Notes: Mitre to be skipped in rotation

09/17/2007 7:54 PM ET

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

 

ATLANTA -- Barring some tinkering with the rotation in the final few games, Sergio Mitre has made his final start of the season for the Marlins.

 

In a season already filled with injuries to a number of promising pitchers, the organization is playing it safe with the 26-year-old right-hander.

 

On Monday, manager Fredi Gonzalez announced that Mitre is being skipped for his Thursday start, which would be against the Mets at Dolphin Stadium. Instead, rookie Daniel Barone is getting the call.

 

Unless the team uses him either out of the bullpen or in another slot in the rotation, Mitre doesn't fall in line to make anymore starts this season.

 

Asked if Mitre was being shut down the remainder of the year, Gonzalez said: "We haven't got to that point yet, but [he'll] definitely [miss] one."

 

Mitre has labored in the second half, and the team has tried a few different options in hopes of keeping him fresh. His last start was on Saturday at Colorado, but he was taken out after 4 2/3 innings and 74 pitches in a no-decision.

 

Mitre walked four and allowed five hits, and while he exited with one run allowed, he was constantly working out of trouble.

 

Before the start at Coors Field, the right-hander was given 10 days between outings. His previous start was on Sept. 5, when he lasted two-thirds of an inning, giving up three runs in a no-decision at Washington.

 

"We've given him some time off and we've given him some opportunities, but the ball just isn't coming out right," Gonzalez said. "The other day, he threw three pretty good innings and he just hit the wall a little bit, so we're going to give him at least one start [off].

 

"His velocity has been OK, but the life on the ball isn't the same. Why risk injury right now?"

 

Mitre says he may be battling fatigue.

 

The right-hander has logged 149 innings in 27 starts, by far his heftiest workload at the big league level.

 

In May he was outstanding, going 2-0 with a 1.12 ERA in six starts. He allowed five earned funs in 40 1/3 innings.

 

Since the All-Star break, he is 2-4 with a 7.27 ERA, giving up 49 earned runs in 60 2/3 innings.

 

"It's not responding, I guess," Mitre said of the life on his pitches. "It's like I'm throwing the ball, and it's not going where I want it."

 

Foremost in the season is that Mitre has increased his innings and total starts. In April, he spent a little time on the disabled list with a blister. And in late May, he tweaked his right hamstring, yet avoided the disabled list and missed only one start.

 

For the season, Mitre is 5-8 with a 4.65 ERA, striking out 80 and walking 41.

 

In 2006, he missed a majority of the season with a shoulder injury and he ended up throwing only 41 total innings.

 

Heading into Spring Training, the most innings Mitre threw in the Major Leagues was 60 1/3, while he was with the Cubs in 2005. That year he added 70 2/3 innings at Triple-A Iowa.

 

The 149 innings now are the most he's tossed since 168 2/3 innings in 2002, his second season of pro ball.

 

Barone has made four big league starts, but he's pitched out of the bullpen of late, last throwing on Saturday at Colorado.

 

 

Captain Mitre's ship is flying its flag at half mast..

Frankly, we should shut down the whole first-line crowd and make it the AAA show on the mound. We obviously need to take a look at every pitching prospect in the organization in case Nolasco and Sanchez can't make a go of it next season.

Frankly, we should shut down the whole first-line crowd and make it the AAA show on the mound. We obviously need to take a look at every pitching prospect in the organization in case Nolasco and Sanchez can't make a go of it next season.

Well, out two top prospects were already shut down.

Didn't Jason Wood pitch earlier this year. And of course Amezaga can do it-he can do anything. So the rotation the rest of the year is D-Train, Woody, Amezaga, Kim, Barone (notice Scotty is missing). What a year this has been.

Frankly, we should shut down the whole first-line crowd and make it the AAA show on the mound. We obviously need to take a look at every pitching prospect in the organization in case Nolasco and Sanchez can't make a go of it next season.

 

Problem is the only guys who we'd really want to win a rotation spot next spring are shut down already. There'd be nothing to "gain" from doing that other than maybe improving our draft standing, but we've come this far with who we've got, I'm sure they can finish the job.

Frankly, we should shut down the whole first-line crowd and make it the AAA show on the mound. We obviously need to take a look at every pitching prospect in the organization in case Nolasco and Sanchez can't make a go of it next season.

 

Problem is the only guys who we'd really want to win a rotation spot next spring are shut down already. There'd be nothing to "gain" from doing that other than maybe improving our draft standing, but we've come this far with who we've got, I'm sure they can finish the job.

 

That's an overstatement, I think we've only shut down our top 2-3 guys. Based upon what Scotty and BYK have given recently, I hardly think we are going to get worse. Losing by 14 instead of 9 is still losing.