I believe that this weekend we will start shrinking the ST roster so the top pitchers can start getting increased innings of work. It’s only two weeks left from this upcoming weekend until we are down to the 25-man roster plus a few more for the exhibition games just before the season opener. I have been impressed with the youngsters that it makes me wonder if we have too many good starters, a good problem to have.
Rotation locks: Gurthrie and Chacin
My rankings in order for the final three spots: Pomeranz, Nicasio, Chatwood, White, Moyer, Moncoso, Outman
Bullpen locks: Betancourt, Brothers, Belisle
My rankings for final four BP spots: Reynolds, Moyer, Escalona, Outman, Roenicke, White, Rogers
Excellent post – I was just going to post something like this!
I am starter to think EYJ + Fowler = Blackmon
I believe he should start center field and will at some point in 2012.
I believe Moyer wins the 5th spot in the rotation.
Guthrie
Chacin
Nicasio
Pomeranz
Moyer
This is starting to look like a pretty good rotation! I really like Chatwood and White, however, I think the old guy will do better holding down the back end of the rotation.
Cisco, here’s my point.Every other manager in balsabel does the obvious thing in setting his rotation. And that’s because it’s, well, kind of obviously the smart thing to do:My ace pitches opening dayMy second best starter pitches the next gameMy third best starter pitches the third gameMy fourth best starter pitches the fourth gameAnd if there’s a built-in rain-out day off, I skip my 5th starter until the second time around.Sometimes a manager gets really tricky and wants to go righty-lefty-righty, so he will move up his 4th starter to the third game or something like that.But not Jim Tracy and Dan O’Dowd. They’re smarter than everyone else. They go:Ace5th Starter4th Starter2nd Stater[Skip 3rd starter until second time around]Why?A simple enough question if you ask me, simpler still since you really ought to want to beat up on the hapless Astros, the best possible opening series draw. The only thing better would be the Astros at home.And O’Tracy’s explanation doesn’t make sense to me. Save innings on Pomeranz’s arm makes sense in the abstract. Waste some of Pomeranz’s ceiling of 170 innings on a AAA game makes no sense to me.Get it?[And Jaredean, I like Herrera too. I think he is a neat utility man, and I hope he sticks around MLB a while. But he was the worst second baseman with over 300 plate appearances in all of balsabel.]VA:F [1.9.16_1159](from 0 votes)
On another thread I posted my bullpen as Betencourt, Brothers, Belisle (the “Killer Bs”), Reynolds (so far the weak link as the situational lefty), Roenicke, Escalona, and Rogers as the long reliever/spot starter. I do not want the team to use long term starters (such as White) as short term relievers. I’d rather that they start the year in the minors and stay as starters. In all likelihood we are going to need 8 or 9 starters during the course of the year, so I’d rather let the young guys stay as starters. Of the guys listed above as relievers, which of them still have options?
I forgot to mention that I agree with Pooter regarding the first four starters, and maybe the 5th as well. Chatwood is intriguing, but young, and there’s still time for someone else, such as Moscoso to come on. Is Moscoso out of options? We could do worse than Moyer holding down the 5th spot until DLR comes back an Chatwood and White get a half season under their belts in the minors.
I only hope that they send pitchers down to AA and not Colorado Springs where they will get their brains bashed in and turn into mental cases. Fill the AAA staff with bodies not pitchers you want to use at the ML level. Keep their sanity and confidence by letting them pitch at AA.
For what it’s worth department…
Guthrie
Chacin
Pomeranz
Nicasio
Moyer/White/Chatwood
the two not making #5 will go to long relief in the bullpen.(I don’t much care who #5 is…any of them will be acceptable. (As an old guy, my bias leads me to believe that Moyer will win the spot…his wily ways and slow, slow deliver and pitches will tie opponents in knots.)
Rogers will be released…the rest of the “youngsters” will bide their time in AA.
The bullpen will consist of:
Two of the above potential starters
Betancort
Brothers
Belisle
Reynolds
Escalona
A pitcher to be named.(It’s possible this could be Rogers.)
Just my take…we will know soon enough.
I can’t see the Rockies paying big league salaries and service time to White or Chatwood just to come out of the pen. I agree with Julian if they don’t get the 5 they start out at AA.
Where’s the RWO love for Outman?
Yes my pre-spring training prediction looks a little shaky right now, however I am sticking with it to the “opening day” bitter end.
Has White looked really strong lately and I have just somehow missed it?
I agree with Wayne’s comment. How about a starting rotation in Tulsa that includes Bettis, Cabrera, Chatwood and White (assuming Chatwood doesn’t win a starting rotation job for the Rockies)?
I doubt Moyer makes the club as a reliever. He hasn’t relieved since the 1980s. He either starts or is released.
Time for Outman to start working on being the situational lefty. As others have said, Reynolds is a better pitcher overall but isn’t deadly against lefties the way Outman can be.
Moscoso will likely get the Felipe Paulino/Josh Fogg long man/6th starter job. Chatwood has been impressive, but I see him as a guy who starts in Tulsa with an eye toward being called up if a starter gets hurt. Nicasio remains a wild card; whether he starts or goes to the minors depends on how he holds up to increased innings. White will have to avoid jail time before he is a serious contender.
Too soon to tell. I will go along with:
Guthrie
Chacin
Nicasio
Pomeranz
No clue beyond this. Even with Nicasio, depending on his health, stamina, etc. it’s possible he *may* start elsewhere.
Have to agree Mike…your list of the 4 is my take…and right now I would have to go with Chatwood with an outside shot by Moscoso as the 5th. Like the effort by Moyer but just not sure if you can hold a spot for him…
Go Rox
Looks increasingly likely that it will be Guthrie, Chacin, Pomeranz, and Nicasio as the first four in the rotation. Looks like it Moscoso, White , and Chatwood and possibly Moyer for #5.
Bullpen: Betancourt, Belisle, Brothers, Roenicke, Escalona, Moyer, and Reynolds or Outman. That’s my call with two weeks to go.
Christian Freidrich assigned to minor leagues; not surprising.
I’m making the first gutsy call. Hang on to your seats…. Chacin to be optioned. Looks like Ubaldo 2.0. This time DOD will punish him by sending him away to AAA. I’m at a point where I’m tired of seeing him throw so many pitches in so few innings. DOD may have been onto something when he called out Chacin over the winter.