Breslow's option declined

[RedOctober3829]

Jason Mastrodonato ‏@JMastrodonato 15s15 seconds ago
Red Sox decline $4m option on Craig Breslow
 

https://twitter.com/JMastrodonato/status/528246166962847744

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Sad to see his decline last year.  Not many better guys in sports, he has made the world a better place for kids, and we were damned lucky to have had his best year.
 
You don't win championships without the unsung heroes.  I hope when we do a ten-year retrospective on last year, someone will remember his three holds in a row in the ALCS during at bats where it felt like the series could turn on every single pitch.

 

[BornToRun]

This comes as no surprise. I'd maybe welcome him back on a flyer but not at that salary.

 

[tomdeplonty]

I hope when we do a ten-year retrospective on last year, someone will remember his three holds in a row in the ALCS during at bats where it felt like the series could turn on every single pitch.

 
Yup. Seven scoreless innings between the ALDS and ALCS.

 

[Plympton91]

Through last year, he was a guy who was relying on good walk rates and a string of what seemed to be unsustainably low BABip numbers for his above average seasons. This year, the walk rates inexplicably climbed to unacceptable levels and BABip deserted him at the same time. So, if they think the control issues are correctable, you can probably treat him as somebody likely to post a 3.50 ERA in middle relief, which is valuable. That they are fully versed in the fickleness of BABip and didn't pick up the option suggests they don't think it's likely they can fix the control problems.

 

[Sprowl]

 
Yup. Seven scoreless innings between the ALDS and ALCS.

 
Breslow's peak moment with the Red Sox came in Game 4 against the Rays, when he threw 23 pitches against 6 batters over 3 innings. Only 3 of those ended up in the strike zone, but he struck out Loney, Longoria, Zobrist and Jennings in succession. Breslow had great movement on his 2-seamer that day, and one batter after another chased sinkers below the knees or off the plate.
 

 

[plnii]

Wow, that's quite a chart.

 

[tomdeplonty]

Breslow's peak moment with the Red Sox came in Game 4 against the Rays, when he threw 23 pitches against 6 batters over 3 innings. Only 3 of those ended up in the strike zone, but he struck out Loney, Longoria, Zobrist and Jennings in succession.

 
I remember that appearance, but I never realized how few of those pitches were strikes. 

 

[Hee Sox Choi]

 
I remember that appearance, but I never realized how few of those pitches were strikes. 

I bet that's how every one of Andy Pettitte's charts looked in his heyday.  

 

[The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa]

Breslow will do well when the Yankees sign him.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

Or he will be the second coming of Alan Embree in pinstripes. God, how they booed that man off the mound in the old Toilet after NY picked him up.
 
I will never forget Breslow's performance in the TB series. Too bad those games weren't in the DVD box set.

 

[mauidano]

Thanks for the memories Bres!  Best wishes on your next stop in life.  Obviously a smart guy!