Best offense in baseball, last place in the AL East

[G-Snarls]

It's not even close. We've scored 144 runs, next best is 131

 

But oh my God the pitching is killing us...

[RealAccountant]

Nobody thought pitching would be this bad

 

Let's hope Dickey Burly and Hutch all just had bad months

[G-Snarls]

Nobody thought pitching would be this bad

 

Let's hope Dickey Burly and Hutch all just had bad months

 

I was expecting mid rotation caliber performances from all three of those guys, and I had unreasonably high hopes for Norris. Sanchez has been about as I expected. But Buerhle and Hutch have just been brutal. They need to turn it around and soon.

[G-Snarls]

Some better pitching against the Yankees would sure help a ton. Would love to tighten up the division by beating them this series.

[G-Snarls]

In fact, our next 9 games are all against AL East teams (NYY, BOS, BAL)

 

If ever there was a time to turn it around, this is it

[Atothe]

I have no doubt Hutch, Buehrle and Dickey will be what they were last year. Sanchez gets one more start, unacceptable to walk more then 3 in 6 inning start.

[ScientificReason]

It's not even close. We've scored 144 runs, next best is 131

 

But oh my God the pitching is killing us...

 

All that offensive talent is being wasted as are prime years from EE, Bautista, and now Donaldson. Amazing AA went into this season without improving the pitching. Frustrating is an understatement.

[flafson]

All that offensive talent is being wasted as are prime years from EE, Bautista, and now Donaldson. Amazing AA went into this season without improving the pitching. Frustrating is an understatement.

 

To be fair, starting pitching wasn't much of an issue going into the season, just bullpen.

If starters were a bit better and bullpen be still this bad, we would have had an extra 3 wins now. If starters and pen were better, we would be the best team in baseball right now.

[jays76]

I was expecting mid rotation caliber performances from all three of those guys, and I had unreasonably high hopes for Norris. Sanchez has been about as I expected. But Buerhle and Hutch have just been brutal. They need to turn it around and soon.

 

I feel pretty much the same in regards to the rookies, big hopes for Norris and Sanchez is where I thought he would be. Dickey always starts slow and thrives in the summer. With Hutch and Buehrle they could both be better but I'm not shocked, you always have to hold your breath every start because of their ongoing Jekyll/Hyde routine.

 

As underwhelming as the starting rotation has been our pen has been even worse, and when both aren't clicking it's a recipe for disaster. AA rolled the dice this off season with the pen and it's coming up snakeyes, everyone could see this happening a mile away except for him apparently..

[Statman]

It's not even close. We've scored 144 runs, next best is 131

 

But oh my God the pitching is killing us...

 

It's equivalent to having the best defense in football with the worst QB in the NFL.

[ScientificReason]

To be fair, starting pitching wasn't much of an issue going into the season, just bullpen.

If starters were a bit better and bullpen be still this bad, we would have had an extra 3 wins now. If starters and pen were better, we would be the best team in baseball right now.

 

I don't agree starting was not an issue going into the season. Even with stroman it was not good enough. way too much reliance on guys who have not pitched an entire year in the MLB and aging vets on the decline. This team was not a serious contender with this staff.

[glory]

Why are people expecting Hutch to turn it around? Heavy workload last season coming off surgery and unproven in general. His 5.17 FIP, severe drop in K's and increase in walks and HR's does not indicate that he's unlucky. I'd wait a bit more before I trust him.

[ScientificReason]

Why are people expecting Hutch to turn it around? Heavy workload last season coming off surgery and unproven in general. His 5.17 FIP, severe drop in K's and increase in walks and HR's does not indicate that he's unlucky. I'd wait a bit more before I trust him.

 

I don't think he is this bad but yeah I am not that high on him, I think some here over rate him.

[Brownie19]

All that offensive talent is being wasted as are prime years from EE, Bautista, and now Donaldson. Amazing AA went into this season without improving the pitching. Frustrating is an understatement.

 

AA also bought that Stroman voodoo doll and stabbed it in the knee!!! fire him!!

[GreekFatAss]

Realistically our rotation can't sustain that level of s*** all year long and one must think that AA's ass being on the line will expedite some pitching help from outside the organization sooner rather than later.

[TDotttt2005]

Counter intuitive, but I think Stroman coming up and having the success he did last year, Sanchez having 30 good innings out of the pen, and Norris moving up as fast as he did through the system was a curse in disguise. AA, who always preaches patience, who always says young guys have to be sent down 80% of the time before they stick, somehow fooled himself into thinking that rookies could come up, stick, and contribute. Somehow fooled himself into thinking and hoping, without a proper safety net, that the 4 rookie pitchers could be in that 20%. Sure, the Stroman injury was huge, and caused a domino effect, but that just speaks more to the need of depth and a safety net.

 

If Stroman was shaky, Sanchez didnt contribute at the big league level, and Norris topped off in NH last year...AA wouldnt have had the thought to even let Osuna or Castro near the big league level, wouldve had a serious safety net if he was thinking Norris and Sanchez would play bigger roles, and hopefully wouldve gone out and got major league experienced arms with a recent track record (ie. not Francis, Wolf, Santana).

 

I agree that it isn't fair to blame Gibby on the x's and o's here, because its not his fault a SP cant go 5 innings, but the blame must be placed on AA for this current mess.

[ScientificReason]

AA also bought that Stroman voodoo doll and stabbed it in the knee!!! fire him!!

 

It was still a weak rotation and bullpen with stroman....This is on AA. Injuries happen all the time. There was too much relying on everything going right for this to work, as usually. Poor planning. Way too many unproven arms, lack of depth in the pitching staff is All on AA.

[GreekFatAss]

Cueto would sure look good in the rotation.

