Villanueva's time is NOW

[adambr2]

He's done all he can possibly do to earn himself a spot in the rotation, and it's time to give him the spot in the rotation that he rightfully deserves.

 

We all know Villy can go 6 or 7, it's just been a question of whether he can do it effectively. After a handful of good starts last year, one this year, and a superb effort in the bullpen over the first half of the season, I believe he has proven he can. Villy has the stuff and the poise to give us a solid outing every 5 nights and put our bullpen in position for a victory.

 

We already know what we get with Vargas. It's not terrible for a #5, but we know we get 5 shaky innings, and then it's up in the air. This makes him well suited for long relief. He can step into Villy's old role and handle himself well.

 

It's time to stop being afraid of what will happen to the pen if Villanueva leaves it. He can help us win more games as a starter than a long reliever. We can't sit idly by with the status quo and hope that we have enough to outlast the Cubs until the end of the September. It's time to make a move to improve right now.

[And That]

Unfortunately for Carlos, he's better in the pen than either Bush or Vargas would be. He's cursed to be so good as a proven commodity. I think even if the Brewers trade Vargas or Bush, Gallardo gets the call anyway. I think it would take both Bush and Vargas being traded/hurt to get CV in the rotation for the rest of the year.

 

He's valuable how he is right now, and will be in the rotation next year.

[adambr2]

I thought about the potential problem this would pose later in August when we want to add Gallardo to the rotation and are forced to remove Suppan, Capuano, or Bush. But that's a good problem to have.

 

Who does Villy replace in the rotation next year? I think it's almost a foregone conclusion that Vargas will be gone. Will Bush?

[UWRyan428]

I would imagine that it would take awhile to get Villy's arm stretched out enough to go 7 innings, so I would rather tinker with that next year, when our rotation stacks up to....

Sheets

Bush

Yo

Villy/Cappy (unless he's traded)

Soup

 

Good times.

 

As for his time being now, the young hurler's time will come in the playoff when he needs to come in and ice the comp. He can best serve Emperor Ned by accepting his role for the time being, and looking towards next year....next year.

[BowMeHunter]

The time is now to get Villy in the rotation.. If not him, CV.

[UWRyan428]

I would say the only time it is NOW is to trade Vargas. THat cosmetic record is beautiful.

[1992casey]

If I'm the GM of a team that isn't contending, I don't know how motivated I'd be to pick up a marginal guy like Vargas when I could be trying out younger pitchers. And if I'm Doug Melvin, I don't know how motivated I'd be to send him off to a contending team in-season. I think Claudio will be moved, but I also think that it'll happen in the off-season.

 

I don't think stretching out Carlos will be a big issue if or when the time comes to move him to the rotation. In his start this year, he went 77 pitches on two days rest, with 24 pitches in his previous appearance.

[rluzinski]

Melvin may have been trying to move Vargas for weeks now, for all we know. If he can't free up a starting spot via a trade, I'd leave it the way it is right now. I think the Brewers would gain little by swapping Vargas's and Villy's roles.

[JohnBriggs12]

What proof does anyone have that Vargas and/or Bush or Capuano and/or Suppan for that matter cannot pitch out of the bullpen as effectively as Villanueva?

 

I also disagree that they won't gain by swapping Vargas and Villanueva's roles. The biggest weakness on this team the last month has been starting pitchers not getting past 5 innings much less 6. Not only will Villanueva wear down in the second half, but the rest of the pen will as well unless they can get starters to do their jobs.

 

Fans have every right to expect management to at least attempt to fix obvious problems. But the Brewers seem content to keep the status quo while their lead dwindles nearly on a daily basis. Conversely, the Angels, a team 18 games over .500, just dumped 2 veterans for nothing in return because they were hurting the team.

[BillScottCanRake]

I also disagree that they won't gain by swapping Vargas and Villanueva's roles. The biggest weakness on this team the last month has been starting pitchers not getting past 5 innings much less 6.

 

That seems to be true, but right now we don't know how long it will take Villanueva to get to the point where he can go 7. His only start of the year to date he went five, so while I think it probably won't take long to get to the point where he is going 7 innings, we don't know for sure.

