Give him one more start and then shut him down. He threw 134 IP last season. Generally teams like to increase by 30 IP each season. He's at 158 2/3 right now, so the math works reasonably well.

And make the start at home! He deserves a standing ovation after his last time on the mound this season.

2 more starts both at home, max of 12 IP.

That's reasonable, I guess. But if he doesn't look sharp in his next start, I hope they shut him down.

Manager Mike Redmond said on Saturday afternoon that Fernandez is looking at a firm innings maximum of 170 innings. Actually, it will be 170 2/3 innings, because he right now is at 158 2/3 innings.

 

Redmond also added that Fernandez will not pitch on the road, against the Cubs on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. Instead, he is being pushed back a couple of days to Friday, Sept. 6 at Marlins Park. He will face the Nationals that day.

 

And Fernandez’s projected last start will be Sept. 11 at home against the Braves.

 

“That was the range as an organization that we felt comfortable leaving him around, 150-170, depending on how many starts he did,� Redmond said. “It was kind of the unknown at the beginning of the season, how he would do, and how he would perform. We were looking at ways to protect him, based on how many innings he had gone before. That’s the number we came up with.�

Flynn.

Only fair IMO to explicitly give the FO credi for sticking to the IP limit set before the season, since we were so quick to rip them at the thought that they'd deviate.

2 more starts both at home, max of 12 IP.

 

 

Reasonable, even if it is very apparent they are doing it to help attendance. He has 11 1/3 innings to go to reach that 170 mark and is averaging just a tad over 6 innings per start.

Help attendance?

 

Which really means revenue. Problem is that 77% of the home gate isn't much different than 23% of the away gate, so moving a start from away to home is almost meaningless, revenue-wise. Which they know better than anyone here. Yeah, they sell a few more hot dogs and other stuff, but I rather think that they are much more interested in promoting the new (and hugely popular) face of the franchise generally. As they should be.

 

As it stands, he's gonna miss 3 starts after his final 2, and the most important one of those 3 would be the last game against DET. How cool would it be to watch him shut-out or hold Cabrera, et al to a run or two in the final game? That sells a lot of tickets for next year.

 

If it was me, considering that he obviously should be the ROY and should have a chance to perform all the way (or nearly) to the end, I'd cut him loose for the last 3 starts at 6 innings max each unless he falters badly along the way in any start.

 

They baby young ams. What good has that done? The incidence of arm problems across MLB has only increased. Increase his IP limit by 10%? Big deal. Let the kid pitch. He's earned it.

Didn't you make some gigantic deal earlier in the season about how ticket sales are secondary to concessions? You're changing your tune to defend Loria.

Yup, ticket sales are definitely a lesser consideration than concessions, but in this case neither matters, it's all small potatoes compared to Fernandez's value to the franchise. And, no, I didn't make "a gigantic deal" about tickets sales/concessions.

 

And, no, I'm not defending Loria, apparently he agrees with cutting Fernandez off at 170.

 

In fact, apparently the entire FO and all who matter agree to cut him off. I disagree. An extra 6 or 12 or 18 innings is just no big deal for this guy.

C'mon.

 

I've been successively accused of being Samson, Loria, Beinfest and Billy the Marlin (the last facetiously) and now Fernandez or his trainer.

 

To demonstrate the silliness of IP limits, although granted it's an exceedingly small sample, I give you HOF pitcher Bert Blyleven. There are many others.

 

19 year-old rookie, 164 innings IP in 4 months of 1970. 278 IP as a 20 year-old. Followed by 287, 325, 281, 275, 297. He lasted 20 years.

 

I suspect that arms that will sustain damage are going to sustain that damage even with reduced IP. 300+ IP from starters was the norm in the '60s and '70s. 4-man rotations. That would be considered lunacy today.

 

Have athletes become less fit or capable over the last 40-50 years? I don't think so.

 

Let the kid pitch another 18 innings, he deserves to be able to do it, Loria et al be damned.

C'mon.

 

I've been successively accused of being Samson, Loria, Beinfest and Billy the Marlin (the last facetiously) and now Fernandez or his trainer.

 

To demonstrate the silliness of IP limits, although granted it's an exceedingly small sample, I give you HOF pitcher Bert Blyleven. There are many others.

 

19 year-old rookie, 164 innings IP in 4 months of 1970. 278 IP as a 20 year-old. Followed by 287, 325, 281, 275, 297. He lasted 20 years.

 

I suspect that arms that will sustain damage are going to sustain that damage even with reduced IP. 300+ IP from starters was the norm in the '60s and '70s. 4-man rotations. That would be considered lunacy today.

 

Have athletes become less fit or capable over the last 40-50 years? I don't think so.

 

Let the kid pitch another 18 innings, he deserves to be able to do it, Loria et al be damned.

 

My post was clearly a joke, but with a point. You cannot possibly say he can go more innings without being Fernandez himself or one of the trainers. You just can't know.

