2004, eh? What Gary Glover up to?

Non-Roster invitee with the D-Rays.

Again, Mackowaik is beastly. I think he is a home run away from the cycle.

Mackowiak is on fire.

As long as we are debating the 5th starter, let's throw Charlie Haeger out there again since nobody is running away with the spot.

If Charlie had the exact same results last season but he did it with a reportiore (sp) that featured a 92-96 mph fastball, there would even be a competition for this spot.

The 2nd time through the Pads lineup, Danks was struggling to fool anyone.

I mentioned this earlier as well.

 

Yes, I didn't watch the game; but I'm listening on the radio and considering how 6 hits (i believe) occured in his last two innings, what else should I believe? It's probably a combination of lost stamina and San Diego hitters honing in on Danks.

I mentioned this earlier as well.

 

Yes, I didn't watch the game; but I'm listening on the radio and considering how 6 hits (i believe) occured in his last two innings, what else should I believe? It's probably a combination of lost stamina and San Diego hitters honing in on Danks.

It wasn't that he got figured out, he was just missing his locations and leaving his pitches up. He was still jamming hitters and making them look foolish on the changeup.

Shouldn't he be granted the same excuses as Floyd/Danks though, as he's pitching in Arizona with a repetoire of pitches that would be greatly impacted due to the circumstances?

I could also suggest that McCarthy has pitched against lineups full of major leaguers, whereas Danks (especially) had padded his early stats later in games against minor leaguers.

 

Floyd just hung a breaking ball for a hit, but I'm sure Arizona had something to do with that.

Even though it has nothing to do with todays game..

 

Mark Buehrle is god awful in MLB 07: The Show =/

Danks and Floyd are now separated by .75 ERA.

 

Looks like we have a competition again (sigh)

Danks and Floyd are now separated by .75 ERA.

 

Looks like we have a competition again (sigh)

MOTHER OF GOD!!!

It wasn't that he got figured out, he was just missing his locations and leaving his pitches up. He was still jamming hitters and making them look foolish on the changeup.

 

so you're saying he looked like s*** towards the end? Missing spots and leaving pitches up is just as bad as having flat stuff or getting figured out, because all 3 result in the pitcher getting hit hard, and adjustments have to be made for all 3 of them for the pitcher to find success again.

those guys are assholes.

Floyd actually turned in a very nice performance today.

He did; but against, what, a predominantly minor league lineup?

 

This crap of the coaches placing Floyd after Danks in a game (or vice versa) needs to stop. If we really want to judge their performance, have both pitching separately against major league lineups. Have Buehrle and the veterans in B games.

As long as we are debating the 5th starter, let's throw Charlie Haeger out there again since nobody is running away with the spot.

For the comedy value?

MOTHER OF GOD!!!

Oh hey, it's a newbie.

For the comedy value?

Considering he is 28-11 the past 2 seasons in the minors, and was not too bad in the majors after his initial start (I'm sure nobody ever is nervous their first major league game) its unbelievable to me he's not the frontrunner for this job. It really should be his to lose.

The drunk fans are hilarious.

Considering he is 28-11 the past 2 seasons in the minors, and was not too bad in the majors after his initial start (I'm sure nobody ever is nervous their first major league game) its unbelievable to me he's not the frontrunner for this job. It really should be his to lose.

 

His ERA might not indicate it, but he could probably be just as bad or worse than Floyd or Danks. With Haeger, you can't just look at his ERA because of how many passed balls he has.

 

Then again, I've never been a fan of knuckleball pitchers, so bias is also entering the picture.

Considering he is 28-11 the past 2 seasons in the minors, and was not too bad in the majors after his initial start (I'm sure nobody ever is nervous their first major league game) its unbelievable to me he's not the frontrunner for this job. It really should be his to lose.

We thought that about McCarthy and look where he ended up.

 

I really believe he is the fall back option. If Danks or Floyd show enough by opening day, Haeger should be the default 5th starter while the other two work out their issues in Charlotte.

His ERA might not indicate it, but he could probably be just as bad or worse than Floyd or Danks. With Haeger, you can't just look at his ERA because of how many passed balls he has.

 

Then again, I've never been a fan of knuckleball pitchers, so bias is also entering the picture.

Its not just his ERA. He's getting wins. He eats innings, and if catchers can't catch it, hitters can't hit it. Its better than watching Danks and Floyd pitch home run derby, which is probably going to happen if either one of them is in the rotation.

Considering he is 28-11 the past 2 seasons in the minors, and was not too bad in the majors after his initial start (I'm sure nobody ever is nervous their first major league game) its unbelievable to me he's not the frontrunner for this job. It really should be his to lose.

 

 

Exactly my thought. Even though the knuckleball allegedly does not work as well in AZ, I don't think he is even being considered anymore.

Its not just his ERA. He's getting wins. He eats innings, and if catchers can't catch it, hitters can't hit it. Its better than watching Danks and Floyd pitch home run derby, which is probably going to happen if either one of them is in the rotation.

That's why, IMO, whether Danks or Floyd are chosen you have to bring Haeger along in the bullpen. There may be some brutal starts where someone is needed to eat innings. The organization may have already pegged Masset as that person, though.

Edited March 18, 200719 yr by Flash Tizzle

The fact that Wakefield is the only knuckleballer in the bigs (that I can think of) and he enjoys success might make the novelty of having a knuckleballer in itself an attractive idea. Aside from his first appearance, he was effective.

That's why, IMO, whether Danks or Floyd are chosen you have to bring Haeger along in the bullpen. There may be some brutal starts where someone is needed to eat innings. The organization may have already pegged Masset as that person, though.

We heard that last year. Haeger had a BAA against him last season in the major leagues of .182. He averaged over a strikeout an inning. He walked a few, but his ERA was 3.44. He didn't allow a homer. His numbers, and obviously its a very small sample size, where much better than Javier Vazquez's and the Sox have him for 4 more years at over $40 million. How come Haeger doesn't get a fair shot?

How come Haeger doesn't get a fair shot?

 

Knuckleballers are not quite as sexy as a potential lefty stud and a former #1 pick that came in controversial trades.