For the most part, the main cogs in the 2011 bullpen were just as good in 2012. That wasn't the case with the left-handers, though; Rafael Perez hurt his shoulder early in spring training, and although Tony Sipp was healthy, he wasn't nearly as effective as he'd been the previous season.
2012 Age: 28
2012 WAR (Fangraphs): -0.3
2012 WAR (B-Ref): 0.0
2012 Salary: $505K (Renewable)
2013 Contract Status: Arbitration (3.138 Service Time)
While the Indians were ok once the game got to the late innings, the loss of Rafael Perez and the poor season from Sipp meant that the bullpen didn't have as much depth, as in 2011, and that showed itself not in terms of late blown leads but in blowout losses. Instead of Good Sipp or Healthy Perez coming in to relieve Ubaldo Jimenez or Josh Tomlin, it was Dan Wheeler or Jeremy Accardo or Bad Sipp. That took care of any nascent comebacks before they had a chance to go anywhere. The Indians would eventually fix the front end of the bullpen with the additions of Esmil Rogers and Cody Allen, but by then it was too late, for the rotation had crumbled to the point where no amount of relief could help the Indians stay afloat.
So what was different with Sipp this year? It wasn't velocity; his fastball in 2012 sat in the low-90s, as it had throughout his major-league career. It wasn't arm problems, as he didn't go on the DL all season, and there's been no talk of a post-season surgery. And if you look at his peripherals, the only rate that shows any difference at all is the hits/9, which jumped to 7.7/9 from 6.5/9 the year before, but a 7.7 rate isn't that bad for a reliever.
The key is looking at Sipp before the All-Star Break and after it. Sipp was one of the few Indians on the pitching staff who had a much better second half of the season than a first half.
| Split | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | ROE | tOPS+ | sOPS+ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Half | 34 | 120 | 109 | 19 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 32 | 3.20 | .229 | .294 | .477 | .771 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .268 | 106 | 110 |
| 2nd Half | 29 | 113 | 97 | 10 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 19 | 1.46 | .227 | .321 | .381 | .703 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | 93 | 95 |
The key was cutting down on on extra-base hits; Sipp just about halved his extra-base hits allowed in the second half from the first half. If you look at things month-by-month, the strikeouts dropoff in the second half is explained by an odd September in which he was effective despite only whiffing 4 in 9 innings. In July and August, he cut extra-base hits while at the same time maintaining his customary high strikeout rates. In other words, if the Indians had had the July/August Sipp at the beginning of the season, he would have looked the same as at the end of the 2011 campaign.
All of which is saying that it looks like Sipp figured things out as the season went on, and there's no real reason to panic over his overall numbers. He should go into next season as he entered 2012; as a key late-inning reliever.
2012 Game Log
| Rk | Gcar | Gtm | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 186 | 1 | Apr 5 | CLE | TOR | L,4-7 | 12-13 | 99 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 6 | 29 | 15 | ||
| 2 | 187 | 2 | Apr 7 | CLE | TOR | L,4-7 | 12-12 | L(0-1) | 1 | 0.1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21.60 | 5 | 24 | 17 | |
| 3 | 188 | 6 | Apr 13 | CLE | @ | KCR | W,8-3 | 7-7 | H(1) | 5 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.00 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | 189 | 7 | Apr 14 | CLE | @ | KCR | W,11-9 | 7-7 | H(2) | 0 | 0.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.29 | 3 | 17 | 10 |
| 5 | 190 | 8 | Apr 15 | CLE | @ | KCR | W,13-7 | 8-8 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.50 | 3 | 8 | 4 | |
| 6 | 191 | 12 | Apr 20 | CLE | @ | OAK | W,4-3 | 7-7 | H(3) | 4 | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14.73 | 3 | 11 | 5 |
| 7 | 192 | 13 | Apr 21 | CLE | @ | OAK | W,5-1 | 7-7 | H(4) | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11.57 | 3 | 11 | 7 |
| 8 | 193 | 15 | Apr 24 | CLE | KCR | W,4-3 | 7-7 | H(5) | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.53 | 3 | 14 | 9 | |
| 9 | 194 | 17 | Apr 26 | CLE | KCR | L,2-4 | 7-8 | 1 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7.71 | 5 | 21 | 14 | ||
