unbelievable...talk about being spoiled. you guys already want Willis demoted after a couple of bad starts? The damn kid is 22 YEARS OLD, what the hell do you guys expect? a cy young? He doesn't have Beckett Stuff, or Penny stuff,He's doing a good job with what he has and will only get better, but he needs the experience and that DOESNT mean throwing him into the bullpen after every slump. Once AJ returns he'll be our #5...not many teams can have that luxury.

A couple? Every time he goes out he has the same problems: control and pitching for the strikeout. Even in the complete game against the Astros he only threw first-pitch strikes half the time. Had they been a little more patient they would have had him out of the game by the sixth inning.

I believe in the Billy Beane mode where you dont waste good arms for bullpen spots. Especially to have him as a middle relief pitcher.

 

They knew he only had two pitches so why didnt they work with him more during the Spring to develop a new pitch.

not bad for a 5th starter...

Every time he goes out he has the same problems: control and pitching for the strikeout.

Since when has Dontrelle ever pitched for the strikeout?

 

Unlike Brad Penny last year, Dontrelle knows he isn't A.J. Burnett.

 

What are you talking about?

I was thinking about Willis being a closer, even though we have Benitez.

 

He has the confidence it seems, even though the way he pitches lately he probably shouldn't....

 

With the sneaky delivery Willis could end up being very good in the pen...?

unbelievable...talk about being spoiled. you guys already want Willis demoted after a couple of bad starts? The damn kid is 22 YEARS OLD, what the hell do you guys expect? a cy young? He doesn't have Beckett Stuff, or Penny stuff,He's doing a good job with what he has and will only get better, but he needs the experience and that DOESNT mean throwing him into the bullpen after every slump. Once AJ returns he'll be our #5...not many teams can have that luxury.

A couple? Every time he goes out he has the same problems: control and pitching for the strikeout. Even in the complete game against the Astros he only threw first-pitch strikes half the time. Had they been a little more patient they would have had him out of the game by the sixth inning. Yes a couple...how long ago was it that Willis was 3-0 with a 0 ERA? A few weeks? HE"S STRUGGLING, It happens when you have young players. Choi went through it, Cabrera's going through it...hell, evem Beckett's been in a funk.

 

Typical "what have you done for me lately" crowd....Go on a hot streak and you're the leagues best, go through a funk you belong in AAA. I love what Penny has done thus far but I've read people claling him a top 10 pitcher on these forums which is just laughable. Has he pitched well? Sure, but is that enough to put him with the Clemens', Prior's of the world? Give me a break.

 

Dontrelle will break out of his funk soon enough. Slumps are quite common with youngsters.

Go back and look at those early starts. The ones aganst teams that could actually hit had him out by the 6th or 7th inning.

 

 

Since when has Dontrelle ever pitched for the strikeout?

 

When he reaches 2 strikes it takes him another 3 pitches to record any sort of out. He needs to start just throwing strikes and rely on the gold glove defense behind him.

Well Penny IS a top 10 pitcher this year so far.

 

 

 

you dont have the 4th best ERA in Mid May as an accident.

good point, he also had a bad funk last year towards the end of the season. As much as I'd like to think that this is a slump, I'm not 100% sure about that. Still, sending Willis to the pen isn't an option, as it would leave us with:

 

A) DO

 

B) a 4 man rotation, which makes our pitchers more prone to injuries due to fatigue

Well, one of the two (DO and Willis) has to move to the bullpen for Burnett. So you have to ask which is the better in each role.

Well, one of the two (DO and Willis) has to move to the bullpen for Burnett. So you have to ask which is the better in each role.

Oliver has been plain awful all year long and for the most part, his entire career. He was a bad signing by Beinfest, he belongs no where near a playoff contenders rotation, and even bullpen for that matter. Phelps and Perisho are much better options as left handed relievers right now...DO should be sent to AAA or just bought out.

I wouldn't be opposed to sending both Oliver and Willis to the pen, and Perisho (he's not that good, walking a third of the lefties he's faced and his ERA is helped by other relievers not letting his baserunners score) to AAA and Phelps into the rotation.

But I don't think McKeon would try it.

I wouldn't be opposed to sending both Oliver and Willis to the pen, and Perisho (he's not that good, walking a third of the lefties he's faced and his ERA is helped by other relievers not letting his baserunners score) to AAA and Phelps into the rotation.

But I don't think McKeon would try it.

Not a good idea. Willis should stay in the rotation. Oliver should be released. I like Perisho. Phelps is decent as long relief. Bump is garbage.

