Is DiFelice for real?

[twobrewers]

After 10 years in the minor leagues, can DiFelice really be this good?

 

After watching him carve up the Marlins tonight (10 pitches/9 strikes/2 strikeouts/3 outs) - I am having a hard time containing my excitement.

 

Heading into tonight game he had a 1.15 ERA and a .89 WHIP. (In 34.2 career inning he has a 2.08 ERA - have we reached the point where those numbers are statistically significant?) I am particularly giddy that we have him under our control for the next two years at $400,000.

 

Will he eventually head back to the mean, or is it possible that he is a sub 3.00 ERA pitcher?

[Ennder]

Maybe not this good but he is for real.

 

BPro had him at a 4.01 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and they are pretty conservative with minor league ERA. His peripherals fully support most of what he has done so far.

[gobrew23]

He has been outstanding. I didn't have much faith in him coming into this year, but he has completely won me over. I have as much faith in him as any other pitcher outside of Hoffman right now.

[derflotr]

I've been waiting for that cutter to start hanging over the plate, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm waiting for the league to figure him out, but in the meantime I'm thrilled every time he starts warming.

[dadofandrew]

He can get RH's out, but will probably struggle versus LH's. His splits indicate that, and Macha likes using both he and Coffey when righties are coming up.

 

It's astounding he has one pitch, and they still flail at it.

[razzzorsharp]

I love players that can come in from the pen and throw strikes. It's even better when they throw strikes that are nasty like DiFelice is doing right now. Like a previous poster said, I have a lot of confidence in him to come in and do is job right now, which I cannot say for everyone in the pen (Julio).

[Electric Elf]

Mariano Rivera just has that one pitch now too, and although his skills have dropped a bit with age, he's still making batters flail.

[Tailgat0r76]

I would love to see him get a spot start one of these days if at all possible. Give Parra a rest once, or maybe even YoGa to keep their innings low so they can finish the year strong.

[LouisEly]

I was going to ask a couple of weeks ago (when Hoffman was still on the DL) if anyone else thought he was the best pitcher they had in the bullpen.

 

I've always felt that regardless of "stuff" you should promote pitchers until they can no longer do an above-average job of getting guys out. As someone once said to me, "You don't draw pictures on the scoreboard." (Well, I had to leave a couple of adjectives out in order to make it fit for print.)

[twobrewers]

Between Stetter, DiFelice, Coffey, Villanueva and possibly Dillard, the Brewers have set themselves up to save a lot of money on their bullpen in future years.

[ILuvDaBush]

If he only throws 10 pitches per outing, how is the league going to figure him out?

[bcf5575]

I would love to see him get a spot start one of these days if at all possible. Give Parra a rest once, or maybe even YoGa to keep their innings low so they can finish the year strong.

That makes no sense. why would you take your best non-closer reliever and have him start for your only lefty and a cy young candidate?

[JJHardy7]

I have seen DiFelice pitch quite a bit in Nashville and I've been a supporter of his here for awhile. I think one of the main reasons he's been pretty darn good right now is that he's not starting. If he'd have to go through the lineup multiple times, I don't know how good he'd be. His role now is perfect for him given he doesn't have a lot of velocity or a lot of pitches. The cutter is pretty nasty. I don't think it's a shock he is not walking guys...he never did in the minors and when he started in Nashville the games would go by pretty quick.

 

I don't think he'll keep up his unreal stats now, but I could see him finishing with an ERA in the 3 - 4 range. The real question will be when hitters start adjusting to him if DiFelice will be able to adjust himself. I doubt enough guys in the National League have seen him that much, but given his year so far I'm sure they'll do some more scouting on him.

 

We will know he's 'arrived' when we stop seeing DeFelice on the board http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[chadomac]

If he only has one pitch... I don't see him starting. But he's been great so far. I'm pretty happy with the whole bullpen except for McClung and Julio.

[Never Outhustled]

Don't let his long minor league career fool you, he just started throwing the cutter in 2007, and has been awesome ever since. As JJHardy said, his cutter is nasty. I don't think righties will ever hit it. The bullpen is the only role for him, as I don't know if he could handle the physical demands of starting. He broke down a few times in AAA last year. He's this years Joe Nelson.

[kalle8]

i don't know if he can start at mlb level , but he started one game in WBC for italy (vs venezuela) and he was brilliant for 5 innings.

 

during the WBC i had a telephone conversation with Alessandro Maestri (AA in the cubs farm) and he said that marco is such a great guy and that he always had a word and a minute for the youngsters.

[Scooter1027]

I would love to see him get a spot start one of these days if at all possible. Give Parra a rest once, or maybe even YoGa to keep their innings low so they can finish the year strong.