| May | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | |||||
| 10 | 195 | 22 | May 2 | CLE | @ | CHW | W,6-3 | 8-8 | 5 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.71 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| 11 | 196 | 23 | May 3 | CLE | @ | CHW | W,7-5 | 7-7 | H(6) | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.36 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 12 | 197 | 26 | May 6 | CLE | TEX | W,4-2 | 8-8 | 2 | 0.2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.00 | 5 | 14 | 11 | ||
| 13 | 198 | 28 | May 7(2) | CLE | CHW | W,3-2 | 9-GF | S(1) | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8.00 | 4 | 14 | 9 | |
| 14 | 199 | 31 | May 10 | CLE | @ | BOS | W,8-3 | 7-7 | 2 | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8.38 | 3 | 12 | 8 | |
| 15 | 200 | 32 | May 11 | CLE | @ | BOS | L,5-7 | 7-GF(8) | 0 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6.94 | 9 | 43 | 22 | |
| 16 | 201 | 37 | May 16 | CLE | SEA | W,9-3 | 8-8 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.39 | 3 | 21 | 14 | ||
| 17 | 202 | 38 | May 17 | CLE | SEA | W,6-5 | 9-10 | 0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5.79 | 4 | 17 | 12 | ||
| 18 | 203 | 39 | May 18 | CLE | MIA | L,2-3 | 8-8 | L(0-2) | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.65 | 2 | 8 | 4 | |
| 19 | 204 | 42 | May 22 | CLE | DET | W,5-3 | 7-7 | H(7) | 3 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.40 | 3 | 17 | 9 | |
| 20 | 205 | 43 | May 23 | CLE | DET | W,4-2 | 8-8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.40 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 21 | 206 | 46 | May 26 | CLE | @ | CHW | L,7-14 | 8-GF(8) | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6.19 | 5 | 19 | 13 | |
| 22 | 207 | 47 | May 27 | CLE | @ | CHW | L,6-12 | 7-8 | 0 | 1.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.62 | 8 | 30 | 20 | |
| 23 | 208 | 50 | May 30 | CLE | KCR | L,3-6 | 7-7 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.27 | 3 | 14 | 8 | ||
| June | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | |||||
| 24 | 209 | 52 | Jun 2 | CLE | MIN | L,4-7 | 7-7 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6.86 | 5 | 13 | 10 | ||
| 25 | 210 | 55 | Jun 6 | CLE | @ | DET | W,9-6 | 6-6 | H(8) | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.53 | 3 | 10 | 7 |
| 26 | 211 | 60 | Jun 12 | CLE | @ | CIN | L,1-7 | 7-7 | 5 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6.65 | 4 | 16 | 9 | |
| 27 | 212 | 64 | Jun 16 | CLE | PIT | L,2-9 | 7-7 | 3 | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.95 | 3 | 16 | 7 | ||
| 28 | 213 | 70 | Jun 23 | CLE | @ | HOU | L,1-8 | 6-7 | 6 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6.56 | 4 | 21 | 12 | |
| 29 | 214 | 73 | Jun 26 | CLE | @ | NYY | L,4-6 | 7-7 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6.66 | 4 | 12 | 9 | |
| 30 | 215 | 77 | Jun 30 | CLE | @ | BAL | W,11-5 | 9-GF | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.39 | 3 | 10 | 8 | |
| July | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | |||||
| 31 | 216 | 81 | Jul 4 | CLE | LAA | W,12-3 | 8-8 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.15 | 3 | 11 | 6 | ||
| 32 | 217 | 83 | Jul 6 | CLE | TBR | L,3-10 | 8-8 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.93 | 3 | 16 | 11 | ||
| 33 | 218 | 84 | Jul 7 | CLE | TBR | W,7-3 | 7-7 | H(9) | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.72 | 3 | 13 | 7 | |
| 34 | 219 | 85 | Jul 8 | CLE | TBR | L,6-7 | 7-7 | H(10) | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.65 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |
| 35 | 220 | 89 | Jul 16 | CLE | @ | TBR | W,3-2 | 7-7 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.65 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| 36 | 221 | 90 | Jul 17 | CLE | @ | TBR | L,2-4 | 6-7 | 0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.40 | 4 | 14 | 8 | |
| 37 | 222 | 91 | Jul 18 | CLE | @ | TBR | W,10-6 | 7-7 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.70 | 2 | 11 | 5 | |
| 38 | 223 | 93 | Jul 20 | CLE | BAL | L,2-10 | 8-8 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.52 | 5 | 22 | 14 | ||
| 39 | 224 | 94 | Jul 21 | CLE | BAL | L,1-3 | 8-8 | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.46 | 3 | 10 | 5 | ||
| 40 | 225 | 98 | Jul 25 | CLE | DET | L,3-5 | 9-GF | 3 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5.34 | 3 | 21 | 13 | ||
