Solution to the bullpen mess

OK, 6 runs in the 8th today.   Leaving Bauer in for 127 pitches.

Ridiculous.

We need a drastic change!

And here it is:

TANDEM STARTERS!!!

So here is what we do:

Designate for assignment: Evan Marshall, Ben Taylor, Neil Ramirez

Bench Kipnis.   Start Erik Gonzalez at 2B.

Bring up: Shane Bieber, Shao-Ching Chiang, Yandy Diaz

Now, admittedly this tandem starter idea would be easier if Civale, Merryweather and even McKenzie were not injured but, what the heck.  Here goes (innings in parentheses):

Bullpen: Cody Allen, Dan Otero, Tyler Olsen, Zach McAllister

Carrasco (6)  Chiang (3)
Plutko (5)  Bieber (4)
Kluber plus bullpen
Bauer (6) Tomlin (3)
Clevinger plus bullpen

If one of your starters gets rocked then you just extend the other starter more innings (typical tandem protocol). If Kluber or Clevinger gets rocked you pitch McAllister longer innings and fill in with Otero and Olsen, if necessary.  You go with this no matter what.   When/if Miller comes back you re-adjust, maybe sending out Olsen or Otero. Yeah, I know, putting Tomlin in a 1-0 game for 3 innings seems scary and not even as scary as putting Chiang in that situation but right now we are throwing guys out there in close games who have no business being in the majors, yet in close games with what should be an elite team.

Plus Diaz gets his shot off the bench. (Mejia would have been the first choice but he sucks so bad he misses this opportunity).  If Urshela was here I would have brought him up and put Kipnis on the DL.   But, well, we lost Urshela didn't we?

Also, if one of your 4 bullpen guys gets hurt you bring up, in order: Mitch Brown, Cole Sulser, Matt Belisle.  Then you start bringing up internal organizational relievers as necessary but no more recycled vets.

Yeah, dumping Neil Ramirez could come back and bite us in the butt if he gets it together with another team but the guy has gotten his chance and has sucked here.    There is a reason he had to settle for a late minor league deal with the Indians.

So, there it is.  No (or very little) whining.  No pointing fingers.   Just a solution.   I mean, Tito innovated his bullpen in 2016 with Miller time.  We have an excess of starting pitching in the minors.  Why not give this a try?   Heck, if it works out and our injured guys come back strong this year, we even do it more later in the year.  Otero and Olsen may even be expendable in this situation if the right minor league starters are available and dealing in the minors.