Why Was Volstad Really Sent Down?

[Ramp]

Really bringing alot to the table, fip

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Pitcher Chris Volstad took the news of his demotion to the minor leagues late Tuesday just as the Marlins expected: Like a professional, but not a happy one.

"He was very honest. He let everybody know, 'I am very disappointed. I don't think I deserve this, but I will go down there and work on whatever I have to do,' ' Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said Wednesday.

The Marlins understand Volstad's frustration. He had pitched five innings or more in 14 of his 17 starts. But his inability to pitch ahead in the count or throw quality pitches with any consistency prompted his latest trip back to Class AAA New Orleans.

Volstad, a Palm Beach Gardens High graduate, allowed five runs in three innings Tuesday in Florida's 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was yanked from the game after walking the first batter in the fourth inning on four pitches, then optioned to New Orleans.

He was ahead in the count on just seven of 17 batters he faced, prompting batters to sit on his fastball. Matt Kemp hit a two-run home run and Casey Blake hit a solo shot. The Dodgers also stole three bases off him.

"You can't pitch behind up here. Last night was one of those game,' pitching coach Randy St. Claire said.

Volstad, 23, was 4-8 with a 4.78 ERA. He had one win in his last 11 starts, and the Marlins were 4-12 when he took the mound this year.

"In 14 out of 17 games he has given us a chance to win ballgames. That's all about you can ask out of your starting pitchers, giving you a chance to win,' St. Claire said before pointing out that those games don't fully illustrate Volstad's problems this year.

"He just needs to stay focused and attack the strike zone early in the counts. You can't pitch behind.'

Volstad was visibly shocked by the demotion, which came in the same ballpark where he won his first major league start by allowing one run in 8 2/3 innings on July 11, 2008.

But over his next 59 career starts, Volstad turned into a source of frustration for an organization that took him in the first round with 16th overall pick of the 2005 draft.

"It's tough because I want to be here. I think I deserve to be here," said Volstad, who had one win in his last 11 starts.

"Obviously there are things I need to work on, so I've got to go down there with a positive attitude and try and get back here as soon as I can.'

St. Claire believes Volstad also needs to improve the mental part of his game, which should translate into positive results on the mound.

"He needs to improve holding runners. He needs to improve on his command of his secondary pitches, being able to work them behind in counts, not just, 'When I fall behind here comes the fastball.' If you just throw a fastball every time you're behind in the count, you're going to have a rough go of it,' St. Claire said.

For now, the Marlins will turn to 21-year-old Alex Sanabia to take Volstad's slot, which comes up Sunday in Arizona. Sanabia was 5-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 14 starts for Class AA Jacksonville before the Marlins called him up June 22.

He is 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in three appearances out of the bullpen. Reliever Burke Badenhop was re-called from New Orleans to take Volstad's roster spot.

It's unclear how the rotation will go after the All-Star break. Rodriguez mentioned left-hander Sean West, who is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in New Orleans, as a possible option. But the Marlins made clear that they expect Volstad to return to the rotation this year.

"He's got a bright future ahead of him,' St. Claire said. "I think he can be a good major-league pitcher. He just needs to put it all together and stay consistent with it.'

It was the second minor-league demotion for Volstad, who was optioned to New Orleans last August after an inconsistent season.

"Nobody wants to send him there,' Rodriguez said, "but sometimes you've got to take a step back to move forward. I think that's the situation with Volstad. He's going to be up here for many, many years.'

Demotion to minors stuns Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad, who vows to return

Talk about consistency, the coaches need some of that. They basically said "he's given us a chance to win in all but 3 games he's pitched this year but he's not consistent". It makes no sense. He's consistent enough to give you 5+ innings and "keep the team in the game" in all but 3 starts. And he had two starts back-to-back before Tuesday where he didn't walk a batter and threw over 65% of his pitches for strikes in both of those games. I know I'm beating a dead horse hear and you all are sick of hearing me but this still doesn't warrent a demotion to me.

[HUGG]

Wow, if we consider pitching 5 innings giving the team a chance to win the game then we've just found another fun problem with our organization.

[Beef]

Wow, if we consider pitching 5 innings giving the team a chance to win the game then we've just found another fun problem with our organization.

NateBob for life

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

"In 14 out of 17 games he has given us a chance to win ballgames. That's all about you can ask out of your starting pitchers, giving you a chance to win," St. Claire said.

This is the specific quote I was referring to. St. Claire said himself that that's about all you can ask from your starting pitcher but they sent him to AAA anyway. That's why I said that they make no sense. They can't even give a good enough reason for him to be sent down.

[Beef]

What is coach speak?

You mean St Claire didn't want to say Volstad is fat-necked, good-for-nothin pitcher that isn't fooling any hitters?

Weird stuff!

[HUGG]

This is the specific quote I was referring to. St. Claire said himself that that's about all you can ask from your starting pitcher but they sent him to AAA anyway. That's why I said that they make no sense. They can't even give a good enough reason for him to be sent down.

"He needs to improve holding runners. He needs to improve on his command of his secondary pitches, being able to work them behind in counts, not just, 'When I fall behind here comes the fastball.' If you just throw a fastball every time you're behind in the count, you're going to have a rough go of it,' St. Claire said.

[Beef]

But he said nice stuff too!

We can literally ask nothing more of Chris Volstad

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

My point is that that is fine for that start against the Dodgers but his two starts before were better. They said it's not because of one game but he was sent down after a bad start when he had a quality start two starts prior and a game where he gave up 3 earned runs the start before and probably would have gone back out for the 6th inning had his spot in the order not come up in a tie game with runners on the corners.

[Beef]

Oh, you would prob feel better about this whole thing if he threw a complete game shutout his last game out. Then it would for sure be true without a doubt that it was not about one game

[McLevin]

I blame all of this on his new girlfriend

[Swifty]

Yeah mibs, this went from bad to worse, he's spoken for now.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

As I told Levin yesterday, that is nothing I didn't already know.

[FishFanInPA]

she helped set them up.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Volstad today: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K. 98 pitches, 55 strikes. 7 groundouts, 5 flyouts. 15 first pitch strikes out of 24 batters.

Walks were a little high but he didn't let them hurt him like NateRob did.
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My favorite line from the Iowa Cubs announcers.

"Word is the Marlins sent Volstad here to be fixed. I'm not sure what was broken. He looked good."