I get it...I just don't like it (Parra v. Capuano)

[bjkrautk]

Parra stays in rotation (J-S Online Brewers blog)

 

On some level, I completely understand the rationale behind the decision to take Capuano out of the rotation. He was making a spot-start since Gallardo couldn't come off the DL right away to take Davis' spot in the rotation. Parra is younger and under Brewers control for a longer period of time, so it makes more sense to use the increasingly lost season to evaluate what you have in Parra. Simplest terms: Parra has better 'stuff' than Cappy did before the injuries.

 

On the other hand, I have so much respect for what Capuano has done - both in working his way back from injury, and serving sparse duty in the bullpen without a negative word despite his past history as a starter - and have so much disappointment in Manny Parra, that the correct decision for the ballclub just feels wrong.

 

 

Anyone else feel the same way?

[logan82]

This season isn't about wins anymore or I think Capuano would be starting.

[joepepsi]

If Bush is traded, Capuano will be starting.

[monty57]

I understand your feelings, but Parra is our current best hope of improving our 2011 rotation, as he has top of the rotation "stuff" if he can just put it together. Capuano's pending free agency could play a role in the decisions being made.

 

I think the best move is to trade Dave Bush ASAP. Then go with Yo, Wolf, Parra, Capuano, Narveson until Davis is back and make a decision at that time.

 

-Yo is our one guy with no big question mark attached.

-Wolf should be better than he has been, and is signed for two more years, so he's in the rotation.

-Parra needs to start to see if he can put it together. Big question mark here... potentially the #2 we've been looking for, potential bust.

-If Davis could put up his career (or even last three year) numbers, he would be our second best pitcher, and we have an option for next year. However, he can't seem to pitch more than 3-4 innings before getting shelled, and I have no idea what the problem is. I'd like to see him get a few more starts when he's healthy. Huge question mark here.

-Narveson has pitched okay as a starter, but has a hard time getting righties out. Potential back of the rotation guy, potentially outstanding LOOGY.

-Capuano is another question mark. Decent history coming back from major surgery.

 

So basically even if we trade Bush, we have three open spots and have to determine which of our four question marks are most deserving of those three spots. Parra has to pitch the rest of this season due to his "stuff." I'm really fairly indifferent to which of the others get the starts. The fact that we have Narveson, Parra and Davis under control next season, and Capuano will probably be a free agent could be the decision maker. Of course, if we don't trade Bush, then we only have two spots available, making things even murkier.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Maybe it's part of the marketing push to add a meatball to the sausage race next year.

 

The guy has solid stuff, but just can't put it together. The team isn't going anywhere and Cappy has a pretty low ceiling at this point. It may not be pretty, but they need to do everything they can to get Parra going or at least figure out what they've got.

[JonnyLungs]

I'm fine with Parra continuing to start this year, but inevitably I feel he's a bullpen guy.

[Ennder]

His fastball is too straight and hittable, I think Parra ends up in the bullpen at some point as well.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm done worrying about who's in the rotation this year. With injuries, etc. I'm sure cappy will get more starts this year. But what about next year? Cappy never relied on a 99 MPH fastball before his injuries, so I could see him getting back to form. In fact, I think there's a better chance of that happening than Parra ever becoming a consistently good starting pitcher. I would package him in a trade and end the experiment.

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

I would assume that Capuano will be a free agent after this season. That could have something to do with us not wanting to commit to him at the expense of a younger, more gifted, but more unreliable pitcher.

[jackalope02ca]

I can't understand why Parra keeps getting sent out there. He doesn't have top of the rotation stuff. He doesn't even have bottom of the rotation stuff. At one point he was a prospect with huge upside. Now he's a AAAA player that goes out every fifth day to throw batting practice for the other team. He's about to turn 28. He consistently allows more hits than innings pitched year in and year out. So what if he throws left handed and hard. He's extremely hittable. Try him in the pen. It's really his only hope to stay in the majors if he can learn to put it together long enough to get through 1-3 batters an outing. Then possibly and I stress possibly he might have some upside. The only other upside I see is get him to throw Gomez batting practice all day and he might get his confidence/average up high enough to be productive.

[brewmann04]

I am sorry but how many chances does Manny really deserve he has proved that he can"t get the job down.

[dadofandrew]

Manny is a LHP who throws 92-94 and has a plus breaking ball. He'll have to fail a dozen times before he stops getting chances.

 

Cappy is a FA after this season, correct? Can't get too excited about him. Nice to see him return healthy.

[trwi7]

Manny is a LHP who throws 92-94 and has a plus breaking ball. He'll have to fail a dozen times before he stops getting chances.

Pretty much. And if he gets those dozen chances with the Brewers and doesn't succeed, he'll get a dozen chances with other teams.

 

I understand the frustration with Parra as well, but we're not going anywhere this year. We just need to start playing the young guys to see if anything clicks. Even if it comes at the expense of wins.

