POTD Capuano: #3 or #4 ?
Q. How much do the Mariners need a guy like Capuano?
A. Badly.
The only reason dudes talk about needing bats more is 'cause, like, we need bats more. But the rotation in September? Ugh. We're two cleats short of tragedy there too...
Suppose you have a 5.25 ERA (neutral field) guy at the #5 slot, running a 68 ERA+ in June. Does the fact that last year's offense was a joke, does that --- > mean it's inefficient run differential to trade a 68 ERA+ for a 110 ERA+?
..............
Right now on RotoTimes they've got Felix and a #2-5 that would have embarrassed the 1977 edition:
- Felix
- Fister
- Vargas
- French
- Pauley
Neither French nor Pauley can pitch in the big leagues, and Vargas' clock strikes midnight next year too. So you ended 2010 with Felix, plus one average-solid pitcher (Fister) who had a .350 BABIP in the second half. Whew. Good thing our pitching was carrying our hitting.
But now, add a certified #3 starter and, like a chess team that adds a master on third board, everything clicks in differently:
- Felix
- Bedard
- Pineda
- Capuano
- Fister, AND Vargas, AND Robles in a pinch
Vargas' miracle year in 2010 is about to do the bug-on-a-windshield trick, but hey .... gimme him, and Fister, to hold down the VERY BACK of the rotation and I'm good.
.
Q. Pineda might not even be up until like June.
A. This isn't second base we're talking about, gentlemen.
Michael Pineda will be the second-best pitcher in camp, tied with Felix, right behind Bedard. It's not like you can take a great starting pitcher and send him to Tacoma while your #5 starter is getting mulched in the fourth inning.
Your pitching staff doesn't get Yahtzee'd into eight different scoring slots. It's just 1-5 and 1-7. When one guy is better than everybody else, you gotta move him to the front of the line.
I've seen Pineda pitch on TV, at Cheney, and fifteen years ago, in Philadelphia. The only thing that keeps him from blowing away AL batters in 2011? Would be his elbow. Which was fine all year.
.
Q. Bedard?
A. He can always get hurt from here. Like he says, he's a quick healer, but a quick un-healer, too...
But right now he's on his original timetable, plus 8 months' rest. :- ) He's pitching for money for March and if he can take the pain and take the mound, he's a great pitcher.
Still, call it
- Felix
- Bedard or Pineda
- Chris Capuano
- Fister-Vargas-Robles(Field)-Pauley
And the M's have a realistic shot at a top-5 pitching staff.
.
Q. So what's the holdup?
A. Undoubtedly the Mariners trying to get Capuano to go for $3M vs. $4M, or something like that.
Considering he's worth about $10M per, I would advise them to check the sofa cushions. Yer payin pennies on the dollar here. You snooze you looze.
Buncha cheapskate orgs bidding $3, $4 and maybe $5 for a guy worth $10. Hey, you lost 101 last year. Don't act like you don't owe us.
.
Cheerio,
Dr D