Add new comment

Impresses the fluffy white stuffing out of Dr. D that the M's have the stones to put an AA Cuban in there behind K-Pax (four ML starts, and his last two spring showings being relatively non-ROYish) and Erasmo (less than 1 season's worth of IP, 5+ ERA last year, Q'able health, and McClendon hated his last outing).
One thing you've got to give Zduriencik: he will definitely do what he thinks is right, even if (and especially) it denies him the use of "By The Book" as a shield for his own judgment.
- See more at: http://seattlesportsinsider.com/article/baker-out-elias#sthash.QkKlkJir....
_____
How long is the list of players (specifically young pitchers) Zduriencik acts decisively, confidently and quickly on?
Let's see:
- Pineda (Mr. "I had 62.1 AAA IP and 77 AA IP and was said to be not ready when")
- Erasmo (Mr. "My MLB line is almost exactly the same as AAA")
- Maurer (Mr. "0 AAA IP before being the surprise #5 SP")
- Elias (Mr. "If I make the team, I would be Mr. 'also 0 AAA IP before being the surprise #5 SP'")
Elias would be the fourth young SP that Zduriencik has "rushed" to the show in spite of massive criticisms of not being ready and the fifth that no recognized "expert" has predicted would start out well. Of the previous 3, 1 was a massive success and another was great until a random injury (to somewhere NOT his elbow/ forearm or shoulder).
And heck, given the jammering all offseason long about how the M's "needed" a solid veteran behind two great veterans, one could make the argument that many feel Zduriencik is rushing Paxton and Walker.
Trusting kids in big roles that go against "the book" is par for the course in Mariner-ville, whether people realize it (or want to admit it) or not.