Irony in the current rotation

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I brought this up last night in the IGT, but it got lost in the wash. Or maybe things like this interest only me ... but as of right now, the four current members the the Brewers starting rotation were on the roster at the end of last season. Three of them (Anderson, Davies and Lyles) weren't deemed good enough to make the playoff roster, while the 4th (Houser), didn't even warrant a call-up during roster expansion despite being on the 40 man. How awesome would it be if these four led the team back to the playoffs?

 

My how times have changed.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I thought last year that Anderson and Davies at least would go on to be productive in some way for them again. Just seemed like their arms fell off last year. I don't think Chase was a the sub-3 guy he had in first season with the Brewers, but I did think he was a decent player. Davies is what he is.

 

I do hope that happens though. Anderson was a total gamer about his reduced role and while obviously was frustrated when they shut him down last year, he stuck it out when many, many other guys would've asked for trades or whined about it publicly. I have a lot of respect for him. Great teammate.

[KeithStone53151]

I tend to agree. Davies was hurt for a good chunk of the year and didn't have time to get right. Anderson struggled down the stretch and simply wasn't one of our best options heading into the playoffs. To both their credit, they seemed to take care of business in the offseason and look very good this year. And Lyles/Houser kinda came out of nowhere. Would have been hard to anticipate either guy being even close to this productive.

[Greenleaf1]

That is quite the fun fact.

 

I'm starting to really appreciate Anderson in a way I didn't in previous years (even his best year). He's more or less been that back of rotation starter that we were expecting when we got him from the DBacks, but because he had that one career year, people expected so much more and have been disappointed.

 

I was a little confused last year when Houser wasn't brought up, but I'm glad they finally gave him his chance this year and he's really done the most he can with it. At this point, he seems like a lock for the roster next year, whether in the rotation or in the bullpen.

 

I don't think most people here (or the Brewers org) undervalued Lyles. If Lyles had an option, I think they would've 100% kept him this year, but it made sense to go with the young guys (and honestly, despite Burnes flaming out which I don't think anyone could've predicted to this extent, the experience that Woodruff/Peralta have gained this year have made them much better pitchers in the long run than shuttling them back and forth would've).

 

Davies probably won't ever be as good as peak Kyle Hendricks, but at times he's been a real savior for this rotation. Injuries are really the only thing that held him back last year.

[pacopete4]

I hope Lyles and Houser become great rotation pieces for us but I just am not a believer of Houser. Not that I am all in on Lyles either but Houser just screams bullpen to me. Hopefully, I am dead wrong and both of those guys continue to give us the five innings or they have given us the past two nights.

 

In regard to Davies and Anderson, the talent is there. It was them putting the pieces back together for us. It also shows that from one year to another (Chacin) it can mean diddly poo because these guys are so volatile. That's why a team like the Brewers need to continue to focus on rotational depth every year.

[Outlander]

Looking forward to keep on seeing Houser start for years to come, looks the part now he gets to prove it.

[Greenleaf1]

I hope Lyles and Houser become great rotation pieces for us but I just am not a believer of Houser. Not that I am all in on Lyles either but Houser just screams bullpen to me. Hopefully, I am dead wrong and both of those guys continue to give us the five innings or they have given us the past two nights.

 

In regard to Davies and Anderson, the talent is there. It was them putting the pieces back together for us. It also shows that from one year to another (Chacin) it can mean diddly poo because these guys are so volatile. That's why a team like the Brewers need to continue to focus on rotational depth every year.

 

Just curious what you don't like about Houser? He seems like a guy with a plus-fastball and a decent curveball, which at the very least should put him in consideration for an important bullpen role for the next several years for the league minimum salary. He also, like Woodruff, gets a lot of groundballs and even though it seems like he's been around forever, he's still only 26.

 

At this point, he seems like his floor is solid middle reliever, but his ceiling could be great setup man or solid mid-rotation starter. What's not to like?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I hope Lyles and Houser become great rotation pieces for us but I just am not a believer of Houser. Not that I am all in on Lyles either but Houser just screams bullpen to me. Hopefully, I am dead wrong and both of those guys continue to give us the five innings or they have given us the past two nights.

 

In regard to Davies and Anderson, the talent is there. It was them putting the pieces back together for us. It also shows that from one year to another (Chacin) it can mean diddly poo because these guys are so volatile. That's why a team like the Brewers need to continue to focus on rotational depth every year.

 

Just curious what you don't like about Houser? He seems like a guy with a plus-fastball and a decent curveball, which at the very least should put him in consideration for an important bullpen role for the next several years for the league minimum salary. He also, like Woodruff, gets a lot of groundballs and even though it seems like he's been around forever, he's still only 26.

 

At this point, he seems like his floor is solid middle reliever, but his ceiling could be great setup man or solid mid-rotation starter. What's not to like?

 

I didn't read Brew4U's response as that he doesn't like Houser ... just that he sees him strictly as a reliever. As we've seen this year, those are important

 

I've always been a little more bullish on Houser, as I see a similar skillset to Woodruff and Jimmy Nelson there. That's why I'm excited about Jacob Faria too. He's pretty much a carbon copy of Houser.

[pacopete4]

I hope Lyles and Houser become great rotation pieces for us but I just am not a believer of Houser. Not that I am all in on Lyles either but Houser just screams bullpen to me. Hopefully, I am dead wrong and both of those guys continue to give us the five innings or they have given us the past two nights.