 

The worst thing that could happen is Villy becomes a 5-6 inning starter through late August and Vargas doesn't pitch well once he has been moved to the pen.

[Ennder]

The Angels dumped a couple guys that people thought were bad signings to begin with though. I agree with others, there is no reason to move CV to teh rotation. Eventually you move Gallardo in to replace Vargas and you are set.

 

CV is one of the few bullpen guys I have a lot of faith in, I just don't see a compelling reason to change his role again.

[RU Rah Rah]

I'm not going to say that the parallel is exact, but this reminds me a little bit of the Billy Hall quandary from years past. It's like Villy is this year's pitcher version of a "super sub."

[rluzinski]

Fans have every right to expect management to at least attempt to fix obvious problems. But the Brewers seem content to keep the status quo while their lead dwindles nearly on a daily basis.

 

Not all fans are convinced that making a move like the one suggested in this thread would even help the team right now. Melvin apparently shares that sentiment thus far.

 

Fans have a tendency to panic and personnel moves are the first thing they start demanding. Melvin shouldn't be making moves just to make moves. I'm confident that if an opportunity presents itself to Melvin that improves this team, he won't be hesitant to pull the trigger.

[RightFieldCoder]

I think Melvin is trying to move a SP. He said over and over again (Sexson, Po, Overbay) that you get more for moving every day players in the off season and pitching during the season. I think it's clear that the 5 we have now will not be the 5 we use next year (CV the Younger and Yo are making this statement). Therefore, the best possible time to get the most from the trade would be to do it in the next couple of weeks. Although you normally don't trade to a contenter during a season you're making a run I don't think it would hurt to make a trade with the AL. (Vargas for A-Rod!)

[hauser42]

Why is it that people feel that Carlos is not vaulable to this team in the pen. We have a lot of talent in the rotation so having added depth in the pen is great.

 

I love that people feel we can just move him into the rotation and the team will be better.

 

Question #1: Who is sold that Carlos will be a solid starter?Teams will see more of him and batters will get a better read on him as he goes through a lineup more than once. He is no more sure thing than what we already have.

 

 

Question #2: I think this is more important who is going to vill Carlos's role in the pen? The starter he replaces? This is not that easy as going to the pen is a different mind set and person has to be quicker to be ready to enter the game.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Question #1: Who is sold that Carlos will be a solid starter?Teams will see more of him and batters will get a better read on him as he goes through a lineup more than once. He is no more sure thing than what we already have.qt ]

 

He's had good numbers as a starter for his first 8 starts. It's never a guarantee, but it's a good sign.

 

[ Question #2: I think this is more important who is going to vill Carlos's role in the pen? The starter he replaces? This is not that easy as going to the pen is a different mind set and person has to be quicker to be ready to enter the game. ]

 

Personally, I think that either Vargas or Bush will be dealt and either a bullpen arm will be acquired, or the team will give Parra or Balfour their shot.

[pg44]

Totally agree Villanueva needs to be in the rotation. Vargas needs to get bounced. Vargas for Davis was just about a wash and Estrada for Krynzel and Eveland was another DM masterpiece.

[bsglorydays]

Villanueva in the rotation "arguably" makes the rotation better, but it definitely makes the bullpen weaker IMO. Villanueva has been very consistent and very good in the pen. He probably ranks right behind CoCo in terms of consistently getting the job done. Behind CoCo, Villy, and Turnbow (and you could argue Wise), the rest of the bullpen is shaky at best.

 

I wouldn't bump anybody out of the rotation just for the sake of getting Villanueva in it, at the expense of the late innings of the game.

 

There are and will be plenty of teams looking for starting pitching over the next 2 weeks. If Melvin gets a good deal for Vargas, I think he will pull the trigger. If he doesn't get a good deal, he kepts everything the way it is (in terms of the rotation), and I'm very comfortable with that.

 

Fans are starting to panic because the Cubs are 4.5 games back. Its not like they are knocking on the door, and even if they were, there is still 2 1/2 months of baseball left. There are going to be a lot of ups and downs for both teams yet. Luckily, fans don't make personnel decisions.