[Brownie19]

It was still a weak rotation and bullpen with stroman....This is on AA. Injuries happen all the time. There was too much relying on everything going right for this to work, as usually. Poor planning. Way too many unproven arms, lack of depth in the pitching staff is All on AA.

 

Do you think the Cards GM and the Dodgers GM are terrible too because Wainwright and Ryu/McCarthy got hurt?

 

Storman

Hutch

Dickey

Buehrle

Norris/Sanchez/Estrada

 

That's the rotation AA put together. Care to tell me which rotations in baseball you consider to be good enough? Which ones didn't rely on unproven arms or aging veterans? Which ones had ample depth to deal with major injuries to their best pitchers? I'd love to see your list.

[jaysfan2014]

It's not even close. We've scored 144 runs, next best is 131

 

But oh my God the pitching is killing us...

 

I agree with this. Red Sox fans in Boston are likely saying the same thing about their team.. as they're only 0.5 game above us. And Boston is only ahead of us in starter's ERA by a small amount (5.66 vs. our 5.70, and we've played one more game.)

 

Hopefully we see some improvement soon.. and hopefully Estrada's move to the rotation stabilizes the starting pitching staff.

[Brownie19]

Cueto would sure look good in the rotation.

 

Said every GM in baseball. That's Captain Obvious - you can take a break now. Have a kitkat.

[jaysfan2014]

Said every GM in baseball. That's Captain Obvious - you can take a break now. Have a kitkat.

 

Too bad Cueto will cost an arm and leg in prospects.. plus Cincy is still in it. They're not going to make any moves until they are 8-10 games of the wild card race, which they are not (only 1.5 games back of the Padres.)

[Horses Fart]

In fact, our next 9 games are all against AL East teams (NYY, BOS, BAL)

 

If ever there was a time to turn it around, this is it

 

Totally agree with u! If we could turn it around it would do wonders for the east standings. Unfortunately I'm seeing a 2-7 maybe a 3-6 span.

[RealAccountant]

I have a feeling that the Jays are going to be good this year, and that the pitching will recover from this horrid start.

[BigCecil]

To be fair, starting pitching wasn't much of an issue going into the season, just bullpen.

If starters were a bit better and bullpen be still this bad, we would have had an extra 3 wins now. If starters and pen were better, we would be the best team in baseball right now.

 

To be fair we went into this year with Stro thought to be our front end guy with 20 games started in MLB and 3 mid rotation guys (1 of them with many miles and one in his 2nd season off TJ) and a rookie (s) in Sanchez with chronic minor league command issues or Norris. Then Stro went down.

 

I did see an issue with this rotation even with Stro but thought with our offense it might be enough. I have no doubt at least 2 of the 3 mid rotation guys will pitch better than they have (that's not a high bar), but even that may not be enough. Lets hope our Lind deal pays off.

Edited May 4, 2015 by BigCecil

[TDotttt2005]

Do you think the Cards GM and the Dodgers GM are terrible too because Wainwright and Ryu/McCarthy got hurt?

 

Storman

Hutch

Dickey

Buehrle

Norris/Sanchez/Estrada

 

That's the rotation AA put together. Care to tell me which rotations in baseball you consider to be good enough? Which ones didn't rely on unproven arms or aging veterans? Which ones had ample depth to deal with major injuries to their best pitchers? I'd love to see your list.

 

To answer your first question, I do not think Mozeliak and Friedman/Zaidi are terrible because their teams are in first place.

[ScientificReason]

Do you think the Cards GM and the Dodgers GM are terrible too because Wainwright and Ryu/McCarthy got hurt?

 

Storman

Hutch

Dickey

Buehrle

Norris/Sanchez/Estrada

 

That's the rotation AA put together. Care to tell me which rotations in baseball you consider to be good enough? Which ones didn't rely on unproven arms or aging veterans? Which ones had ample depth to deal with major injuries to their best pitchers? I'd love to see your list.

 

No because they have other good arms and we don't lol. Stroman has started how many games? Has not got through an entire season, the rest are average to below average. That is hardly a good rotation. Again would require for everythign to go right, which it rarely does.

 

The Cards have Wacha, Lynn besides wainwright.....either of those are better then anyone in our rotation. You're not exactly making your point well.

 

The dodgers have kershaw and Greinke.....did you even think before posting? Those teams have exactly what i am talking about, depth in the rotation. Their staffs are better then ours even with those guys injured if we had stroman.

[flafson]

To be fair we went into this year with Stro thought to be our front end guy with 20 games started in MLB and 3 mid rotation guys (1 of them with many miles and one in his 2nd season off TJ) and a rookie in Sanchez with chronic minor league command issues. Then Stro went down.

 

I did see an issue with this rotation even with Stro but thought with our offense it might be enough. I have no doubt at least 2 of the 3 mid rotation guys will pitch better than they have (that's not a high bar), but even that may not be enough. Lets hope our Lind deal pays off.

 

I honestly don't see how Estrada can survive for multiple innings, he's a 2 pitch guy that relies on changing speeds, his fastball is 89 and changeup is high 70's, he has 0 room for error and he's not that sneaky, i hope he proves me wrong but i just don't see it.

[TDotttt2005]

I honestly don't see how Estrada can survive for multiple innings, he's a 2 pitch guy that relies on changing speeds, his fastball is 89 and changeup is high 70's, he has 0 room for error and he's not that sneaky, i hope he proves me wrong but i just don't see it.

 

There is no way this pitching staff can be fixed from within.

[KingKat]

I honestly don't see how Estrada can survive for multiple innings, he's a 2 pitch guy that relies on changing speeds, his fastball is 89 and changeup is high 70's, he has 0 room for error and he's not that sneaky, i hope he proves me wrong but i just don't see it.

 

He's had success in the past.