Starting rotation for 2014

[reillymcshane]

Where do folks see the rotation heading next year?

 

Barring a trade, I assume we have three locks:

 

Gallardo, Lohse and Peralta

 

Estrada is looking like he's on the rebound, so I'm betting he gets a spot as well.

 

For the final spot, I'd love it if the team gave Tyler Thornburg regular starts for the rest of the year. Stop jerking the guy around and figure out his future. If he doesn't look like he's going to cut it, then move him to the bullpen beginning in spring camp and move on.

 

Otherwise, one of Jimmy Nelson and Johnny Hellweg are probably your #5 guy.

 

Also, please send Gorzelanny back to the bullpen. As a reliever, his OPS allowed is a stellar .563. As a starter, it's .759. An occasional start by the guy is fine, but he shouldn't be in the rotation.

[DHonks]

I agree on your first 4. I differ on Thornburg. I haven't been impressed with his command. When he throws strikes, they always seem to miss the target by a foot or more. As a reliever I think he could probably get away with it more...at least until his command approves. For the 5th starter (not in any order), we have Gorzy, Thornburg, Burgos, Nelson, Figaro, Hand, and Fiers. I'd also actively try to shop Weeks for a bad contract pitcher in his walk-year. Gennett's offense has shown me enough and his D is superior to Rickie. Of those, I kind of hope Fiers or Nelson gets the job.

 

Not to get off-topic, but the pen would be:

Closer- Henderson

Setup- Kintzler and Wooten

Lhp-Gorzy

7th inning-Badenhop and hand

Long guy- Thornburg

[jerichoholicninja]

Barring injury or trade Gallardo, Lohse, Peralta, and Estrada will be 4 of them. I'm guessing that last starter isn't even in the organization right now and Doug will trade for or sign him.

[fondybrewfan]

Nelson should have as good of a shot as anyone at that 5th spot if no outside help is brought in this offseason. Guys like Hand, Figaro, Gorzo, Rogers, etc should be viewed as bullpen guys. Nelson, Thornburg, and Fiers should compete for that final spot and based on talent alone I would guess Nelson is the best of that group.

 

But knowing how Melvin operates it is extremely unlikely that he doesn't bring in a starter or two through a trade or FA.

[markedman5]

Hellweg walked 6 and hit a batter yesterday…..took him 111 pitches to get through 4 2/3……also had 3 wild pitches….

 

He has shown no signs of solving his command issues

[chadomac]

It's going to be a rotation with almost as many questions marks as this year given an aging Lohse, a young Peralta, and not knowing which Gallardo you're going to get. If we can somehow acquire a starter with a 4ish or lower ERA through trade or free agency, that sure would make me feel better about it.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't think Nelson's ready either. 43 BB in 72 2/3 innings at AAA?

 

Thornburg and Gorzelanny have the inside track internally. I'm not as down on Gorzelanny. Lets see what he does the rest of the year. Though they do need to find at least one or two lefties for the pen so he's an option there as well. Thornburg needs to get some starts too the rest of the way. They could bring in someone from outside the organization. Maybe a mid-level type FA signing, or a deal.

[reillymcshane]

I agree on your first 4. I differ on Thornburg. I haven't been impressed with his command. When he throws strikes, they always seem to miss the target by a foot or more. As a reliever I think he could probably get away with it more...at least until his command approves.

DHonks, I totally agree with you on thornburg in that I think he is best suited for the bullpen. But I'd say let him finish out the year in the rotation and try and prove me wrong. I just hate that they don't seem to have any sort of plan for him. His recent, successful, starts, have made me think he at least deserves the chance to show off for a 5-6 starts at the end of the year.

[logan82]

Gallardo, Lohse, Peralta, and Estrada are probably locks baring injury. I would rather the rotation be filled out with a young guy instead of somebody like Narveson or Gorzelanny who are both old and not in our future plans. We have a large enough sample for both to know they are not all that good.

[ewitkows]

Yo, Lohse, Willy, Estrada, Groz are your starting 5 with AAA Helwig , thornberg , Hiram, hand and fiers waiting to get a shot

[torts]

I don't think Nelson's ready either. 43 BB in 72 2/3 innings at AAA?