| 41 | 226 | 101 | Jul 28 | CLE | @ | MIN | L,5-12 | 8-GF(8) | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.45 | 5 | 22 | 15 | |
| 42 | 227 | 102 | Jul 29 | CLE | @ | MIN | L,1-5 | 7-GF(8) | 0 | 1.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.19 | 7 | 22 | 13 | |
| August | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | |||||
| 43 | 228 | 105 | Aug 2 | CLE | @ | KCR | L,6-7 | 5-6 | 3 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4.95 | 5 | 23 | 14 | |
| 44 | 229 | 108 | Aug 5 | CLE | @ | DET | L,8-10 | 6-6 | 2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.86 | 2 | 5 | 3 | |
| 45 | 230 | 109 | Aug 6 | CLE | MIN | L,3-14 | 6-6 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.97 | 5 | 21 | 13 | ||
| 46 | 231 | 110 | Aug 7 | CLE | MIN | L,5-7 | 7-7 | H(11) | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.89 | 3 | 8 | 3 | |
| 47 | 232 | 112 | Aug 9 | CLE | BOS | W,5-3 | 7-7 | H(12) | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.76 | 2 | 7 | 5 | |
| 48 | 233 | 119 | Aug 17 | CLE | @ | OAK | L,4-6 | 7-7 | 7 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.69 | 2 | 7 | 6 | |
| 49 | 234 | 122 | Aug 20 | CLE | @ | SEA | L,3-5 | 7-8 | 2 | 1.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.75 | 6 | 24 | 17 | |
| 50 | 235 | 125 | Aug 24 | CLE | NYY | L,1-3 | 6-6 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.64 | 4 | 14 | 9 | ||
| 51 | 236 | 127 | Aug 26 | CLE | NYY | L,2-4 | 6-6 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.74 | 4 | 15 | 13 | ||
| 52 | 237 | 129 | Aug 28 | CLE | OAK | L,0-7 | 5-6 | 1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4.57 | 6 | 31 | 20 | ||
| 53 | 238 | 131 | Aug 30 | CLE | OAK | L,7-12 | 7-7 | 1 | 0.2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.70 | 6 | 34 | 15 | ||
| September/October | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | |||||
| 54 | 239 | 139 | Sep 8 | CLE | @ | MIN | L,0-3 | 7-7 | 8 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.60 | 3 | 9 | 7 | |
| 55 | 240 | 140 | Sep 9 | CLE | @ | MIN | L,7-8 | 7-7 | BS(1) | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.56 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 56 | 241 | 146 | Sep 15 | CLE | DET | L,3-5 | 5-7 | 5 | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4.59 | 8 | 21 | 9 | ||
| 57 | 242 | 149 | Sep 19 | CLE | MIN | L,4-6 | 8-8 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.50 | 4 | 12 | 9 | ||
| 58 | 243 | 152 | Sep 22 | CLE | @ | KCR | L,3-5 | 7-7 | 2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.47 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| 59 | 244 | 153 | Sep 23 | CLE | @ | KCR | W,15-4 | 8-8 | 0 | 0.2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.76 | 5 | 25 | 18 | |
| 60 | 245 | 156 | Sep 26 | CLE | @ | CHW | W,6-4 | 6-6 | W(1-2) | 2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.73 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 61 | 246 | 158 | Sep 29 | CLE | KCR | L,6-7 | 7-7 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.64 | 3 | 14 | 10 | ||
| 62 | 247 | 159 | Sep 30 | CLE | KCR | W,15-3 | 7-8 | 0 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.53 | 5 | 21 | 13 | ||
| 63 | 248 | 162 | Oct 3 | CLE | CHW | L,0-9 | 5-6 | 2 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4.42 | 6 | 22 | 14 | ||
| CLE | 55.0 | 47 | 29 | 27 | 23 | 51 | 9 | 4.42 | 233 | ||||||||||||
Career Stats
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 25 | CLE | AL | 2.93 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 40.0 | 27 | 16 | 13 | 5 | 25 | 48 | 146 | 6.1 | 1.1 | 5.6 | 10.8 | 1.92 |
| 2010 | 26 | CLE | AL | 4.14 | 70 | 16 | 1 | 63.0 | 48 | 30 | 29 | 12 | 39 | 69 | 96 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 5.6 | 9.9 | 1.77 |
| 2011 | 27 | CLE | AL | 3.03 | 69 | 17 | 0 | 62.1 | 45 | 22 | 21 | 10 | 24 | 57 | 130 | 6.5 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 8.2 | 2.38 |
| 2012 | 28 | CLE | AL | 4.42 | 63 | 7 | 1 | 55.0 | 47 | 29 | 27 | 9 | 23 | 51 | 89 | 7.7 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 8.3 | 2.22 |
| 4 Yrs | 3.68 | 248 | 48 | 2 | 220.1 | 167 | 97 | 90 | 36 | 111 | 225 | 109 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 4.5 | 9.2 | 2.03 | |||
| 162 Game Avg. | 3.68 | 68 | 13 | 1 | 60 | 46 | 27 | 25 | 10 | 30 | 62 | 109 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 4.5 | 9.2 | 2.03 | |||
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