Capuano DL'd : Torn ligament in left elbow (reply #88); no surgery FOR NOW-try 3-4 weeks of rehab (reply #161); Tommy John surgery Thurs., May 16th (reply #192)

[endaround]

Maybe if he was less "clutch" and pitched better all the time he would be at least an average pitcher.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/graphs/1695_P_season_full_0_20071001.png

[aracko]

Yes - your absolutely right about that. But his ability to buckle down in tough spots is something to take note of. If he were able to find that focus for every hitter, well then I think that we have ourselves a real breakthru canidate here.

 

When he buckles down in those tough spots it tells me that the guy has the goods but just has not been able to put it together yet.

[endaround]

Except there is no evidence that Vargas has such a buckling down skill. He had a good strand rate last season, the season before he had a bad one:

http://www.fangraphs.com/graphs/1695_P_season_full_8_20071001.png

[Thurston Fluff]

Watching him pitch the other day, Vargas threw more changeups in that game than i remember him throwing in five games combined last year. For the most part last season, Vargas was throwing just fastballs and sliders the vast majority of the time.

 

I hope this is the case but often in spring guys work on a certain pitch. It probably would help for him to mix it in more but I wouldn't be surprised if he did what he always did vs what he's doing in spring training.

 

Maybe if he was less "clutch" and pitched better all the time he would be at least an average pitcher

 

Aren't you the guy who says ERA is a team stat?

[olliegjw]

Maybe if he was less "clutch" and pitched better all the time he would be at least an average pitcher.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/graphs/1695_P_season_full_0_20071001.png

Good thing he had the Brewers stellar defense behind him to keep his ERA down.

[trwi7]

Good thing he had the Brewers stellar defense behind him to keep his ERA down.

 

Well if we're going to go that route then you have to use it for every pitcher including Capuano.

[Tbadder]

It's too bad Cappy is hurt, but I must agree I think it makes the Crew better, and might settle the matter once and for all. Now, lets do this thing right. Get Cappy the medical help he needs. Fix what ever problem there is to fix, and get him back to where he was. If it takes a year so be it.

 

I think Villy has to go into the rotation. I believe that he could go 200 innings, but just 200 innings. Besides, starter's innings are more predictable, more of a rhythm and probably easier on the arm once it's strecthed out than reliever innings as they can be in a constant state of warm up.

 

And I agree if Parra is the fifth starter it will be easy to control his innings. If we really want to be protective we could still make him the sixth starter.

 

About Vargas: sure he's probably the same old guy, and we can't expect much, but if he has added his change-up in a significant way, and if not pitching winter has made him better like Powell suggests, then I think he deserves a couple of turns to prove himself.

[Thurston Fluff]

Fix what ever problem there is to fix, and get him back to where he was. If it takes a year so be it.

 

Isn't this his sixth year in the big leagues? If it is then he's eligable for free agency after this year so taking a year to fix him most likely means he'll never pitch here again.

[trwi7]

Isn't this his sixth year in the big leagues? If it is then he's eligable for free agency after this year so taking a year to fix him most likely means he'll never pitch here again.

 

He's a free agent after the 2009 season.

[DrWood]

well, the good news is they just justified a AAA rehab stint for Capuano, without worrying about any teams claiming him.

[DHonks]

Capuano looked fine yesterday. He gave up three consecutive hard hit balls, and his injury looked more like a bruised ego than a sore elbow.

[endaround]

olliegjw wrote:

Good thing he had the Brewers stellar defense behind him to keep his ERA down.

Before that he had a stellar DBacks defense behind him. A flyball pitcher who gives up a bunch of home runs is less affected by defense. Vargas doesn't K a ton, doesn't control BBs and gives up a ton of home runs while not working many innings. And he is about to be on the wrong side of 30.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

But c'mon end, tell us what you don't like about Vargas. I'm really hoping that we hear some good news about Cappy's arm WOAHs soon.

[Team Canada]

Capuano looked fine yesterday. He gave up three consecutive hard hit balls, and his injury looked more like a bruised ego than a sore elbow.

Well, I'll take his word that his elbow hurt.

[Ennder]

The absolute worst thing that could happen to Capuano right now is for him to get injured. I find it absurd that people think that he is faking it. Getting hit hard still leaves him at least looking at a bullpen job or a trade, having elbow problems and being shut down for more or less the rest of spring training takes away any shot he had at meaningful playing time and severely hurts his financial upside. He isn't just faking it.