 

 

[logan82]

Parra actually had success just a couple years ago(2008) at the MLB level. It is still hard to tell what to expect from him yet.

[danzig6767]

His fastball is too straight and hittable, I think Parra ends up in the bullpen at some point as well.

I would keep him in the rotation like others would given the Brewers are out of it, but i'm really losing hope in that Manny will ever turn it around. The guy throws 92-95 and hitters consistently seem to rip his fastball like it was 85mph instead.

 

I've heard others say his fastball is too straight, but tons of effective pitchers throw a very straight fastball. Sheets threw a very straight 4-seam fastball. Gallardo throws his fastball straight as an arrow. So does Axford. Watch most pitchers in MLB that throw hard, their 4-seam fastball is as straight as the one Manny throws. His problem is almost entirely command, instead of regularly hitting the corners as Sheets did and Gallardo does now, Manny leaves his over the plate to much. He also throws a curve, split, and change, but he doesn't have consistently good command of any of his secondary pitches.

 

Maybe if Manny went to the pen and tried mastering just one of his secondary pitches instead of having mediocre at best command of three secondary pitches, he'd be more effective? Lastly, i wonder if is very over the top motion is partly why lefties kill Parra along with his command issue? It's hard for any lefthander to be effective when they can't even get lefthanded hitters out at a good rate.

[yfinn6]

His over-the-top motion may hurt Parra, but to switch him to a more 3/4 type delivery could really hurt his arm at this point. I think a lot of the issues with Parra are mental, Manny could probably pitch to contact and get away with it, that is he could have a bit more control of his fastball. There doesn't seem to be an inside or outside fastball with Parra, it's right down the middle. If he could control that pitch the way Gallardo does his he would be better.

[dlk9s]

Maybe if Manny went to the pen and tried mastering just one of his secondary pitches instead of having mediocre at best command of three secondary pitches, he'd be more effective?

This is pretty much exactly what Don Sutton said on the Braves radio broadcast the other day. Said he just needs to focus on one other pitch and ditch the rest.

[endaround]

Para has outpitched both Wolf and Narveson this year.

[rwa12]

If we had an actual improvement waiting, I would say pull him and let him mop up in the pen. Like someone above said, hard throwing lefties will be given chances until their arm falls off. I think Parra is the new JDLR. You are either enamored with his potential, or nauseated by the results. Might as well let him try to work through it, as no one is really taking the spot. Capuano is a nice story, and will probably pitch a few more years, health permitting. The ceiling is low, but I think most would like him as their #5, at least he can pick people off.

[Roscoe Chill]

Para has outpitched both Wolf and Narveson this year.

 

Is that supposed to positive?

 

Parra keeps being mentioned as a possible #2, #3, whatever. But even if he's going to get "dozens of failures" with Milwaukee and/or other teams, that doesn't mean it's not a bit pie in the sky to think that he's going to be someone to count on. The proof is in the pudding...he's not good.

[Invader3K]

I think that's a bit debatable. They've all been pretty bad. It's like trying to pick the worst of three different diseases. I got this from Fangraphs:

 

Parra: 4.35 xFIP, 6.35 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, -0.65 WPA

 

Wolf: 5.20 xFIP, 5.20 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, -1.60 WPA

 

Narveson: 4.29 xFIP, 5.66 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, -0.72 WPA

[FVBrewerFan]

Does Parra have any options left? I have no problem keeping him in the rotation this year, why not. But unless he suddenly improves, I would like to see him in Nashville to start the season next year. Let him work on his arm slot, location, etc. I understand Cappy is a FA, but I can't imagine anyone giving him a huge long term contract. they could start next year with Gallardo, Wolf the #4, and then one of Cappy/Narveson/Bush as the #5. Now magically find a #2 and a #3 and we're in business.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Parra's 2010 numbers as a reliever show at least some potential reason to keep him in the bullpen:

ERA: 3.75 IP: 24 H: 29 BB: 8 K: 22 HR: 2 WHIP: 1.542 K/BB Ratio: 2.75

 

Compare that to his career relief/starter stats (including 2010):

RELIEF ERA: 4.10 IP: 48.1 H: 54 BB: 15 K: 48 HR: 7 WHIP: 1.428 K/BB Ratio: 3.20

START ERA: 5.39 IP: 359.0 H: 427 BB: 184 K: 316 HR: 42 WHIP: 1.702 K/BB Ratio: 1.72

 

At this point, I'd be willing to try to convert a 28 year old lefty with a 92-94 mph fastball into a reliever. There's enough evidence to suggest that Parra can succeed to some extent as bullpen arm. Certainly, it's a better success rate than as a starter. I can envision Parra as a potential 6th/7th inning guy, maybe even a two-inning reliever, not necessarily a LOOGY.