QUOTE (balfanman @ Oct 20, 2009 -> 02:16 PM)
Linebrink was much younger in his San Diego days though. Didn't Linebrink say something to the effect within the last year that his shoulder was not 100%, nor was it ever going to be.
I'm thinking that Linebrink can still be an effective reliever, I might even say a key reliever, if Ozzie picks his spots with a little more stinginess.
I think you said something about that right before spring training. If that's true his shoulder must be altering his mechanics to the point where where he can't keep them consistent. He can be a "key reliever" but we need to find someone else to be able to work the 8th alongside him enable to get him the rest he needs. The pen was money the first what couple months of the season, but as soon as Dotel started to loose it, so did Linebrink. It might be coincidence, but maybe he was feeling to much pressure to preform perfectly with our "7th inning" guy stinking up the joint.