Joaquin Benoit is off to a rough start in his first season with the Philadelphia Phillies, and he thinks his skipper’s management of the bullpen may have something to do with it.
The veteran reliever entered Wednesday’s game against Seattle in the seventh inning and recorded just one out, giving up five earned runs in an 11-6 loss for the Phillies. Afterwards, he took full responsibility for the performance but also called out manager Pete Mackanin over his bullpen handling.
“I believe that if we have a set role, everybody will fall in place,” said Benoit, per Ed Benkin of KWY Sports. “Right now, I think everybody is a different piece. It would be better if everybody knows what their role is and when you are going to contribute.
“Right now, I’m all over the place,” he went on. “It’s a little consistency not just for the pitching staff, but the people that run it, too. It works if you find a place for everybody.”
Benoit now sits at 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in 15 appearances for the Phillies so far this season. The 39-year-old’s role with the team has indeed been a bit unpredictable, as he has shifted back and forth between closing duties (blowing two of the three save opportunities he has gotten) and more of a middle relief/setup role in the early going.
Relievers not always seeing eye to eye with their managers over the way they are being utilized is really nothing new. But with the Philadelphia bullpen now allowing an opposing OPS of .775 on the year (26th in the league, per ESPN), maybe Benoit is onto something here.
Image via Isaac Cabrera on YouTube
H/T HardballTalk
