In a season full of absolute misery, the Boston Red Sox finally did something right following another embarrassing home loss Thursday.
The organization demoted starting pitcher Brayan Bello after another horrific outing, coupled with a postgame tantrum with the media.
You can be awful at your job. You can be a clown. But — and this is important — you cannot be bad at your job AND be a clown.
We’ll get to the postgame interaction here in a minute, but first, some quick context …
THE ORIOLES POUNDED THE PATHETIC RED SOX INTO THE GROUND SO BADLY THEY RAN OUT OF HOME RUN FIREWORKS
Bello has been, by far, Boston’s worst starting pitcher this season. Things got so bad, interim manager Chad Kelly actually started using him as a “bulk” pitcher as of late, meaning the team would use an opener in the first inning or two, and then bring Bello in for the rest of the game.
That actually worked.
In games where Bello would simply not pitch the first inning or two, he was excellent. In games where he actually had to start, he was literally incapable of not getting rocked. I’m serious. He could not NOT give up multiple runs in the first inning.
Baffling stuff.
Anyway, the Sox had Bello start once again Thursday against Baltimore, he gave up five (!!!) runs in the first inning, promptly yelled at the media about it after the game, and was then sent down to Worcester.
What a day!
Brayan Bello is the worst starting pitcher in all of MLB
Amazing. What a miserable season.
Look, I was ready to hop on today and berate the Red Sox for starting Bello again. I couldn’t believe Kelly had the gall to throw this kid back out there Thursday when he had been so good out of the “bulk” role.
And I mean GOOD:
- In seven games as a traditional starter: 9.68 ERA, 10 HR, 18 BB, .370 batting average against.
- In four games as a bulk guy: 0.71 ERA, 0 HR, 3 BB, .215 batting average against.
I mean, just night and day. Uncanny.
So, yes, I was prepared to rip the Red Sox today for once again starting him against the Orioles … and then Bello had the audacity to say all of that after getting rocked, and I completely changed my tune.
Who does this guy think he is? The team is in the middle of an absolute embarrassing season, you’ve been among the worst starting pitchers in all of baseball, and you have the stones to stand there and berate the media because they asked about your role?
After THAT outing?! What world am I living in here?
I’ve got a newsflash for anyone that hasn’t followed the Red Sox this year (lucky you!): Brayan Bello ain’t worth that headache. The Red Sox are pretty awful in every single area, but starting pitching actually isn’t one of them.
That’s probably the only area they’re good in. I’d argue they have too many starting pitchers.
If I were them, I’d not only leave Bello in Worcester for the rest of the season, I’d try to ship him out of Boston for good before next month’s trade deadline. They do not need him.
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Frankly, nobody needs a starting pitcher with an ERA hovering around double-digits. Nobody. Again, let me reiterate this …
Brayan Bello has the WORST ERA of any qualified starter in Major League Baseball. He’s currently 2-6 with a 6.34 ERA. Teams are hitting .310 off of him, which is also worst in the league.
And he’s going to have the audacity to tell us to “stop talking about the bullpen-starter crap because when I’m pitching well as a starter nobody talks about it”?
Buddy … you haven’t pitched well ALL SEASON LONG. It’s June! You STINK when you have to actually do your job and pitch in the first inning.
Enjoy Worcester, pal. Get comfy. Make friends with the locals. Get a summer membership at the local course. Get one of those punch cards at Madulka’s so you get a free ice cream every fifth order.
Most importantly, get a grip — both on and off the mound.
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