Does Estrada HAVE to go...?

[Nottso]

With Greinke's return, is there any chance they'll send Narveson to the pen and keep Estrada in the rotation? Narveson has been really good except for the big inning. Estrada has been really good.

It would be awfully hard for me to demote a guy that has done so well. Thoughts?

[PrinceEatMeat]

Estrada will go to AAA to stay stretched out. Doubt there will be any debate by RR and DM on this either.

[chuckiehacks]

I think he'll go to AAA so that he can continue to start. The only way I think he stays is if Yo gets lit up again tonight and goes on the DL with some sort of arm fatigue / back spasms / other generic injury.

[RockCoCougars]

I think it'd be silly to send Estrada down. He's outpitched Narveson, and has earned the #5 spot if you ask me. He deserves a kudos thread, because he has really stepped up.

[The Truth]

I think it'd be silly to send Estrada down. He's outpitched Narveson, and has earned the #5 spot if you ask me. He deserves a kudos thread, because he has really stepped up.

It is extremely dangerous to go with such a small sample of a few games in trying to compare Estrada & Narveson. Having a pitcher who has done well in MLB, down in AAA staying stretched out and pitching every 5 games is a great problem to have. If Narveson struggles for another 4 or 5 starts and Estrada continues to pitch lights out that is one thing, but I like the idea of having some strong pitching depth in AAA if needed. Narveson was phenomenal in his first few starts and now is averaging out towards his career norms, which is fine for a #5 pitcher.

 

And let's see how Estrada does tommorow anyways. In terms of Estrada in the MLB bullpen or the AAA starting lineup, again I see real value in keeping him stretched out and ready to start as needed. Unless our bullpen implodes, which is not out of the realm of possibilities

[RockCoCougars]

I think it'd be silly to send Estrada down. He's outpitched Narveson, and has earned the #5 spot if you ask me. He deserves a kudos thread, because he has really stepped up.

It is extremely dangerous to go with such a small sample of a few games in trying to compare Estrada & Narveson. Having a pitcher who has done well in MLB, down in AAA staying stretched out and pitching every 5 games is a great problem to have. If Narveson struggles for another 4 or 5 starts and Estrada continues to pitch lights out that is one thing, but I like the idea of having some strong pitching depth in AAA if needed. Narveson was phenomenal in his first few starts and now is averaging out towards his career norms, which is fine for a #5 pitcher.

 

And let's see how Estrada does tommorow anyways. In terms of Estrada in the MLB bullpen or the AAA starting lineup, again I see real value in keeping him stretched out and ready to start as needed. Unless our bullpen implodes, which is not out of the realm of possibilities

Right, but Narveson is basically pitching to his career norms. Yes, he's been a victim of the big inning, but that was the case last year as well. As far as Estrada goes, yes it is a small sample, but his stuff looks great to me. Why risk messing with a good thing by sending him to Nashville? If this is just a hot streak, I say ride it out, he may continue to blossom into a solid starter, or you may get a nice first half out of him (a la Victor Santos/Manny Parra 2008). Narveson can be the long guy in the bullpen until the inevitable starter injury occurs.

[The Truth]

Because Marco Estrada's admittedly small sample career norms are a 6.02 ERA and 1.395 WHIP in 51 innings of Major league experience.

 

He's fared better in the minors (career minor league 3.88 ERA, but a 1.322 career minor league WHIP shows that he has some control issues. Maybe Estrada is a late-bloomer, that'd be great. He's been pretty solid i AAA the last few years

[djoctagone]

the brewers are best off having a starting pitcher on the 40-man roster getting regular work every fifth day at aaa. that player can't be mark rogers due to his recent injury, so it's marco estrada that's held as the #1 option if a starter is needed.

[endaround]

Zips projections for the rest of the season:

 

Narveson: ERA 4.64 FIP 4.16

 

Estrada: ERA 4.66 FIP 4.14

 

Keep Estrada stretched out.

[PrinceEatMeat]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/121119274.html

 

Sounds like Estrada is out.

[RyDogg66]

How about Gallardo to the bullpen?

 

26 ERs in 26 innings isnt exactly one or two "bad games'

 

I thought he was bad the second half of last year and he has for the most part picked up where he left off last year.

[Hammer]

Yeah, I'm guessing that Gallardo goes on the DL with some sort of strain or pull...allowing Estrada to stay.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Gallardo isn't going anywhere people. Look how long it took to act on a crappy pitcher like Suppan by putting him on the fake DL. This is Yovani Gallardo. Won't happen.

[rluzinski]

How about Gallardo to the bullpen?

 

26 ERs in 26 innings isnt exactly one or two "bad games'

I would call it a selected sample of 26 innings.

I appreciate that people are worried. I appreciate that people have adjusted their expectations for Gallardo this year. I am right there with you guys. I just don't appreciate how any veteran baseball fan would even suggest Gallardo being taken out of the rotation for Marco Estrada.

 

[PrinceEatMeat]

Yep, Yo isn't going anywhere. Just wait and see Estrada get hammered tomorrow. I think people's opinions would change very quickly. Estrada hasn't had enough starts for me to think he'd even be anything above a decent 5th starter over a full season.

[danzig6767]

Yeah, I'm guessing that Gallardo goes on the DL with some sort of strain or pull...allowing Estrada to stay.

I know many fans wonder if Gallardo is hurt, but watching him pitch, it's hard to see any signs of him being injured. Usually when a pitcher is hurt, there is at least some loss of velocity to varying degrees, but he was throwing 94mph tonight.

 

What i see is simply a command problem, especially with his curveball, which is clearly the second most important pitch to Gallardo after his fastball. To often he's struggling to throw it for strikes and when that happens, hitters will lay off it more often. Given that he doesn't really have a third pitch that he can consistently throw for strikes, when Yovani isn't getting strikes with his curveball, he largely becomes a one pitch pitcher. Mix in that he can also lose the ability at times to throw strikes with his fastball, when then happens he starts walking guys and really finds himself in trouble.

[mothershipconnection]

While I agree that dropping Gallardo for Estrada would be bizarre, the scenario may not be an either/or type of proposition. If they have any inkling that Yo either needs rest or has a mechanical flaw that they don't want him stumbling through big league games to work out, I'd totally be on board with the move. Not because Estrada brings anywhere near the value, but because they need to do whatever is necessary to get Yo back on track, and we have a replacement that isn't a complete train wreck who can limit the bleeding until they get Yo's command issues resolved.