http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/articl...sp&c_id=fla

 

Notes: Nolasco picking up speed

10/26/2007 12:05 PM ET

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

 

MIAMI -- Some life has returned to Ricky Nolasco's fastball.

Pitching for the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, Nolasco's fastball was clocked recently in the mid 90s, according to his agent, Matt Sosnick.

 

Nolasco, one of four Florida rookies to reach double-digits in wins in 2006, had an injury-interrupted '07. Twice he went on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow, and he finished up the season pitching at Triple-A Albuquerque.

 

At the Fall League, the Marlins are looking for Nolasco to log some lost innings.

 

After some initial soreness from inactivity, Sosnick said of Nolasco, "Now he's throwing in the mid-90s."

 

In four AFL starts, Nolasco still is showing signs of rust. He suffered the loss on Thursday night, giving up three runs over three innings while throwing 45 pitches. He is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA for Saguaro, and on the positive side, he has struck out 10 in 11 2/3 innings.

 

For the Marlins in '07, the 24-year-old right-hander appeared in five games (four starts). He posted a 1-2 record with a 5.48 ERA, striking out 11 while walking nine in 21 1/3 innings.

 

Late in the season, he was optioned to Triple-A, where he was 0-2 with a 14.09 ERA in four starts for the Isotopes, allowing 24 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings.

 

The fact that he combined to throw 58 total innings (counting his Minor League stints) was a reason the Marlins wanted him to get more work in Arizona.

 

In 2006, Nolasco made an impact when he joined the rookie-filled rotation. He finished with an 11-11 record (4.82 ERA), compiling 140 innings.

 

Exactly what role Nolasco may have once Spring Training begins will depend upon his performance and team needs. There is a chance he could be moved to the bullpen.

Hopefully his curveball starts working again too.

Said it a million times but he's going to be the next great closer if he's ever given a chance.

I'd rather use him in an area where we are lacking at the moment.

 

I'd rather sell Gardner while he's hot and then start making Nolasco into overrated trade bait.

Our bullpen is going to be sick.

I'd rather use him in an area where we are lacking at the moment.

 

Because you and I both subscribe to the interchangeable closer theory:

 

You wouldn't rather dump Gregg and his $2 million-ish arbitration award on a team that's desperate, throw in Gardner too if need be, get a centerfielder out of it (to be totally honest, I don't think that package is all that far off from netting us Lastings Milledge who is so far out of favor in New York, and organizationally behind Gomez and even Endy Chavez now).

 

After having said centerfielder you allow Nolasco/Tankersley/Miller/Lindstrom to be your top 4 AND save money in the process.

 

Besides, let's be honest, I like Ricky, I'm sure most like him, but he's not a good/great ML starter, he'd be a great ML bullpen arm.

I'd rather use him in an area where we are lacking at the moment.

 

Because you and I both subscribe to the interchangeable closer theory:

 

You wouldn't rather dump Gregg and his $2 million-ish arbitration award on a team that's desperate, throw in Gardner too if need be, get a centerfielder out of it (to be totally honest, I don't think that package is all that far off from netting us Lastings Milledge who is so far out of favor in New York, and organizationally behind Gomez and even Endy Chavez now).

 

After having said centerfielder you allow Nolasco/Tankersley/Miller/Lindstrom to be your top 4 AND save money in the process.

 

Besides, let's be honest, I like Ricky, I'm sure most like him, but he's not a good/great ML starter, he'd be a great ML bullpen arm.

Maybe until we get our rotation depth back, but right now our rotation is horrible without Nolaco there. I like Willis, Mitre, Olsen, Nolasco and Vanden Hurk atleast until Anibal gets back.

If Gregg is back next year I'll be very pissed and dissapointed.

 

That said, if he is not back next year, I'll be extremely surprised.

 

What's Henry Owens ETA?

I'd rather use him in an area where we are lacking at the moment.

 

Because you and I both subscribe to the interchangeable closer theory:

 

You wouldn't rather dump Gregg and his $2 million-ish arbitration award on a team that's desperate, throw in Gardner too if need be, get a centerfielder out of it (to be totally honest, I don't think that package is all that far off from netting us Lastings Milledge who is so far out of favor in New York, and organizationally behind Gomez and even Endy Chavez now).

 

After having said centerfielder you allow Nolasco/Tankersley/Miller/Lindstrom to be your top 4 AND save money in the process.

 

Besides, let's be honest, I like Ricky, I'm sure most like him, but he's not a good/great ML starter, he'd be a great ML bullpen arm.

I agree with you to a large extent but there are a couple of problems I foresee.

