Three Lefties? SIIIIiiiiiiiigggghhhhhh ….
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Any lefty relievers in the Mariners’ camp can take this as a help-wanted posting: manager Lloyd McClendon would like to have three of you on his 25-player roster.
“I can’t say I’m going to have three,” McClendon cautioned. “In a perfect world, I’d like to have three. And we’ve got some viable candidates. Guys who have good arms.”
McClendon previously indicated Charlie Furbush as a virtual lock for a spot after compiling a 3.74 ERA last season in 71 games.
Other lefty candidates include Lucas Luetge, Joe Beimel, Randy Wolf and Bobby LaFromboise.
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Point A: the obsession with LH-on-LH is, in SSI's view, neurotic.
We can argue that another time. My view (and that of Bill James) is that major league teams may very well need ZERO left hand relievers. If you want one, fine. But you can imagine my reaction to "I need THREE."
For those who just joined us: get a good pitcher in there, and let him throw a little bit. Don't half-bake it by shuffling lousy pitchers in and out every hitter. It's an inferiority complex before you open the first series.
You think when Texas rolled Robbie Ross, Neal Cotts, and Joe Nathan out there to slam the game shut, they gave a rat's tail whether you had Kyle Seager and Kendrys Morales? Texas liked their pitchers. They came at you with them. They didn't hide behind an abstract platoon concept.
Point B: If you had three good ones, that would be one thing. The Mariners have Charlie Furbush and ...
... what?
Point C: Randy Wolf gives up a lifetime SLG of .432 vs righties, compared to .401 vs lefties. He's an 88 MPH slurveballer who is the opposite of a lefty specialist. And it sounds like he goes into camp with a job to lose.
Point D: In case you were getting the idea that Dr. Detecto works too hard at cherrypicking the issues that are fun to read about ... be reminded that when he thinks the Mariners are shooting themselves in the foot, he's only too glad to scream bloody murder.
Point E: From the left side you got Furbush and a big heaping pile; from the right side you got
- Rodney, CL
- Farquhar, RH setup
- Wilhelmsen, 2013 RH CL ... 98 MPH, AL's best yellow hammer
- Yoervis Medina, RH SU ... 9.4 strikeouts per 9 IP last season
- Steven Pryor, RH imminent star (by what, May)
- Erasmo Ramirez, RH ... should be swing man
- Blake Beavan, RH (pinpoint command of 91-94 MPH fastball)
- Hector Noesi, RH ... for whom we traded a whale of a lot. Throws 94-97 in relief
- Brandon Maurer, RH ... yes, they're looking at him as long/swing man
- Andrew Carraway and all those guys
And instead of them, you're going to give a job to Randy Wolf?
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It's my team, Furbush is the only LH reliever on this squad going into camp. But if you had wanted 2-3 lefties you shoulda blinkin' well kept Oliver Perez.
Don't duck responsibility. ID the right hand pitchers who are GOING to be GOOD. Then bring them forward.
Bah Humbug,
Dr D