The thing about guys like Wolf is that they can run off 6 great starts one month, then 6 lousy ones the next. Now, I know that is pretty darn cliché, but that's the way these cagey guys are. When they get in a rhythm, the right one, they can be fun to watch and frustrating to face. They wheel and deal and batters don't get many good cuts. When they get out of rhythm they are just BP pitchers. In several of those clips, Wolf actually throws high heat by guys: Smokin' 89-MPH heat. You think guys weren't lost at the plate? Heck, he threw an Ephus pitch. Guys like that don't fear failure. In a sense, they invent success.
One hot Wolfie month pays the bill for the M's. 150 good innings isn't likely. But 32 good innings (one hot month) isn't out of the question. more than likely, he never throws a Safeco pitch. But were he a safe bet he would be getting paid for it. He's not ST fodder, however. He may have to bamboozle a few AAA guys before he gets the call, but he's worth hanging onto for a bit. For nothing else than there is something young throwers can learn his lack of the fear of failure.
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Come Up to the Lab, Let's See What's On the Slab
Ron Shandler offers his own CAT scan on this pitcher, courtesy the 2012 Forecaster, back when Wolf was healthy:*
- Consistently has better actual ERA's than component stats (meaning, he's saavy but un-talented - jeff)
- Low DIS (disaster) rates (meaning, his main skill is "damage control" - jeff)
- Is an "innings eater" in "above-average SP clothing"
- Avoid. Crash coming (this occurred - jeff)
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The Arsenal
Wolf was always a rare bird. He's an 89-MPH lefty who throws everything including the kitchen sink, even making stuff up on the mound. Check out this hilarious 49-MPH pitch he threw to Brandon Phillips.
He legitimately throws 4 pitches without prejudice, very unusual in a left hand pitcher. You get your Shawn Marcums doing it from the right side.
He does NOT throw 4 pitches because he's got 4 good ones. All four pitches are pretty lousy - but he does, in fact, use them with a lot of intelligence. Check this video for confirmation.
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So, how does a guy like this succeed? Look, man, all cliches have SOME basis in reality. Wolf is one of those guys who actually DOES "know how to get you out."
Wolf is aware of how to get hurt, what pitch will get him killed by a certain hitter. Jamie Moyer had this pitchability with soft stuff. Wolf has it with worse stuff.
He's an innings eater in the good sense of the word, a guy who will go out and battle heart and soul, give you all he's got even though it ain't much.
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The Prognosis
So, how does this guy pitch in relief? He absolutely does not. Randy Wolf is EVERYTHING you do NOT want a relief pitcher to be. Not unless he's the 12th man, there for long relief and NOTHING else. You would never bring Randy Wolf in to pitch, with runners on 1B and 2B.
He can get out of his OWN jams, because he's in rhythm. Bring him in cold, to get out of somebody ELSE's jams, with 87 MPH fastballs and high-school slurves? Cover your eyes.
Neither can you use him as a lefty specialist: an LHP has to have sharp stuff to do that, and left hand batters have all the time in the world to look at Wolf's slurvy stuff. Here, let's go check his splits .... eeeeyup. Right again! As you know, we live to serve...
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Zduriencik evidently brought Wolf in out of loyalty from Milwaukee, a favor in the twilight of his career, mostly to be a nice guy (Zduriencik, that is). The UP scenario: Wolfie's arm feels good!. Starting out as a #8 SP in April, pitchers start dropping like flies, and finally Wolfie steps in to the Joe Saunders role -- the #5 starter hoping to run a 100 ERA+ and maybe having a nice little short-term run.
One last season in the sun, babe.
Compared to Joe Saunders, I like Randy Wolf much better. Saunders, with his 70% flat fastballs and his throwing his catchers under the bus, was painful to watch. Randy Wolf, that's kind of like watching Birdman with the Miami Heat.
I like having 'im around. He could wind up giving us ten courageous starts in the dog days.
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