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I only have a coupla wishes for the offseason as far as outside-the-org adds, and Erasmo is one of my inside-the-org game changers, still.
When he throws FB-FB-FB he's in trouble, unless he's killing it with the change first, as you said. His changeup is a real weapon. When he loses his feel for it in a game he's in trouble, because 94 from a short dude is not that hard to hit - although I do like that he challenges high with it. If you're short you want to work high and inside with the heat, because working low gives a perfect angle to identify the ball.
High and inside with the heat, pull the ripcord on the change, and then slice and dice with the breakers as you get a feel for em. That's what I wanna see Erasmo do consistently. His 10K game that's what he was doing. He's still just a baby (6 months younger than Danny Hultzen) and pitching backwards is a hard thing to pick up, especially if you were just given a 94 MPH fastball when you were doing fine with 89 about 18 months ago. Gotta test drive the Ferrari, doncha know - wrap it around a pole and then you'll figure out that those driving lessons from the Honda still apply.
He's an incredibly smart kid who pitches with his head - he'll get it right in short order. Right now, Erasmo's in my 2013 rotation. If we wanted to sign Grienke as a FA, trade Vargas and Paxton/Walker for a bat (I still think the Royals are a good matchup, for either Gordon or Butler) then we could go Felix / Grienke / Iwakuma / Hultzen / Erasmo, with either Paxton or Walker hanging around in AAA along with Maurer, Beavan and Noesi, in case of injury or other need.
It'd be a pretty right-handed rotation, but I could live with that. Ackley / Guti / Seager / Butler / Montero / Jaso / Saunders / Ryan / Thames isn't a bad lineup either, especially with Zunino in a Hulkified rage in the minors and Carp getting healthy, both of whom could add some pop (as could Franklin or Miller mid-year to help with Ryan at-bats).
It's time to stop messing around. Next year we need to be in the WC hunt all year. It's time. That means the kids need to do their part and we need the right vets to do theirs.
Erasmo's one of the kids I'd feel all right about leaning on. Pennant race in 2013: it's on.
~G