I love breaking a season into parts. It helps to show when a particular part of a team’s season turned around, or when a particular player made a mechanical change that led to more effective results. We all know about small sample size and the dangers of drawing conclusions from them so we look for a large enough set of innings or at bats to point to so we can sit back, arms folded, smiling and nodding approvingly.
The bullpen this season has been an issue. Due to some serious bad luck, injuries have swept throw the relievers like the stomach bug goes through a kindergarten classroom.