Can Mark Rogers start 2011 in MLB and then limit his innings?

[thebruce44]

The Brewers have expressed interest in returning Jeffress to a starting role - but he also has very limited innings on his arm.

 

Neither him, nor Rogers, appear to need much more seasoning before they are MLB ready.

 

Since it appears that the biggest obstacle would be the large innings jump for both of them as starter - can someone give me a legitimate reason why we shouldn't piggy-back them as starters?

You are then working with a 24 man roster.

[twobrewers]

Not really - the rest of your relief pitchers get an automatic night off.

 

We dealt with pitchers going 5 innings all year. At least we would be prepared for Rogers to go 5 innings and have Jeffress to back him up instead of burning through 3 or 4 relief pitchers. I think it would actually reduce the stress on the pen.

[thebruce44]

Not really - the rest of your relief pitchers get an automatic night off.

You really think 2 pitchers with a combined 25 innings above AA can be expected to pitch 9 full innings every 5th turn through the rotation?

[BrewCrewForever]

I'm all for Rogers making the 2011 rotation right out of spring training. If he shows in spring that he is one of the best five guys then he should start. He certainly has the stuff to be one of the Brewers best five, the question is can he keep his mechanics together to keep his walks down. He won't be able to go more than 160 innings so he will have to have some starts skipped more than likely.

[mothershipconnection]

If they wait a few months (or whatever it is) to bring him up, they'll have him for an extra year down the road. That's the main reason they won't/shouldn't put him in the big league rotation out of spring training. It's also easier to manipulate his innings in AAA where winning, in effect, is not the priority.

 

I think this approach definitely makes the most sense. Rogers looks like he's coming along, but he didn't force their hand by dominating at AA. Add that to the desire to limit his innings, and it just seems most practical to put him in AAA where he can both be evaluated and hopefully continue to improve while keeping his innings low enough that he can be promoted by June. If he looks competent, it's only a matter of time before someone else gets hurt or sucks enough that he'll get his shot.

[NYChez]

Is it possible that Rogers' walk ratio would actually be lower in the majors than in the minors? My thinking is that his stuff is so unhittable in the minors that the batters go up thinking of drawing a walk. This means he's got to throw at least 3 strikes to each batter. In the majors, the batters would be more anxious and able to hit the ball, so there would be more at bats where only 1 or 2 strikes thrown would be necessary. Less pitches to each batter = less walks.

[Oldcity]

Interesting thought, but I'm not sure I've ever heard of a guy's walk rate going down immediately upon reaching the majors. It's much more likely that he just happened to have a good couple of starts.

 

I'd probably start both Rogers and Jeffress in the bullpen in AAA (or piggyback them) for the first two months, then stretch them out as starters in June so they're ready for a potential callup in July or any time after.

[uwisfan]

I'm high on both, but want them both to start the year in the minors. Rogers is not allowed to go 120 pitches yet, and that is a dangerous situation to leave your bullpen in. We saw what happened this year when we opted to stick with Suppan and put so much pressure on the pen. We need a Rogers that can go 120 pitches without being too scared. I see him starting the year in the minors and building up to the 120 pitchers, and then we call him up. If we skip or delay a few starts to keep his arm fresh, I'm all for that as well.

[kramnoj]

120 is a bit of a high threshold.

 

Wolf reached it once this year, in his last start.

 

Gallardo did it 4 times in May and June and some here said that he was being abused. And it may be worth noting that Gallardo's best ERA was 2.36 after he threw a season high of 122 pitches, and rose since then.

 

Bush's high was 119 this year.

 

Narveson did it once this year, with 130 pitches.

 

Parra's high was 116.

 

Davis and Cap didn't get there.

 

The general point is valid, but that number is a high expectation.

[Roderick]

thebruce44 : so we're banking on Rogers being a significant part of the 2017

Plus Rogers would be cheaper in years 2014-2016, because he would be prearby one more year and always one year lower on the arby scale.

 

Start him in the minors, and bring him up for the inevitable starter injury/sucking and go from there.

[PrinceFielderx1]

Mark Rogers threw 126IP this season. They will likely increase his IP by 30IP next season. That will put him at around 160IP for 2011. Mark Rogers will in all likelihood be a big part of the 2011 Milwaukee Brewers.

[MLS1965]

Mark Rogers looked very impressive at the end of the season. I'm wondering what the logic is of pitching him in Nashville next year? If the problem is innings, can't his innings just be limited in Milwaukee? i.e. have him skip some starts utilizing off days early in the season so it doesn't mess with the other pitchers in the rotation, or have a long reliever make a few spot starts against lesser opponents?

 

I want the Brewers to start out 2011 with the best possible rotation, and starting Rogers in AAA seems like a waste. I don't get the whole "injury risk" thing either as a logical argument if his innings are limited. Isn't pitching in AAA just as hard on the arm as MLB? If anything, his health will be better taken care of in Milwaukee in terms of better facilities, better training staff, easier modes of travel etc

 

If the Brewers see 2011 as a rebuilding year and they want to limit Rogers' service time, well thats an entirely different scenario, otherwise I just don't get it

 

Clue me in here

Did I miss something..? You write this like the Brewers have already said Mark was starting in AAA. I've seen nothing of the sort or heard anything different to say he will get a solid offer to the Brewers for next spring. Now.. that being said, I'd be thrilled to get more then the 5 mins I had this summer to talk with him during his one night stay with the Sounds.