 

Comparing pitchers let alone the game from 50 years ago to today is laughable.

 

 

He's comparing because he was in his prime 50 years ago.

I've been waiting for that Bert blyleven comparison.....

What about a Kerry wood comparison?

 

 

That's too recent.

I was going to say Mark Prior but that might be too recent as well.

Help attendance?

 

Which really means revenue. Problem is that 77% of the home gate isn't much different than 23% of the away gate, so moving a start from away to home is almost meaningless, revenue-wise. Which they know better than anyone here. Yeah, they sell a few more hot dogs and other stuff, but I rather think that they are much more interested in promoting the new (and hugely popular) face of the franchise generally. As they should be.

 

As it stands, he's gonna miss 3 starts after his final 2, and the most important one of those 3 would be the last game against DET. How cool would it be to watch him shut-out or hold Cabrera, et al to a run or two in the final game? That sells a lot of tickets for next year.

 

If it was me, considering that he obviously should be the ROY and should have a chance to perform all the way (or nearly) to the end, I'd cut him loose for the last 3 starts at 6 innings max each unless he falters badly along the way in any start.

 

They baby young ams. What good has that done? The incidence of arm problems across MLB has only increased. Increase his IP limit by 10%? Big deal. Let the kid pitch. He's earned it.

 

 

Higher attendance means every thing revenue wise. And of course they are promoting him. It helps attendance/revenue for next season.

 

They baby young arms in the majors because they baby young arms at every other level. Little League, high school, college, and the minors. Until they start getting guys used to pitching longer in the minors, you just can't expect them to lengthen their output in the majors. You can't take somebody that isn't used to extending himself, and then all of a sudden extend him at this level. Bodies have to become adjusted to the increase in work load in any aspect of life. Try running a mile every day for months. Then one day run 3. See how that works out for ya. He might be okay to pitch the season out. But he might not. It's why they say they don't want to take the CHANCE. Better safe than sorry. I agree with them.

I've been waiting for that Bert blyleven comparison.....

 

 

Took me by surprise. Have no idea how what someone else did 43 years ago relates to today. Not to mention trying to compare a HOFer to a rookie. I'm sure if someone were to take the time they could go back to those years and find plenty of pitchers with tons of promise that didn't sustain that kind of workload. Right now that's exactly what Fernandez is, a young pitcher with tons of promise.

I've been waiting for that Bert blyleven comparison.....

 

Took me by surprise. Have no idea how what someone else did 43 years ago relates to today. Not to mention trying to compare a HOFer to a rookie. I'm sure if someone were to take the time they could go back to those years and find plenty of pitchers with tons of promise that didn't sustain that kind of workload. Right

now that's exactly what Fernandez is, a young pitcher with tons of promise.I was just kidding guys. I had to look him up. I agree w bob. Shut him down

Two more starts will not kill him.

Chugging a gallon of milk would.

 

So would fighting a handicap match against a bear and a second bear.

risk vs reward

 

 

the risk may be low but it's not zero.

 

reward? there is none, Jose is already awesome and established and the Marlins are playing for nothing.

risk vs reward

 

 

the risk may be low but it's not zero.

 

reward? there is none, Jose is already awesome and established and the Marlins are playing for nothing.

 

If that's the case then the Marlins should've shut him down after the midsummer classic when he was ERAing a 2.71 on an already bottom dwelling team.

risk vs reward

 

 

the risk may be low but it's not zero.

 

reward? there is none, Jose is already awesome and established and the Marlins are playing for nothing.

 

If that's the case then the Marlins should've shut him down after the midsummer classic when he was ERAing a 2.71 on an already bottom dwelling team.

 

 

That's a dumb thing to say. The Marlins needed to increase Fernandez's IP workload from what it was last season. Teams have historically tried to increase IP by 30 or so each season for young pitchers. The idea is that increasing the workload in marginal increments would alleviate stress on the connective tissues and also build up arm strength safely.

 

Shutting him down in July wouldn't have done Fernandez any good, either.

risk vs reward

 

 

the risk may be low but it's not zero.

 

reward? there is none, Jose is already awesome and established and the Marlins are playing for nothing.

 

If that's the case then the Marlins should've shut him down after the midsummer classic when he was ERAing a 2.71 on an already bottom dwelling team.

 

 

That's a dumb thing to say. The Marlins needed to increase Fernandez's IP workload from what it was last season. Teams have historically tried to increase IP by 30 or so each season for young pitchers. The idea is that increasing the workload in marginal increments would alleviate stress on the connective tissues and also build up arm strength safely.

 

Shutting him down in July wouldn't have done Fernandez any good, either.

 

 

 

 

 

Agree. Fernandez is a special case, but this is what I would like to see happen in the minors. Gradually increase their pitch counts, which will, or at least should, gradually increase their innings. I believe that would decrease the amount of injuries at this level.