In the last couple of days, the Giants have picked up a couple of interesting ex-MLB Pitchers, Fernando Cabrera & Clay Rapada. Cabrera is a tall & powerfully-built 33-year old flame-throwing Puerto Rican RHP who last appeared in the majors with Boston in 2010. He has exceeded a K per IP over 175 big league innings. Rapada is a tall, slightly-built super-loogy who last appeared in the bigs with Cleveland in 2013. His splits are ridiculous (.164 BA against left-handed swingers, .345 against right-handers). These seem like the types of guys we are able to find & turn into contributors, so go get 'em Righetti.
Also, last Friday, I apparently missed this tidbit about my man, Pagan:
'Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that Angel Pagan (back) is ready to go. "Angel is adamant in our conversations that he's ready to go," Bochy said. "He has no issues with his lower back." [He] will turn 34 in the middle of next season, but, at least for now, Pagan appears healthy.'
Not exactly video of a spirited workout, but better than we've heard before, so I am encouraged.
8 comments:
You can't have too many pitchers.
So, what's the down side of a 6-man rotation? Not enough starts for MadBum? Doesn't he deserve an easy year? He'd be fresh for the post-season.
The obvious down side is that bad pitchers get too many starts. Is a tired MadBum worse than a rested Vogie? I seriously doubt that. In this day where one or two victories keeps you out of the playoff, the only way you wisely use a 6 man rotation is at the end of the year when you have a BIG lead. We can not afford to have Cain and MadBum take even three or four fewer turns. Also, our team has a very obvious talented long reliever type (Petit, although I think he takes a starter job) so we are well prepared for a weak start. Good bullpens, which we have, should not be avoided by putting pressure on feeble bottom end starters.
There is a reason why no one does it, actually many reasons. Especially a contending team based on a superstar pitcher. Nope, MadBum must get a chance at the maximum starts possible
Yeah I'm with Zo it's good to stock the minors with pitchers. Rapada, as you say, has LOOGY potential. And Cabrera is still young (28). You never know when you might need a guy for a few weeks due to an injury to a front-liner.
I think you can run a modified 6-man early in the season, too, with the swing man picking up a getaway game or jiggling things after a rainout or whatnot. But I think you are right in spirit--you want your ace to get his turn esp. in big matchups with another ace. You might stick in the 6th guy to re-rig the ro' so you can get the 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3 in a big series against a division rival. I think the Giants are going to run a standard five but who number five will be remains to be seen. Hudson may have to miss some starts early, for example, since he is an old man and coming off surgery.
I don't think that a 6-man rotation is needed all season long. Early season Giants can run a 5-man with all the off-days. They might as well go with Hudson on the DL to start. Then when Hudson is ready to move in, shift out either Lincecum or Vogie, whoever is not doing as well, though if both doing OK, then Vogie is out.
The key time to go 6-man is in August-September. And again, not full-time, but simply to keep the rotation on regular rest when there are two straight weeks with no off day.
That takes out maybe one or two starts for Bumgarner, who I think we can agree is the one we worry most about losing starts. That's because over time each starter loses a turn until it cycles back.
Alas, Wendell Kim RIP.
Isn't the problem one of pitchers' egos? It would be easy to have Bumgarner and a healthy Cain on a five-day schedule, with four other guys in their own four-man rotation on non-B, non-C days. For example, Bum, Cain, Peavy, Hudson, Lincecum, Bum, Cain, Vogelsong, Peavy, Hudson, Bum, Cain, Lincecum, Vogelsong, Peavy, Bum, Cain, Hudson, and so on. The older guys and iffy Timmy have a longer cycle, so as to keep aged arms fresher and limit exposure to Lincecum, at least for a while. I think this would make logical sense and afford flexibility around off days, injuries, draining weather patterns, or whatever. But I very much doubt that P, H, L, and V would tolerate the perceived second-class status.
I have no problem with a 6 man rotation when guys are expected to go all out for 6 or 7 innings. Anything more is a bonus. We carry 12 pitchers, and this could allow us a nice way to set up match-ups vs. our major rivals. In a Dodger giant series late in the season last year, the bums were set with their one two and three, vs. or 3, 4, and 5. Tweaking the rotation can allow for better matchups. This is a year in which we are coming off of, a lot of innings were tossed by Bumgarner, Cain and Hudson are coming off of injuries, and Lincecum is coming off of a season where he totally lost his timing. Vogie is getting older and could use more rest. We still have the secret weapon in Petit.
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