I don't think the bullpen was over-used to the point that it the big difference. Knebel hasn't been that great all year. He seems to always walk a poor hitter and get in trouble, sometimes get out of it but not as sharp as he was last year. When he was on the DL, it was perfect. CC pitched hader or jeffrees in the 8th or 9TH depending on match-ups. His mistake was just GIVING the closer role back to knebel