender would help the Astros rebuild their farm system and give the Giants a flexible option to improve the pitching staff.