[aracko]

Maybe if he was less "clutch" and pitched better all the time he would be at least an average pitcher.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/graphs/1695_P_season_full_0_20071001.png

Good thing he had the Brewers stellar defense behind him to keep his ERA down.

Wow you have alot of stats. Stats cant possibly tell the whole story although I am sure there is a stat to prove me wrong. You might be right but I am a Vargas fan I guess rose colored.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Of course, it's the ARWROF - short for "aracko wrong-ness factor" http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Duuuuuuh

[jazzytrav]

Of course, it's the ARWROF - short for "aracko wrong-ness factor" http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Duuuuuuh

Sweet, that would make mine the JAWROF. It's got a nice ring to it http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif So please, someone calculate the JAWROF of the following statements.

 

I find it absurd to ever look at how a team starts doing record-wise after a player returns. I also blame the media for most Cappy hatred since they couldn't get over the whole "he hasn't won a game in 9000 tries" crap. Gotta love the world of ESPN where "wins" is the only meaningful stat. There were games in there where he was pitching 7-8 good innings and getting a no-decision. I'm not trying to say Cappy had a decent season, but I don't think it's as bad as it was made to be.

[brewjihad]

Remember this game?

While Capuano turned in his second straight strong start, allowing one run in eight innings, Harang was better. He allowed seven hits including Braun's 16th home run, striking out 10 batters including Corey Hart with runners at first and second to end the top of the 10th.

The Brewers were poised to take the lead in the 11th against reliever David Weathers, who faced a bases-loaded, no-out jam. But Brewers catcher Johnny Estrada hit a grounder to first baseman Conine, who initiated an easy 3-2-3 double play. Weathers then hit Geoff Jenkins in the right knee with a pitch, re-loading the bases, but Kevin Mench popped out.

Tied at 1 since Ryan Braun's fourth-inning home run off Harang, Grant Balfour (0-2) came out of the Brewers bullpen for his third appearance since a promotion from Triple-A Nashville last week.

That was not good news for Capuano, who scattered seven hits, struck out seven and did not walk a batter for the first time in seven starts since May 23 at Los Angeles. Over his last two starts, Capuano has surrendered three runs in 15 innings.

Now, I'm not backing Cappy for a rotation spot or anything, but he was sooooo close to not having a huge losing streak right now so many times.

[logan82]

Vargas is still nibbling as far as I can tell. 80 pitches through 5 innings on Friday. He went deep into counts on most hitters. The only reason he wasn't over 100 pitches is that he didn't walk anybody and gave up only a couple hits. Pitching like he did on Friday is going to lead to high pitch counts and early exits in games as there is no way he 2 hits many teams.

[TooLiveBrew]

Gotta love the world of ESPN where "wins" is the only meaningful stat.

 

Haudricourt was the main pusher of the "OMGzzz!1!! Capee haze'nt WINZZd!" bandwagon, to be fair. ESPN is awful, though - don't want that lost in the shuffle!

 

 

I'm not trying to say Cappy had a decent season, but I don't think it's as bad as it was made to be.

Bingo. Not nearly as bad as some would have you believe.

[aracko]

Vargas is still nibbling as far as I can tell. 80 pitches through 5 innings on Friday. He went deep into counts on most hitters. The only reason he wasn't over 100 pitches is that he didn't walk anybody and gave up only a couple hits. Pitching like he did on Friday is going to lead to high pitch counts and early exits in games as there is no way he 2 hits many teams.

 

How many innings should Parra be good for? He pitched 133? last year.

[bork]

Wow, Haudicourt thinks Parra will make the team over Villaneuva.

 

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/03/19/a-day-of-rest.aspx

 

How many innings should Parra be good for? He pitched 133? last year.

They keep mentioning a 35 inning increase as the preferred max. So Parra would be around 165-170 innings.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

It sounds like the Cappy injury isn't a big deal anyways. The JS has him as day to day with elbow soreness. They'll probably start the year with Parra in the rotation and then send him down when Cappy is ready. That would be unfortunate, but I think that's the way things will play out early in the season.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Is it wrong for me to hope that Suppan finds himself on the DL once Gallardo is ready to go? For all the talk of struggling veteran starters 'battling' it out for rotation spots, it irks me that Soup's guaranteed a spot because Mr. Melvin shelled out a pile of cash to sign him last offseason. He's done nothing so far this spring that's impressive at all.

 

That contract the next two years is going to be difficult to trade, and even more difficult to resign key young players around - it's basically ruled out the possibility of resigning Sheets if he has a good season already.