Milwaukee Brewers to use John Axford in bullpen – MLB News
The Milwaukee Brewers' manager Doug Melvin on Friday, August 17, expressed his confidence in the ability of the pitcher John Axford to play a notable role for the bullpen in the days to come. Previously slated as the closer, Axford no longer retains the spot and is currently serving in the bullpen.
That is where he probably is needed the most right now. Melvin also noted that Axford shall have his former role or the closer next season. Saving the games, in last few weeks, has been a big challenge for the Brewers.
However, Melvin insists it is not the Brewers alone who are confronting this issue. There are other teams also plagued with the same problem.
"I think there's 16 teams that they don't have the same closer they had the start of the year," he said. "That position, there's so much pressure on that closer role. You look at other teams. People are yelling for a change after four or five [blown saves]."
It is worthwhile to recall that only last year Axford did have one of his best seasons, having a total of 46 saves. But this year, everything seems to have changed, something that the Brewers might not be anticipating as Axford has a total of 18-for-26 opportunities.
Melvin, nonetheless, wants a more assertive and prominent role from the bullpen. Will the bullpen rise to the expectations?
"It's a team game," Melvin said. "You don't knock in runs and you lose 1-0, 2-1, 3-2. There's a lot of emphasis put on that ninth inning. It's tough. There's no complete games anymore. Every night, you got have bullpen guys that are pitching the eighth and ninth innings.”
Be that as it may, the team general manager maintains that expectations of a closer is to have at least 40 or above 40 saves a season. That is what Axford did the last year, but has not been able to get his pace and effectiveness this year. Whether he will be able to do it as the season progresses is something that will be seen soon enough.
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