That makes no sense. why would you take your best non-closer reliever and have him start for your only lefty and a cy young candidate?

I think he explained it right there in the post...to save some innings. Yovani hasn't eclipsed 110 big league innings in a season yet and he's pacing himself here to go 200+. Could be a dangerous jump and we could see some fatigue down the stretch, similar to the wall Parra hit last year. Manny threw 166 innings last year, I don't think we should have to worry about his innings so much.

 

According to Fangraphs, Mark throws the cutter ~85% of the time, with a changeup ~9%, straight fastball ~3.5%, and a 72 mph curveball ~2.5% of the time. I don't recall seeing this curveball, but it indicates that he at least has 4 pitches in his arsenal. He might be able to pick up a 5-6 inning spot start here and there. Hard to take him out of the pen though, he's been so reliable.

[brewers4eric]

I believe that some of DeFelice's success is due in part to the situations that Macha has used him. Without examining the statistics closely, it seems like Macha has limited his exposure to lefties. Macha has also been careful about where he has used Coffey.

[Tbadder]

I think he's for real. I also think Dillard is for real in relief, but for some reason the Brewers don't respect their own people at times. I hope Swindle gets another shot, and Smith too. I know it's complicated and there's good questions about who would be sent down, but if the opportunity arises I'd just like them to get a meaningful shot.

[Diskono]

I think he explained it right there in the post...to save some innings. Yovani hasn't eclipsed 110 big league innings in a season yet and he's pacing himself here to go 200+. Could be a dangerous jump and we could see some fatigue down the stretch, similar to the wall Parra hit last year. Manny threw 166 innings last year, I don't think we should have to worry about his innings so much.

Gallardo also pitched 87 innings in AAA the year he had 110, so thats 197 total. I don't think the level in which his innings occurred matter much, at least when looking at stamina.

[JJHardy7]

I think he's for real. I also think Dillard is for real in relief, but for some reason the Brewers don't respect their own people at times. I hope Swindle gets another shot, and Smith too. I know it's complicated and there's good questions about who would be sent down, but if the opportunity arises I'd just like them to get a meaningful shot.

 

I'm starting to change my opinion about Dillard as a starter. I think he's working on some pitches that may allow him to do so...he's been pretty solid so far in AAA where in the past he's struggled as a starter. Moving Dillard to a starting role looks like the right move -- I hated it at the time.

[Scooter1027]

I think he explained it right there in the post...to save some innings. Yovani hasn't eclipsed 110 big league innings in a season yet and he's pacing himself here to go 200+. Could be a dangerous jump and we could see some fatigue down the stretch, similar to the wall Parra hit last year. Manny threw 166 innings last year, I don't think we should have to worry about his innings so much.

Gallardo also pitched 87 innings in AAA the year he had 110, so thats 197 total. I don't think the level in which his innings occurred matter much, at least when looking at stamina.

True, although I believe that innings at the MLB level are generally considered a little more taxing (guys are harder outs, don't chase as much junk, etc). Additionally, we have to consider that he didn't throw much at all last year, which was a setback in his progress. It may not be an issue, but I wouldn't be that surprised if Yo hit a bit a wall late this season.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's astounding he has one pitch, and they still flail at it.

 

He does seem to vary how he throws it, though -- sometimes as a 'true' cutter (whatever that might mean), & others as more of just a good old-fashioned slider. Imo it's basically two pitches for him, since he can make it break harder & down more when he seems to need it.

 

Also, the topic of DiFelice v. LHP has been addressed many times here. If you look at his splits in the minors, he actually had great success against LHB -- just like Mo Rivera, bc the cutter breaks right in on the hands of LH hitters... and DiFelice actually has the command to come inside without hitting too many dudes. (though I do agree that part of the reason for all the success he's had so far is Macha limiting him against LHB)

 

I am actually in the camp that would like to see DiFelice stretched out & used as a SP. His command imho compares most favorably to two guys on the team -- Gallardo & Hoffman.

[Oldcity]

I have been telling every non-Brewers baseball fan about DiFelice to the point that I'm sure it's annoying, but he's really made me look smart (at least in this case). He has one unintentional walk on the season... Absurd!

 

I think I'm a bit torn on making him a starter, though. Can he really be good enough as a starter to be more valuable than the lights-out setup man he's become? Especially since his low velocity seems to allow him to throw so often?

 

I wouldn't be opposed to making him a starter, but I'd probably turn to Dillard first when they get their first injured starting pitcher, and maybe even McClung. McClung is one guy who I feel more comfortable with as a starter than a reliever, because he's had better control in that role. 4.7 BB/9 as a starter, 6.7 BB/9 as a reliever.

[CheezWizHed]

They were just waiting to start his arby clock...