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Yeah, he recorded his NL leading 25th save in Thurday’s game BW, but the 2 games in question were both losses that were played on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both of those games were lost on walk-offs with Roycroft and Hernandez taking the losses. Prior to those 2 losses to the Marlins, Helsley last worked on Sunday at Wrigley against the Cubs. Since when does a closer require 3 days on the couch prior to making an appearance unless he’s suffering from some sort of mysterious…skin rash?
Obviously management felt Helsley needed the extra days rest regardless of the game situation on Tuesday and Wednesday in Miami. But it is a legitimate thought to question why management held Helsley out of two close-and-late losses.
Sometimes what you prefer to do changes when the situation dictates a particular course of action.
Keeping him out in the two games against Miami does seem to go against his changed role
Wednesday’s game was tied in the 9th and not a save situation, so I understand that it’s not fashionable for a manager to signal for his closer in that situation, but Tuesday’s game was lost on a walk-off in the 10th with the Cardinals entering the home half of that same 10th inning holding on to an 8-7 lead. At the time, I thought the reason that the Cardinal manager neglected to go to his closer may have been that with the new rules in extras he didn’t want to place Helsley into a situation in which there was a RISP with 0 outs and only a 1 run lead. I’m still guessing that if the Cardinals could have scored 2 runs in the visitor half of the 10th, the Redbird manager would have placed the baseball in the hand of his closer. Just a guess.
I wasn’t able to read the article without a subscription, but my guess is the club is keeping Helsley from pitching too much in a short span of games, regardless of the situation in a game that they don’t want to use him.
Helsley hasn’t been tagged with a loss this season when he’s made an appearance in consecutive games. His 3 losses were suffered in appearances in which he was afforded one, two and three days rest, the most recent being a loss on June 11th against the Pirates in which he entered the game in the 9th after sitting for 3 days. In that appearance allowed 2 ER’s on 1 hit and 2 BB’s. I say use him and keep him sharp.
The article said the Cardinals and Helsley came to an agreement this year to limit him to a closer’s role to increase his availability and effectiveness.
Last year, they were using him as a fireman.
In ’23 Helsley appeared in 33 games in which he worked 36.2 IP’ed. So far this season he’s made the precise same 33 appearances and has worked 33 IP’ed. He must have been on the IL for a while last season.
That second Miami game was a close situation, but again management had to believe he needed an extra day after the Cubs game on Father’s Day.
And perhaps playing a team like Miami, they felt they had a good chance to close it out with a second tier bullpen guy.
I genuinely think clinging to only a 1 run lead in extras in that second Miami game had a bearing on the decision not to use Helsley. I don’t think the Redbird manager wanted to expose him to a RISP and no outs while only holding a 1 run lead. I think if the Redbirds would have scored 2 runs in the visitor half of the 10th, we’d have seen Helsley for the home half. The silly new rules in extra innings create all kinds of weird dynamics.
Could be, 1TD. But I would think the 1 run lead would be even more reason to use Helsley if he were available. You would think you would bring in your number one guy, especially in the situation with the runner on second knowing a successful bunt and sac fly ties it.
With none on there is a bit more margin of error and you could justify bringing in a second choice. Same with a two run cushion.
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