How did our Dbacks’ bullpen do last year? Last place. 29 teams ranked better in bWAR. Pitching was made worse by four factors – poor game calling, poor pitch framing, non-outfielders in the outfield, and inherited runners. Closing pitchers inherited 290 runners in 2016 – which was 25% more than the National League average. And 106 inherited runners scored – which was 53% more than the National League average.
It couldn’t get worse, could it? Think again. Closer and ‘fireman’ Brad Zeigler became a free agent and was lost to the Marlins.