The fight for rotation #5

by sowingwildoats on Jun 28, 2009 7:53 PM CDT Comment 15 comments

So there have been call ups from AAA in Narveson and Burns to pad the rotation while Manny Parra is enjoying some Nashville sun and Dave Bush rehabs his busted tricep, and there has been some shuffling of the bullpen in Seth McClung to start. However, i don't really feel that comfortable about son of clung dealing from the mound. what i'm interested in is how you feel the pitching situation is being handled, and what might be foreseeable in the future as far as starting pitching is concerned.

Burns has made a single start, and i don't feel he should be written off just yet. McClung i feel may have another shot too, but again i am uncomfortable with this. is it a bad idea for Carlos Villanueva to maybe start getting stretched out to fill in? what are the pluses to either of these two on the mound for more than two innings? the minuses?

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The Brewers seem pretty adament about keeping Villa in the bullpen.

It seems like all of the hot trade prospects we wanted the Brewers to look into or that they were looking into have all been getting hurt (Peavy, Webb, Bedard). It certainly doesn’t seem like the Brewers are looking for a big time acquisition like Cliff Lee anyway. The most realistic trade that the Brewers would make would be for a guy like Doug Davis. That’s a trade I’m “eh” on.

For now I’m guessing the Brewers try to skate by on what they have now for a couple weeks; at least until Bush returns, and probably keep McClung in the rotation unless he absolutely fails or Parra pitches solidly in Nashville. If it gets bad enough could we maybe see Difelice make the swtich to being a starter again?

:) + Suppan = :'(

by NoahJ on Jun 28, 2009 8:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

DiFelice

can’t work as a starter unless he learns 2-3 more pitches.

by Mykenk on Jun 29, 2009 8:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What does he throw now?

And some starters can get by with only two good pitches; didn’t Ben Sheets only throw the curveball and his fastball (OK, with a poor change-up thrown in occasionally)?

:) + Suppan = :'(

by NoahJ on Jun 29, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree,

SOME starters can get by with only 2 good pitches. DeFelice has 1 good pitch.

by Mykenk on Jun 29, 2009 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Mykenk here

DiFelice is a once-through-lineup kind of guy. meaning he can go 2 innings, 3 tops, in a given day before he starts getting lit up. He’s very valuable in the bullpen. No need to mess with that.

by PagsBrewCrew on Jun 29, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

based on jordan's response below

I stand corrected.

by PagsBrewCrew on Jun 29, 2009 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Explain

Seriously. I find this claim to be bullshit. I’ve heard it many, many times and no one has backed it up. And he does have a high-80s fastball, curveball, and change but chooses not to throw them— why would he? He was an extremely effective starter at AAA last year.

I last May, still no more than Nick Neugebauer not.

by Jordan M on Jun 29, 2009 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe he does, and just hasn't needed to use them yet...

by Mykenk on Jun 29, 2009 12:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do statistics exist

showing how effective a guy is the first time facing him, second time, etc.?

by Mykenk on Jun 29, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really in the minors, and he hasn't started in the majors

Last year, he had roughly equal platoon splits against AAA hitters as a starter in 65 innings, and his “by-inning” splits were pretty much the same every inning, so it didn’t look like he got beat up late in games. And he does have 4 pitches, really— a 87-88 mph 4-seam fastball, the cutter, a change, and a pretty good curve.

I’m not positive moving him to the rotation would be a great idea, but I’m sick of people like Rambling Al say he can’t be a starter for reasons like “he only has 1 pitch” and “he can’t get out lefties”. Both are blatantly untrue.

I last May, still no more than Nick Neugebauer not.

by Jordan M on Jun 29, 2009 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wakefield only has one pitch, but it’s a doozy.

by jim s. on Jul 18, 2009 11:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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