I looked up some stats after noticing that it seems like Oliver struggles more when pitching on back to back days. I know it is a small sample size but here are some of Oliver's numbers when pitching one 0 days rest:

5 IP 2ER 6H 2BB 3.60 ERA

Thats compared to these numbers when he pitches on 1+ days rest.

12 IP 3ER 9H 0BB 2.25ERA

I know Oliver has taken alot of heat around here, but I think he is still a good reliever, who has been overexposed a bit this year because of bullpen injuries. It seems like due to his age, it may be better to avoid pitching him on back to back days, when possible. I know that is difficult at this point, since the BP is so thin.

Thoughts?

Wash definitely dips in that well too often. He did it with CJ too all the time back when he was in the pen. He needs another guy he can trust when the game is close. Getting a healthy O'Day back in a few months would be a HUGE lift. O'Day was nails last year. Short of that Lowe, Eppley and Strop, 1 or 2 of those guys needs to step up. I think all 3 might be up to it. I'd be interested to see what Tommy Hunter could do from the pen if the rotation is full. We've got a young guy in AAA, his name escapes me, who's got mid 90s heat, maybe he'll be ready soon.

Counting on ODay to be effective in 2011 is extremely optomistic. He's on the 60dayDL projected as not being ready to rehab until possibly July. I would be very surprised to see him activated any earlier than Sep 1st. He'd be post season eligible having been on the DL and rehabbing ... with a weak shot of helping down the stretch.

TEX will need to get some productivity out of Lowe, Strop, and Eppley or possibly Tateyama to shore up the RHP side. I don't see Hunter taking a RP role and would be kept working at AAA rather than activating him given his injury history.

Screw the Stat Sheets. Oliver is not a crafty spot pitcher. I've charted
his games and he is consistent at waist high pitches. Luck getting by?
He certainly gives up the hit, when he least can't afford to do so. No, he's
not Mariano... why not? He's certainly experienced enough to be crafty.
His curveball is key, which is good., but he can't spot his FB... so charts say.
He needs to throw against LHH... not a two innings guy. Anything over two bats
and our odds go up for disappointment or worse, another reliever loss.
We're sadly missing an 8th inning setup arm(s). ALL the talent below and
their is nobody resembling Ogando's nasty stuff, through ONE full 8th inning?

Lowe is showing signs of getting it together. Strop has the stuff, but he need to be down in the minors tilo he can locate better.

I still say Ogando won't throw 200 innings this year out of safety concerns over his arm, and that means a bullpen job for a few months till hopefully just before playoff time.

Well its only two games, but yesterday Oliver pitched one shutout inning. Today, he comes pitches on no rest and gives up a 2 hits, a run, and takes the loss, while only recording one out.

The 1st hit of the inning barely made it to the outfield. We wouldn't be having this discussion if Feliz hadn't wild pitched the runners over to 2nd & 3rd in the previous inning. I'm not defending Oliver, but the bullpen "is what it is" (sorta like Rhads).

blows

...and Torrealba was his USUAL stoic stop on that wild pitch.
Lateral Movement: Z-E-R-O

Thoughts?

- Hard to know if those hit totals are the result of bad luck or not without having the BABIPs for each sample.

- Oliver hasn't been as good this year as he was last year. 2.75 xFIP last year (one of the best in game)... but a still very strong 3.35 xFIP this year. His K/9 is way down so far (9.49 to 6.38)... but so is his BB/9 (2.19 to 0.98)... resulting in a K/BB that's up from last year (4.33 to 6.50).

Oliver is still very good. Just some bad timing and an unlucky HR/FB rate so far this year (12.5%).

Screw the Stat Sheets. Oliver is not a crafty spot pitcher. I've charted
his games and he is consistent at waist high pitches.

Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the "Stat Sheets."

Oliver was a 2.75 xFIP last year. 5th best among qualified AL relievers.

This year he's a 3.35. Not as good but still very strong so far.

And looking at heat maps of his pitches from 2010 compared to 2011, I don't see a big difference. Maybe fastballs to lefties and sliders to righties getting a little more of the plate... which would explain his drop in FB/GB from last year... but nothing too significant or beyond fixable. Thus the still very strong xFIP.

Make that a rise in FB/GB this year over last...

How many credited losses given to Oliver in relief, when we held the lead before his input?
When your chances are less than 50/50 for a hold or save, all the other #'s are out the door.
He's becoming a Coin Flip strategy... enter Dave Bush (OMG)

@HubZ ...As of 22 May ... Oliver has a 1-5 record in 2011. In every case the score was tied in the games he was charged with the loss. So Oliver to his point this season has never given up the lead in a game in which he was charged with the loss.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=oliveda02&t=p&year=2011#pitching_gamelogs::none

Yep, pretty much my point .... blow-up~ Fail, at point when RELIEF needs to excel.
It's a thankless job, when under the microscope of expectations, but that's the job.
If correct results can't be expected with good relief, in pressure multi-batter scenario,
move Oliver to LHP v. LHB or a 10-15 pitch count max. Even with his stats, most can't
be oblivious to the whole picture of "get the job done" in a fix. Setup & closers- fire OUT.

Now Entering... TATEYAMA