Blue Crew at Brew Crew Game Thread
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 8:00 AM PDT
in Game Threads
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Dodgers (13-13) @ Brewers (13-9), 1:05pm
The Dodgers and Brewers face off today in Maryvale. Manny Ramirez returns to the field for the first time since tweaking his hamstring almost two weeks ago, so says Ramona Shelburne of the Daily News. Ryan Braun also makes his return, joining the Brewers after playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reported Chad Billingsley -- recovering from a groin strain -- is tentatively scheduled to throw a bullpen session Thursday and start Sunday.
Ken Gurnick reported fellow 5th starter candidates Eric Stults and Claudio Vargas will pitch for the Dodgers today. Gurnick adds that Stults will need "a strong outing to stay alive in the fifth-starter competition."
Manny Parra toes the rubber for Milwaukee. The Dodgers managed three runs and seven hits in four innings of Parra on March 14.
Ken Gurnick gives us the Dodger lineup:
Furcal SS
Hudson 2B
Manny LF
Ethier RF
Martin C
Blake 3B
Mientkiewicz 1B
Pierre CF
Stults P
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"Stults will need 'a strong outing to stay alive in the fifth-starter competition.'"
Makes sense. Why would Stults be given the same opportunity as the wily veterans we’re running out there?
/sarcasm
by Brendan Scolari on Mar 25, 2009 11:54 AM PDT reply actions
At first I thought it seemed ridiculous
but if they’re going by spring stats, Stults has been the worst of the four:
McDonald: 12.1 IP, 2 HR, 6/8 BB/K, 5.84 ERA, 5.71 FIP
Vargas: 14.1 IP, 4 HR, 5/15 BB/K, 6.28 ERA, 5.99 FIP
Milton: 14.2 IP, 3 HR, 5/8 BB/K, 4.91 ERA, 6.00 FIP
Stults: 6 IP, 1 HR, 4/1 BB/K, 12.00 ERA, 7.53 FIP
Small sample size obviously, but one strikeout in 6 innings is poor. Stults has some innings against minor leaguers that aren’t included here too.
So basically Stults does need a strong outing to stay in it.
Personally, my ranking of these candidates would be:
1) McDonald (clearly)
2) Stults (he’s been fine over the last 3 years, so much so to offset a poor spring)
…
297) Dreifort
298) Koufax
299) Drysdale
300) Vargas
301) Milton
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Haha!
Those would be my rankings too. But if McDonald doesn’t win the job I think Milton or Vargas almost assuredly will. They won’t let Stults start unless its an emergency.
by Brendan Scolari on Mar 25, 2009 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions
re:
While we sort out what the future holds for Schmidt:
The only advantage I see for Stults is that he’s home grown. Nothing indicates that we can actually pitch better then Vargas at the major league level. On the other hand I like watching him hit so I hope he wins the job but I don’t think he’s an improvement on Vargas. He made 7 starts last year and the last five are more indicative of what he’d do on a regular basis. Neither is very good but Vargas has had his moments. In 2007 he won a spot in the rotation due to injury and after 15 starts had an ERA of 3.89 before imploding, including one game where he struck out 11 hitters. I think we’d be happy with that as we wait for Schmidt.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/gl.cgi?n1=vargacl01&year=2007&t=p
I'm more worried about the HRs
as Cameron unloads on Vargas…
Stults from 2006-2008 gave up 0.9 HR/9 in Vegas and 1.42 HR/9 in 95 major league innings.
Vargas from 2006-2008 gave up 2.03 HR/9 in 237 major league innings.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Cue Emily Litella
Never mind.
I’m an idiot. Vargas has thrown 339 IP over the last 3 years. His HR/9 is a Stultsian 1.43.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions
It comes down to health
If Vargas is healthy, I don’t mind him over Stults. But is he or will he be healthy?
2006-2008
Vargas 4.94 FIP
Stults 5.12 FIP
2009 projections
Vargas from 4.57-5.03 FIP
Stults – from 4.48-4.81 FIP
Perhaps a better question is can either one handle a bullpen role, as the mop up man? That could happen I suppose.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions
meer
I think I remember you tossing out those first two sarts before when talking about Stults. What’s your thinking?
by Bob Hendley on Mar 25, 2009 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Stults out after 2.1 IP
bases loaded, 1 out. Safe to say Stults will not be our 5th starter to start the season. But we already knew that.
re:
I think when you visit you will notice how the ball carries in March in Arizona. Fly ball pitchers do not fare well. Still I doubt if Torre is thrilled with the choices Ned has given him. Bet he’s lobbying for Pedro every night.
Yeah, crazy wind out there
the one good thing is that McDonald is emerging more and more. I believe J-Mac is starting tomorrow.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
My fantasy team weeps
Ryan Braun left today’s game with “right side stiffness,” according to the Brewers’ broadcast team.
How do you spell relief?
From the LA Times, pre-game notes from today:
Claudio Vargas will pitch today in relief, something Manager Joe Torre said he might want him to do during the regular season. If Vargas’ move to the bullpen is permanent, James McDonald will likely be the Dodgers’ fifth starter.
I blame
Lindblom’s bad day on the fact that he was supposed to pitch last night on TV (according to Lyle Spencer). I have yet to see him.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Vargas reminds
me of Loiaza last year when I didn’t think he’d be such a bad option. I guess I don’t expect much from the fifth starter going back to the Tomko days.
Big K for Lindblom using the curve with 1st and 3rd.
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