Middle Relief

by Tom Dakers on Apr 20, 2008 11:30 PM EDT

Reliefs pitchers are such a crap shoot, it always seeme to me they shouldn't get long term contracts...look at the Jays. They start the season with Accardo as the closer and Wolfe and Wells in the pen. Accardo is various shades of awful....and Wolfe and Wells get sent down and released, respectively.

Then they call up Carlson....who no one would have guessed to be one of our relievers this winter and he becomes the best arm in the pen at least at the moment, out of no where.

Then Camp....who sported a wonderful 7.20 ERA in 50 games last year. 7.20! After a season like that a guy generally won't get another chance for years. But up he comes and he gets put in a pressure spot right away and does great.

Now expecting both to continue to pitch this well, is too much to hope for I'm sure. Carlson...I think should be called Cy, but I do wonder if his delivery hides the ball some. I wonder if major league hitters will catch on soon.

Camp apparently has a new pitch, but I can't remember a time that a pitcher found a new pitch at 32 years old and totally remade himself. So I wouldn't look to it to last.

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Not sold on Camp

I think he can post around a 4.50-5.50 ERA but it’ll be mediocre to say the least.

Carlson is giving some trouble as there isn’t much on him to begin with. Carlson’s numbers are great for now as players are having trouble adjusting. His calling is a loogy though as that slurve is money.

As for Wolfe, his numbers before his call-up were terrible. He was definitely in line for a regression but I think he’ll be fine in the long run. I think you can take note of AA inflating reliever numbers or something… (keeping my eye on it). Both Carlson and Wolfe were crappy in New Hampshire and were amazing in Syracuse and thus being both under the radar at the time of their call-up. (This could say a lot about Romero’s struggles). -Also look out for Machi, some scouts were high on him before posting “meh” numbers in AA

Also for Accardo, I predicted he was due for a decline. He doesn’t look all that different to me from the tail end of the season. I think batters are just seeing his pitches better and he now has to adjust again. He’ll be fine though.

Allan's World Music

by achengy on Apr 21, 2008 5:03 AM EDT reply actions

Downs

I am a fan of Downs but I do scratch my head at his contract… And yeah, relievers can be a crap shoot. Case in point… Eric Gagne. Too bad really, I liked him too, Brandon League looks promising provided he can stay healthy.

by Quinton on Apr 21, 2008 9:01 PM EDT reply actions

How would you like to be Frasor?

If you are Frasor…the season starts, you are buried in the back of the pen. Then…Accardo flames out. Wells is sent away. And Wolfe is sent down.

Two guys no one has heard of come up and get high leverage innings. What do you get….mop up when you are down by 5. You’d have to know you aren’t long for the team.

by Tom Dakers on Apr 22, 2008 12:49 AM EDT reply actions

I thought Wolfe got hurt

not that he got sent down. I like Downs a lot too, but there’s no doubt it was a bit weird to see the Jays give him a multiyear deal, particularly given his status as a type A free agent this year. 2 draft picks as compensation for a middle reliever is great.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Apr 22, 2008 8:27 PM EDT reply actions