 

I am skeptical that Gregg has the market worth that we think he does. Only one year of closing experience and a mid-3.00 ERA does not sound enticing to most MLB clubs (I could be dead wrong on this, but my intuition forges that argument).

 

I wouldn't have any reservations about dumping Gregg's arbitration checks since I believe his performance can easily be matched from within our organization. Unless the Marlins can get some good talent in return right now, I would perhaps groom him for another season or two and then move him immediately.

 

I am also highly skeptical that Nolasco will develop into a solid ML starter (I think even a number 5 is a mild stretch), but since the rotation is in such a sorry state right now with all of the injuries I think Nolasco is at the moment more useful as a starter. If I knew that Willis and Olsen would play better next season (I don't) and that everyone else will stay healthy, I might think twice about this.

 

Since the front office does not appear to be willing to move Willis this offseason there really aren't many other trade pieces we are willing to part with. I'd like to move Gregg and Jacobs but I don't think they'd bring the return we are all hoping for.

 

I think the wild-card with Gregg is that he's under a controlled (read: reasonable) salary for 2008. That alone should give him value to teams. The only reason I mentioned Milledge was that he is so far out of favor that I think he'd be the kind of guy that'd be in the same realm as Gregg's trade value (aka not much).

 

I think Gregg's a great match for a team that has pitching depth issues and a desire to restrain spending. Now, if that/those team(s) have a young centerfielder they've fallen out of favor with for reasons other than talent collapses, sign me up, and put me down as a person who believes this deal "could" be made but Beinfest is too afraid to make.

I agree with Swift.

 

I think Nolasco has the mental toughness to be a closer and I know he has a good enough curve. Based on his closer "numbers" from last year, some team will be willing to overpay for Gregg. Like Borowski, Gregg is not as good as his "numbers" make him seem (although he does have better stuff than Borowski).

...put me down as a person who believes this deal "could" be made but Beinfest is too afraid to make.

 

:banghead

I'd rather use him in an area where we are lacking at the moment.

 

Because you and I both subscribe to the interchangeable closer theory:

 

You wouldn't rather dump Gregg and his $2 million-ish arbitration award on a team that's desperate, throw in Gardner too if need be, get a centerfielder out of it (to be totally honest, I don't think that package is all that far off from netting us Lastings Milledge who is so far out of favor in New York, and organizationally behind Gomez and even Endy Chavez now).

 

After having said centerfielder you allow Nolasco/Tankersley/Miller/Lindstrom to be your top 4 AND save money in the process.

 

Besides, let's be honest, I like Ricky, I'm sure most like him, but he's not a good/great ML starter, he'd be a great ML bullpen arm.

I agree with you to a large extent but there are a couple of problems I foresee.

 

I am skeptical that Gregg has the market worth that we think he does. Only one year of closing experience and a mid-3.00 ERA does not sound enticing to most MLB clubs (I could be dead wrong on this, but my intuition forges that argument).

 

I wouldn't have any reservations about dumping Gregg's arbitration checks since I believe his performance can easily be matched from within our organization. Unless the Marlins can get some good talent in return right now, I would perhaps groom him for another season or two and then move him immediately.

 

I am also highly skeptical that Nolasco will develop into a solid ML starter (I think even a number 5 is a mild stretch), but since the rotation is in such a sorry state right now with all of the injuries I think Nolasco is at the moment more useful as a starter. If I knew that Willis and Olsen would play better next season (I don't) and that everyone else will stay healthy, I might think twice about this.

 

Since the front office does not appear to be willing to move Willis this offseason there really aren't many other trade pieces we are willing to part with. I'd like to move Gregg and Jacobs but I don't think they'd bring the return we are all hoping for.

 

I think the wild-card with Gregg is that he's under a controlled (read: reasonable) salary for 2008. That alone should give him value to teams. The only reason I mentioned Milledge was that he is so far out of favor that I think he'd be the kind of guy that'd be in the same realm as Gregg's trade value (aka not much).

 

I think Gregg's a great match for a team that has pitching depth issues and a desire to restrain spending. Now, if that/those team(s) have a young centerfielder they've fallen out of favor with for reasons other than talent collapses, sign me up, and put me down as a person who believes this deal "could" be made but Beinfest is too afraid to make.

 

And a large problem that is preventing the Marlins from finding a trading partner to take Gregg of our hands is that we need someone:

 

1.) Who needs a closer

2.) Is small market enough to take the cheaper, less proven route

3.) Has the talent we need

 

Ironically one team that I think could use Gregg is Baltimore. Ray is out for 2008 and Baez was a bust. Their bullpen spending spree last offseason was a disaster and could potentially want to take a more economical route.

