Chris Volstad Optioned to AAA NOLA

[Ramp]

I'm glad you give up so easily on 24-year olds. Disregarding the fact that a lot of pitchers actually start making their major league debuts around the age of 24.

He's shown flashes of being a reliable major league starter (look at his non-Phillies June starts. He was even getting groundballs like crazy then with his sinker). He just needs to get some consistency.

You need to stop with this. They aren't the '27 Yankees.

[McKeon]

Any word on who's gonna fill his spot? Are we going with bullpen starts or Brad Hand or, what?

[Beef]

Ehe - last year

Just two starts ago, all of the beat writers used the term "hard luck loss" when he gave up 3 runs in 6 innings but lost because we got shut out.

That's why I'm so pissed. This was uncalled for. Our starting pitching has been the least of our problems and Volstad hasn't even been our worst starter. I'm sure the front office wants us to have the Padres rotation but, as has been said before, we don't have any better options in the minors than Volstad.

I still think he was starting to turn it around, had one bad start and the coaching staff gave up on him.

Ehe, Edwin was out to get him

Edwin Rodriguez has only been here for, what two of Chris' starts? He gets here and Volstad goes to AAA so Edwin can bring back Hopper, who he had in AAA.

Ehe, she quotes coachspeak

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.

"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.

[el nino]

So if some woman somewhere had sex with Wes Helms, does this mean that she also would think that Wes Helms was an exceptional hitter and everyone treats him unfairly and his stats are looked at wrong and he just hasn't been given enough chances yet or whatever else mibs says about Volstad? Or is mibs the only one who does this?

Sorry for the random appearance again boys, just had to chime in on this very entertaining thread.

[Fritz]

When I saw that Volstad got sent down I had to see the fallout. It did not disappoint.

[Ramp]

definitely confused

[nny]

Volstad was always over hyped. He was a gb pitcher with no k and averagish control. No idea why ace was thrown around as a prospect. Those guys become get by as below average starters thanks to limiting xbh to offset bad k/bb. Derek Lowe was thrown around as his upside, which was dumb to the tune of over 10% in GB rate. He became what he showed in the minors: no substantial ability(s) to make him above average, but a just good enough k/bb to stay a back of the rotation guy if he limits xbh.

But he fails there, dropping him from "just good enough" to milb material.

And it's interesting because it is HRs. His career BABIP is average, and in terms of 2B/3B, he's actually a bit above average

(2B+3B)/(H-HR)
(So bad BABIP doesnt skew)

Volstad career : 23%
JJ: 21%
Nolasco : 27%
'11 average : 24%

But he gives up a ton of HRs. If he can drop his HR/FB to a respectable rate (and considering his ability to limit singles and 2B/3B at an average rate, he should be able to), he can be what he was last year: fine back of the rotation guy; Hopefully he does with our pour depth. But if he hits arbitration, it's hard to justify that*. And if we can get someone to believe in his perceived "upside", do it. "Change of scenery" swap him with another failed prospect who actually has legit upside at a position of need. Chance of that happening is slim but a guy can dream.

*Though, with stadium revenue next year, paying him a bill in arbitration, and sending him to AAA so we pay a fraction of it and have him as depth isnt bad idea

[Chewford]

Chris Volstad might be an okay starter in the Korean league. He can rent my loft.

[emkayseven]

but then where would you live?

[Chewford]

The rest of my apartment?

[lou]

*Though, with stadium revenue next year, paying him a bill in arbitration, and sending him to AAA so we pay a fraction of it and have him as depth isnt bad idea

He started the year with 2.085 days of service. Adding April-July on top of that is at absolutely minimum, making him a Super2 even if he doesn't get over 3 years of service time (but I think he already has simplistically adding 100+ days to his time). There is no hope of cost savings here, unlike Coghlan which they probably prevent if they keep him down 3-5 weeks.

DFA or a Willingham/Olsen trade is coming soon for Volstad.

[Metes]

Okay. I'm done. I joker smiled lots thru this. Then Erick and Todd came round and shit all over it. Then I smiled a lil bit more when Mibs came back.

Good show, gang. Good show.

[MiamiHomer]

Sounds like the same thing they said about Hermida.

[Miamarlin21]

Sounds like the same thing they said about Hermida.

But if you take out all of Herm's 0-4's....

[Mainge]

At least with Hermida, he had that one really kick ass second half that kind of showed what he could be.