Paxton has averaged 129 innings the last two seasons and Felix has averaged 120. That's not enough from the studs in the TOR spots and we can't really expect them to each grind out 50% more innings that seems to be more wishing and hoping to me, not a real playoff plan. Erasmo starts the season as our #4 and yet ends up in the #2 slot for substantial parts of the year trying to carry the load against other teams top pitchers while Dipoto acts surprised that our top two not only didn't throw 200 innings each they barely reached 300 total. What would you guys take on the over/under bet of 300 innings combined for Paxton/Felix this year?
Mainly I'm just mad that the rest of the lineup looks worthy of rooting for but our rotation is pathetic, expecting Felix to produce as a #2 and adding another pitcher "worse" than Erasmo into our starting 5 on an everyday basis. It looks bad on paper and I don't understand why Jerry is telling us differently. Take a look past our #7 and you can see without Albers we also don't have the depth or the quality needed to be starting games in the MLB in 2018 much less a playoff game. How does a 4 year deal with Cobb/Lynn/Arrieta or others handicap our future or is a "bad" use of free agency. It just locks up our #2 spot in the rotation like needed for the next few years along with Paxton and Leake. I agree a 6 year deal for an old pitcher is bad but a 3 year deal with a 4th year vesting or even a straight 4 year deal for any of the top 4 pitchers works for me I just don't want another depth scrub guy from free agency we can get that with a normal Jerry trade.
In short, a rotation with Felix and Erasmo as our #4-5 starters could be really fun all season long and I'm betting they meet or exceed the production expected from those last two rotation spots. Not so much penciled in as our #2/4.