I wouldn't be opposed to sending both Oliver and Willis to the pen, and Perisho (he's not that good, walking a third of the lefties he's faced and his ERA is helped by other relievers not letting his baserunners score) to AAA and Phelps into the rotation.

But I don't think McKeon would try it.

Terrible idea. Phelps, our only effective BP guy other than Benitez to the minors?

 

Phelps, a journeyman minor leaguer into our rotation when we have a rising star in Dontrelle Willis?

 

Bump to the minors when AJ comes back, Oliver or Willis to the pen depensing on their last start before AJ comes back.

Willis should just stay with his usual pitching form even with runners on base. There is little to no deception when he pitches with runners on base. I am sure Rosenthal is aware of this and we should see a change in his next start.

Oliver's not going to be released, he makes too much money to not get anything of value out of them. And Bump isn't going to be sent down, we're hurting for righthanded relievers as it is. If Oliver or Willis get sent to the bullpen another southpaw is going to be sent packing.

 

Also Perisho is no better than Bump. They are both role pitchers (Perisho - lefty specialist, Bump - groundball specialist) who do their jobs fairly well. The only difference is that when another reliever comes in after them that reliever allows 7 of Bump's 9 baserunners to score and none of Perisho's 11. Switch those around and we'd be calling for Perisho's head.

Oliver in the pen, Bump to the Isotopes, AJ and DW in the rotation.

 

Have A Nice Day!

Someone should kidnap Oliver for the rest of the season. Put his A** on Waivers and see if the Rockies make a move.

Since when is moving a starter to the pen a demotion? So I guess Eckersley, Gagne, and Smoltz were all demoted?

Actually, Gagne WAS demoted to the pen. No, he wasn't. He was lackluster as a starter, yes, but he was hurt and when he came back they had an opening at closer and didn't want to go to the committee. He won the job, and has been amazing ever since. He was not demoted.

Terrible idea. Phelps, our only effective BP guy other than Benitez to the minors?

 

Phelps, a journeyman minor leaguer into our rotation when we have a rising star in Dontrelle Willis?

Only effective? Borland and Wayne already are. Willis would be. Oliver has a decent chance to be.

 

And what's the point of having a rising star that's too stubborn to learn a third pitch in the rotation when we're contending?

Oliver in the pen, Bump to the Isotopes, AJ and DW in the rotation.

 

Have A Nice Day!

Oliver in the pen would cost us more games than he does in the starting rotation.

 

Fact.

Oliver in the pen, Bump to the Isotopes, AJ and DW in the rotation.

 

Have A Nice Day!

Oliver in the pen would cost us more games than he does in the starting rotation.

 

Fact. Thats a fact! (Tom Arnold Voice)

Oliver in the pen, Bump to the Isotopes, AJ and DW in the rotation.

 

Have A Nice Day!

Oliver in the pen would cost us more games than he does in the starting rotation.

 

Fact. Oliver in the rotation would cost us even more games.

 

FACT

Terrible idea. Phelps, our only effective BP guy other than Benitez to the minors?

 

Phelps, a journeyman minor leaguer into our rotation when we have a rising star in Dontrelle Willis?

Only effective? Borland and Wayne already are. Willis would be. Oliver has a decent chance to be.

 

And what's the point of having a rising star that's too stubborn to learn a third pitch in the rotation when we're contending? Too stubborn?

 

Don't act like you know him personally, man. He's just struggling. He'll get over it. We're forgetting how good he was last year and that he's only 22.

 

Phelps is 30 or 31 and still hasn't learned and it's the same with Oliver.

 

ANYONE would take Willis over Oliver and Phelps. It's just DUMB to start those two guys instead of Willis.

Oliver in the pen, Bump to the Isotopes, AJ and DW in the rotation.

 

Have A Nice Day!

Oliver in the pen would cost us more games than he does in the starting rotation.

 

Fact. Oliver in the rotation would cost us even more games.

 

FACT How so?

 

At least we know every fifth day we are going to need to turn the other pitcher into a hitting machine to be able to compete. But when he is in the pen you never know, Jack might bring him in games that are already decided or he may bring him in when it counts. And what happens when he blows a shutout bid by Josh, Brad, AJ, or Carl? What happens when the on fire Dontrelle shows up and throws a three hitter to run out of gas in the middle of the 8th with 2 men on and a couple of lefties coming up, and DO is summoned? What happens to team morale when you perform so well during the game and you just lose it in the end because the person being trotted out there couldn't hit the broad side of the Russia with a nuclear warhead?