 

The only problem is, I don't think they have the talent we need. They are likely parting ways with Corey Patterson so they will need to solidify their CF spot as well.

 

They aren't too keen on Ramon Hernandez as of late and he is making $6.5 million. I'd take him but the deal is heavily backloaded so he might be too expensive. We would probably need to throw in Gardner though at the very least for that to work out.

 

But you don't need to have a team acquire him as a closer. $2 mil or whatever Gregg's making will make him an affordable set up option as well.

 

The teams that I think would be "interested" in Gregg are teams like the Mets, Phillies and Yankees; that need bullpen help but are reluctant to spend on free-agent set-up men because they either won't be worth the money they'll get or the team is reasonably overspent or needs to use their main free agent money on more pressing needs.

That's assuming teams will think he'll put up equivalent numbers outside of the 9th spot. Even teams who hold the traditional closer philosophy will have to question this if his LA numbers are referenced.

 

 

Like I say, I doubt teams are willing to overspend. We would have heard more talk during the deadline otherwise.

 

I'm sure teams kicked the tires on Gregg. I think the reason we didn't hear anything was more to do with general media apathy towards the Marlins, and the fact that Gregg was not "name" enough to warrant a quick hit by the other team's beat-writers, since I'm pretty sure that the conversation went something along the lines of the other team calling, Beinfest saying no, and then moving on.

 

There have been plenty of trades for us to make, but I don't think it's any secret Beinfest has become increasingly gun shy.

Gregg will have a strong market if put on the block. He's proven durable, he's got a good power arm that produces K's, "he gets saves," and has gotten better each of the last three years. It's no surprise his numbers are better being used in 1 inning bursts versus 2-3 inning outings how LAA was using him. The Marlins will be able to get a nice young piece, or two, for him from a bullpen starved team. Can't tell me Cleveland wouldn't take him, and they have a billion young outfielders at all levels. etc, etc.

 

Saying that though, I expect the Marlins to unfortunately keep him this offseason as Beinfest has made it clear the past few years he wants a veteran as the team's closer and doesn't entrust youth to the position (see Looper, Urbina, Benitez, Jones, JoBo, Julio, Gregg). It's going to be really sad when we still have Cody Ross or Amezaga or De Aza in CF to start next year, when guys like Vanden Hurk, Volstad, C. Martinez, and G. Hernandez don't make the team because Beinfest wants to carry Gregg, Gardner, and J. Miller versus trading any pitching in the organization to acquire even a semblance of an option in centerfield.

OT but don't want to make another topic and its basically on the whole possible gregg-for-cf thing

 

Can Chris Snelling play a competent CF?

 

He's now with Tampa Bay, and considering their OF situation, wouldn't be surprised if they just plan to flip him. Though with his injury history I don't imagine him going for a lot....and his knee must be pretty serious considering that Beane was trying to aquire him for years, wasn't he?

 

also:

 

What's Henry Owens ETA?

OT but don't want to make another topic and its basically on the whole possible gregg-for-cf thing

 

Can Chris Snelling play a competent CF?

 

He's now with Tampa Bay, and considering their OF situation, wouldn't be surprised if they just plan to flip him. Though with his injury history I don't imagine him going for a lot....and his knee must be pretty serious considering that Beane was trying to aquire him for years, wasn't he?

 

also:

 

What's Henry Owens ETA?

I dont think Beane really cared when he has an OF depth chart of Swish, Cust, Buck, Kotsay, and Denorfia, that Herrara kid lurking too, and his typical pull dude out of nowhere antics going for him. I remember Seattle wanting to make Snelling a LF, but at this point, who cares. We don't have a real CF in the organization, and at least Snelling would walk a lot. But still, if we're trading with Tampa, I'd want to buy low on Rocco with some RP and hope a change of scenery is all his legs need for him to turn into the monster he can be. If it's rolling the dice with a guy like Snelling who doesn't offer THAT much, might as well roll the dice to the big upside.

 

I've heard anywhere from May to 2009 for Owens. Him and Anibal are just toss ups as to when they get back onto the team. I don't count either till the summer.

 

And

I like Snelling but he's always hurt.

It's going to be really sad when we still have Cody Ross or Amezaga or De Aza in CF to start next year, when guys like Vanden Hurk, Volstad, C. Martinez, and G. Hernandez don't make the team because Beinfest wants to carry Gregg, Gardner, and J. Miller versus trading any pitching in the organization to acquire even a semblance of an option in centerfield.

 

Ditto, that's what I'm afraid of.