 

 

I agree, i think he starts in AAA again next season, he seems do better the 2nd time through a level in terms of controlling the walks

 

10 rk - 13/33

11 A -65/120

12 A+ - 25/77

12 AA - 37/42

13 AA - 15/72

13 AAA - 43/74

 

I think he'll start in AAA next year and be the first call up mid summer when injuries start cropping up

[torts]

man, I forgot Burgos!

 

I think Hellweg and Nelson stay in AAA next year with Jungmann and Pena, and Burgos/Thornburg/Fiers/Hand/Figaro will all be in Milwaukee to fill the pen/rotation

[sveumrules]

Pretty much agree with the consensus of Lohse, Peralta, Gallardo and Estrada being locks if healthy. Really hope we've seen the last of Gorzo in the rotation, myself.

 

I think PrinceEatMeat brought up Bronson Arroyo in another thread a few days ago as a guy DMGM will likely go after this offseason, not that he was personally advocating it by any means.

 

Then, after Bronson picked up the W against us on Saturday, Roenicke was on with Uecker for the pre-game show Sunday talking about how much he likes Arroyo for about 5 minutes straight. And a couple of minutes that weren't so straight.

 

GULP.

[TigerUppercut]

What has Burgos done to make anyone think he's a major league caliber pitcher? The scouting reports weren't glowing coming up and he really doesn't pass the eye test for me. Looks like a AAAA arm capable of a spot start if absolute need be, but someone that will get shelled if forced into consistent duty. The stuff seems to back that up as we've seen way too many guys with his profile over the years.

[trwi7]

What has Burgos done to make anyone think he's a major league caliber pitcher? The scouting reports weren't glowing coming up and he really doesn't pass the eye test for me. Looks like a AAAA arm capable of a spot start if absolute need be, but someone that will get shelled if forced into consistent duty. The stuff seems to back that up as we've seen way too many guys with his profile over the years.

 

Yeah, people forget about Burgos because he's easily forgettable. He's not an MLB starting pitcher.

[TheCrew07]

Yo, Lohse, Willy, Estrada, Groz are your starting 5

 

I also think that will be the starting rotation, barring any off-season trades for pitching.

 

Average age of that rotation would be 29.8 years old.

 

Average FB velocities (2013)

 

Gallardo - 90.7

Lohse - 89.8

Peralta - 94.5

Estrada - 89.1

Gorzelanny - 89.9

 

Even if you're a believer that Lohse, Estrada, and Gorzelanny would continue to be effective starting pitchers welcome to the dream of the average.

 

Color me uninspired.

[fondybrewfan]

I don't think Gorz is going to be a starter next year. He is so much more valuable as a reliever that can occasionally spot start. I would much rather see Nelson or Thornburg get the 5th spot. They can probably be just as mediocre as Gorz but atleast they can be developing at the same time. Gorz is already old and isn't going to get any better. With Nelson or Thornburg atleast there is a chance that they could develop into something special.

[logan82]

I don't think Gorz is going to be a starter next year. He is so much more valuable as a reliever that can occasionally spot start. I would much rather see Nelson or Thornburg get the 5th spot. They can probably be just as mediocre as Gorz but atleast they can be developing at the same time. Gorz is already old and isn't going to get any better. With Nelson or Thornburg atleast there is a chance that they could develop into something special.

That is the main reason to go with those guys. Upside.

[brewmann04]

The possible 5th starters are filled with wildness and they really need someone to work with these guys on their control.

[TURBO]

If Thornburg has any shot at being a future starter, then what better time than now to give him that shot?

 

The fact that he has been relegated back to the bullpen is asinine in a lost season like this one. Give him the shot that he deserves and see what happens.

[xisxisxis]

Pencil in Bronson Arroyo. Doug can't sleep with the anticipation of signing one more washed up vet. But for you naysayers who think it's the same old same old from Dougie, you do realize Arroyo pitches for the Reds, not the Cards! Hah, take that out of the box thinking....

[torts]

thats why im not worried about Arroyo

[jjgott]

Jake Westbrook here we come!

[brewmann04]

I have asked a Brewers writer and he basically said if they view TT as a Starter they would have left him their for the rest of the season. I guess they do view him as a Reliever.

[TigerUppercut]

I have asked a Brewers writer and he basically said if they view TT as a Starter they would have left him their for the rest of the season. I guess they do view him as a Reliever.

 

But yet they view Gorzo, a multi-time failed starter as starting material. Just once, I'd love for Melvin and Roenicke to go toe to toe with some of the posters on here with that type of "logic".