Offseason Discussion - The Bullpen and How it Will Suck

[Party]

[FishFanInPA]

Remember ladies and gentleman, he's the only one of us on this message board who gets paid for wonderful insights like this.

Well actually the Florida Marlins never come up on our radio show so actually insights like that aren't what i'm getting paid for.

[Beef]

I'd guess that it is indeed insights like that.

[Bobbob1313]

PECOTA is a little higher on our pitchers now than before.

They especially like the Jose Veras addition, projecting him for a 3.75 ERA and 1.3 WHIP in 50 innings. they aren't as high on McClung, but they don't see him as a terrible addition, projecting him for a 4.58 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP.

They also see RVH as our best option for 5th starter, projecting him for a 4.44 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, both of which I could more than live with.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

They also see RVH as our best option for 5th starter, projecting him for a 4.44 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, both of which I could more than live with.

I won't get into the numbers projection but I think VandenHurk is still a long shot at the rotation. I agree with Joe Cappozzi in what he said in the article I posted a few days ago. I think Volstad and Anibal have the 3 and 4 spots. That leaves VandenHurk to battle two lefties for the final spot in the rotation. While we did go with an all right handed rotation for a little while last year (granted, it was only a 4 man rotation), I think the front office is going to want at least one lefty in the rotation.

I'd still like to see what VandenHurk could do in the bullpen but if he has an option left (as nny mentioned), I doubt we see that.

[lou]

I'd still like to see what VandenHurk could do in the bullpen but if he has an option left (as nny mentioned), I doubt we see that.

But that's only a good thing, because he can get 150 innings in NOLA now and whether he turns into a SP or a RP, just getting the innings and working on his control is going to benefit him. Pinto started 47 of 48 games in AA/AAA, and never had 1 start with the Marlins. Straight to the bullpen. It happens.

Just let them throw. They'll figure themselves out.

[Jay]

VandenHurk dominated in AAA last year. There isnt much left for him to figure out there. Eventually he does need to move up and face a higher competition. RVH should be in the bigs unless his spring is horrible or everyone else is just that good and its a numbers game.

[nny]

VandenHurk dominated in AAA last year. There isnt much left for him to figure out there. Eventually he does need to move up and face a higher competition. RVH should be in the bigs unless his spring is horrible or everyone else is just that good and its a numbers game.

I don't know about that. He's a fastball/slider pitching right now. He needs a pitch against LHP. Going to AAA to work on his change up would be grand.

Last year in AAA he had a 1.71 BB/K against LHP, 7.50 against RHP. That's over 4 times greater. 3.68 xFIP against RHP last year, 4.88 against LHP.

What is interesting though is that he had a high BB/K against LHP in the majors last year (2.50) than against RHP (2.11), so might not be a split. Both are small sample sizes. But combine the two and you get 1.96 BB/K against LHP and 4.46 against RHP. And since he's arsenal is currently that that is only good against RHP, I'd lean towards the split.

So yeah, AAA time, work on a pitch to for lefties so he can stay in the rotation.