Where's the pitching?
With February getting closer by the day, it is time to take a look at the work Bavasi has done so far in reshaping a 99 loss team. It is also time for everyone to sharpen their pencils and start figuring out what to expect from this team.
Just about every M's fan I speak with expects to see a significant improvement in the win column this year, but is that unrealistic for a team that has not made a single improvement in the pitching?
No changes- Not in the starting pitching, and not in the bullpen.
With a month to go before spring training, the M's have reshaped their infield, but completely ignored the pitching staff.
A pitching staff we remember:
I mean really, we can go on and on with our list of concerns regarding our pitching. Now certainly many teams have question marks about their pitching, but very few lose 99 games and don't address ANY of them. (The only team that comes to mind who tries this every year is the Rangers a.k.a. "The Hicks method"...)
Yes, we improved our team defense. Yes we hope guys like Moyer turn it around. But Bavasi simply HAS to get creative or this team will never reach .500 this year.
If someone tries to argue this team is ready to compete in the AL based on the moves made to date, I say put the crack pipe down.
Anaheim will be good. Oakland might be good, but is a question. Texas will score a lot of runs. But there is no way this teams pitching staff is good enough as it stands today. Picking up a few tired pitchers like Sele and inviting them to camp is not going to get it done- we expect that to happen. Every team in baseball invites a bunch of guys to camp, both to pitch multiple spring training games and to hope some guy might pitch well enough to make the club.
So when we see the M's start handing out invites, I don't count that as an upgrade in any way, shape or form. What the M's FO needs to do is work those phones and figure out a way to upgrade this pitching staff.
There's still time. The M's offered Perez $19 mil not that long ago. They still have some money, and that promise Lincoln made to Ticket Holders is still there.
But don't predict the M's will be competitive this year until we see some changes in the pitching staff.
With February getting closer by the day, it is time to take a look at the work Bavasi has done so far in reshaping a 99 loss team. It is also time for everyone to sharpen their pencils and start figuring out what to expect from this team.
Just about every M's fan I speak with expects to see a significant improvement in the win column this year, but is that unrealistic for a team that has not made a single improvement in the pitching?
No changes- Not in the starting pitching, and not in the bullpen.
With a month to go before spring training, the M's have reshaped their infield, but completely ignored the pitching staff.
A pitching staff we remember:
- Gave up 823 runs last year
- was 8th in AL ERA despite pitching in SafeCo (21st MLB)
- was 9th in AL K/BB with 1.80 ratio
- has a closer diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff
- will not see it's best bullpen talent (Soriano) until '06
- is depending on Madritsch to continue excellent rookie year
- hopes Meche can pitch an entire season effectively (never has)
- ....
I mean really, we can go on and on with our list of concerns regarding our pitching. Now certainly many teams have question marks about their pitching, but very few lose 99 games and don't address ANY of them. (The only team that comes to mind who tries this every year is the Rangers a.k.a. "The Hicks method"...)
Yes, we improved our team defense. Yes we hope guys like Moyer turn it around. But Bavasi simply HAS to get creative or this team will never reach .500 this year.
If someone tries to argue this team is ready to compete in the AL based on the moves made to date, I say put the crack pipe down.
Anaheim will be good. Oakland might be good, but is a question. Texas will score a lot of runs. But there is no way this teams pitching staff is good enough as it stands today. Picking up a few tired pitchers like Sele and inviting them to camp is not going to get it done- we expect that to happen. Every team in baseball invites a bunch of guys to camp, both to pitch multiple spring training games and to hope some guy might pitch well enough to make the club.
So when we see the M's start handing out invites, I don't count that as an upgrade in any way, shape or form. What the M's FO needs to do is work those phones and figure out a way to upgrade this pitching staff.
There's still time. The M's offered Perez $19 mil not that long ago. They still have some money, and that promise Lincoln made to Ticket Holders is still there.
But don't predict the M's will be competitive this year until we see some changes in the pitching staff.
posted by Tom at
2:00 PM
