Simple question

I don't like second-guessing because those who do it, fans like me, have neither the experience or the credibility.  But I do think the questions implicit in the after-the-fact decisions are worth considering.

Here's what I'm wondering after yesterday’s M's loss to the Angels: who is making the decision to select pitchers out of bullpen.  Whoever is making that selection is doing a bad job... and that has to be either manager Scott Servais or pitching coach Paul Davis.  In fairness to those two the problem may really be that Servais and Davis don't have much to choose from, because GM Jerry DiPoto hasn't given them a talented pool to tap.

Whatever, it's clear this team's potent offense means if you can keep the score close, the M's can blast their way to victory in the late innings.  And that's the reason for relievers... to hold off the other team.  And some of these M's relievers can't do that.  Some of them blow leads to allow the other team to run away faster than the Mariners batters can catch up.

Of the eight relievers in the bullpen, six have respectable ERA's lower than 3.38, five of those lower than 2.57.  Here's the problem, the three other relievers: Gearrin (4.66), Armstrong (14.33) and Alaniz (20.25).  Is a second-guessing to argue that Gearrin should not be used in close games and Alaniz never used.  I excuse Armstrong for now, he's coming back from an injury but has been effective before.  More guessing, why not send Alaniz down, use Gearrin only to mop up (and down by two with these Mariner bats is not mopping up) and use Armstrong judiciously until he's back to form.

What would you do?  Down by 3 at the bottom of the seventh, the relievers fresh (not used for two games) are Alaniz, Armstrong and Gearrin. What happened?  They chose Armstrong and he gave up two runs. Next inning, Alaniz yield two more.  M's score five in the top of the ninth, but game is still out of reach due to Armstrong and Alaniz' failure to hold.  In the end, who is to blame?