:)
"can struggle with fly balls?" In what universe? The guy basically never gives up HRs, has crazy IFF numbers, and until this year was basically line-drive-proof as well. He gives up runs in 2 ways: by loading the bases with base-on-balls, and because his defense boots outs with RISP. His FIP vs. ERA numbers are normally near the league lead.
Major leaguers in camp last year called his changeup his best pitch, because it just falls off the table. The heater's good, and pretty great for a lefty, but it's the breaking pitches that make him a handful. He doesn't get rattled with guys on base, or when his fielders make errors.
He's a competitor.
For all that, he might indeed wind up in the pen. I've used the Eric Gagne comparison before as a short, heavy, hard-throwing strikeout guy who just walked to many to be truly effective in the rotation. They moved him to the pen and he was a monster. Now, part of that was roids, but still.
I don't want Robles in the pen if he can get his walks-problem under control. If he can't, then we won't have a choice. Move him, make him a two-pitch pitcher, and call it a day.
Either way I expect him to have an impact on the big club. It's very hard to be THAT unhittable when you walk that many guys and put that much pressure on yourself to get the next guy out all the time.
It's frustrating watching his command go on the fritz. He'll have innings and games where he's got it and he's DOMINANT. 10K/1BB in 7 IP sort of stuff. Then he'll walk 6 guys in the first 3 innings of the next game, and still give up no runs.
Still, he's only 21 - I don't think his destiny as a starter is written yet. The Dodgers didn't convert Gagne until his 3rd or 4th year in the bigs.
Of course, Gagne didn't walk as many guys in the minors as Robles either...
So how long do you wait for control? If you watch a pitcher who is RARELY squared up continue to master hitters, and his only weaknesses are his own control and the men behind him, what's it worth to you to keep putting him in the rotation and working on that command issue?
If your MOR contenders (not even TOR, just the middle) for the next few years can be counted on one hand and you might have a finger left over?
I'd give it some more time.
~G
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