Jim Riggleman Expects More From Bullpen

Jim Riggleman is empathetic to policy of not over using the bullpen but he believes that the bullpen can do more than what has been asked of them, in the current baseball climate.

Riggleman would like starters to go deeper into games but he has shown that he will not hesitate to go to the hook with the game on the line.

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The Reds interim manager, who took over the ball club that had a 3-18 record and stands with a personal record of 45-43 going into Sunday's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies.

On Thursday, Riggleman removed Tyler Mahle one batter into the second inning.  He got four innings out of Michael Lorenzen and two from Kyle Crockett even though the Phillies won going away, 9-4.

The Reds won Friday but he pulled starter Anthony DeSclafani before he completed the fifth inning because it appeared the pitcher was about to let a 5-2 lead slip away.  The Reds one that one 6-4.  David Hernandez pitched 2 1/3 innings, the 12th time he had gone more than one inning.

Saturday, Riggleman pinch hit for Matt Harvey in the home fifth even though the hurler had given up just two hits.  The Reds won that one 6-2 with multiple innings from Wandy Peralta and Jared Hughes who pitched out of a jam in the eighth and turned in a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

But what about over using the bullpen?

"The bullpen has responded very well," Riggleman said. "We have probably taken it to the limit a little bit with some usage but hopefully, with an off day tomorrow, not get a couple guys in the game today which would give them two days off going into the next road trip."

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"The bottom line is eventually we have to get our starters going deeper into the game.  That would take the load off the relievers but they've held up very well and done a great job."

Hernandez and Hughes in particular have been pleased to take the ball as often as they're needed.

"Hughes and Hernandez have responded great.  Like I said, we're testing the limits a little bit on it.  You're also trying to win the game and they have been our best options quite often.  I'm glad they love it," Riggleman said  "Those are two leaders down there in the bullpen."

The spare the rod spoil the child, throwback mentality.  The ask not what the team can do for you, ask what you can do for the team.   The modern philosophy has turned from winning to protecting players especially to the point of putting them in bubble wrap.  How many managers would have used Amir Garrett the day after he left the game with a slight ankle sprain.  Garrett got a big out for the Reds on Saturday before putting two men on and was yanked from the game.

"I certainly don't want to be responsible to over doing it but I do feel the last several years we've lowered the bar so much that they can give us more than we've been asking of them last several years," Riggleman said. " We are not going to get to the point where we use them like they do in the post season.  The post season all of a sudden, you're starters are pitching in relief.  Your relievers are pitching multiple innings. It is a lot of workload.  What that tells me is guys can do more than we've been asking.  Now we would never do that over a 162 game schedule but I think it does show us that those guys came out of that fine, Miller in Cleveland, the job Jantzen did in Los Angeles and the way Maddon handled Chapman.  Those teams won and nobody got hurt."

Reds pitchers under Riggleman will be used as long as they are effective for as long as they're needed.  It is time for a philosophy to win.