 

In regard to Davies and Anderson, the talent is there. It was them putting the pieces back together for us. It also shows that from one year to another (Chacin) it can mean diddly poo because these guys are so volatile. That's why a team like the Brewers need to continue to focus on rotational depth every year.

 

Just curious what you don't like about Houser? He seems like a guy with a plus-fastball and a decent curveball, which at the very least should put him in consideration for an important bullpen role for the next several years for the league minimum salary. He also, like Woodruff, gets a lot of groundballs and even though it seems like he's been around forever, he's still only 26.

 

At this point, he seems like his floor is solid middle reliever, but his ceiling could be great setup man or solid mid-rotation starter. What's not to like?

 

I like his stuff out of the pen more because I feel as though he is a guy that will have trouble getting guys out multiple times. As I said, I could be way off here but he seemed like a great addition to the pen as a 2-inning type of a guy.

[Oxy]

Yeah, I remember commenting in early June how the only guys on the pitching staff who were nearly guaranteed to be on the Playoff roster were Woodruff and Hader. At that time, Davies, Jeffress and Guerra were the next best bets.

 

It's now August and the situation hasn't changed much. It would be surprising if Anderson and Davies didn't make it though. Jeffress and Guerra are still iffy but more likely than not to make the roster.

 

It's a very strange situation to be in for a team with high aspirations.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

I like his stuff out of the pen more because I feel as though he is a guy that will have trouble getting guys out multiple times.

 

You just described 95% of pitchers in MLB. As long as the Brewers (and all other teams) keep trotting out 5 man starting rotations, it's going to be difficult to find 5 guys who can pitch deep into games regularly. Given what's currently available to them, Houser is probably one of the 5 best equipped to fill the role.

[pacopete4]

I like his stuff out of the pen more because I feel as though he is a guy that will have trouble getting guys out multiple times.

 

You just described 95% of pitchers in MLB. As long as the Brewers (and all other teams) keep trotting out 5 man starting rotations, it's going to be difficult to find 5 guys who can pitch deep into games regularly. Given what's currently available to them, Houser is probably one of the 5 best equipped to fill the role.

 

Yeah, I get that but I’m not talking 3 times through. I think he will eventually get hit hard the second time through. While his last start was great, I doubt many of the A’s have seen him.

[djoctagone]

That's why I'm excited about Jacob Faria too. He's pretty much a carbon copy of Houser.

gross. more puking.

[rickh150]

How questionable is it then that no starting pitching as added at the deadline?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

That's why I'm excited about Jacob Faria too. He's pretty much a carbon copy of Houser.

gross. more puking.

 

Huh? Not sure what you're getting at here.

 

Also, and it's been a huge pet peeve of mine with all your posts for awhile, but can you please, please hit the shift key to form capitalized letters once in a while?

[homer]

How questionable is it then that no starting pitching as added at the deadline?

 

Who started yesterday?

[jerichoholicninja]

That's why I'm excited about Jacob Faria too. He's pretty much a carbon copy of Houser.

gross. more puking.

 

Huh? Not sure what you're getting at here.

 

Also, and it's been a huge pet peeve of mine with all your posts for awhile, but can you please, please hit the shift key to form capitalized letters once in a while?

 

I believe a reference to him literally throwing up on the mound last year.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

 

I believe a reference to him literally throwing up on the mound last year.

 

Ah ... I get it now

[TJseven7]

I hope Lyles and Houser become great rotation pieces for us but I just am not a believer of Houser. Not that I am all in on Lyles either but Houser just screams bullpen to me. Hopefully, I am dead wrong and both of those guys continue to give us the five innings or they have given us the past two nights.

 

In regard to Davies and Anderson, the talent is there. It was them putting the pieces back together for us. It also shows that from one year to another (Chacin) it can mean diddly poo because these guys are so volatile. That's why a team like the Brewers need to continue to focus on rotational depth every year.

 

We agree on something... so it must be true? Houser has been fantastic in the pen for us this year and not having him in the pen today likely cost us a game.

 

I don't think people realize how much this pen would improve if we had Houser Peralta Hader eating 6 inning every 3-4 games. The team misses Knebel and Jeffress closing the door. But it also misses roaming Hader, Woodruff and Burnes.

[LouisEly]

Houser has been fantastic in the pen for us this year and not having him in the pen today likely cost us a game.

Pretty sure you could also say that having him available to start on Tuesday - and throw 5 innings of 3 hit, one run ball - gave them as good of a chance to win that game as anyone.

[wntrtxn21]

Yeah, I remember commenting in early June how the only guys on the pitching staff who were nearly guaranteed to be on the Playoff roster were Woodruff and Hader. At that time, Davies, Jeffress and Guerra were the next best bets.

 

It's now August and the situation hasn't changed much. It would be surprising if Anderson and Davies didn't make it though. Jeffress and Guerra are still iffy but more likely than not to make the roster.

 

It's a very strange situation to be in for a team with high aspirations.

 

I think Jeffress is the most iffy pitcher they have right now. In his last 17.2 IPs - 15 ERs. He is quickly playing his way off the team much less the post-season roster if they make it.

[Pugger]

Yeah, I remember commenting in early June how the only guys on the pitching staff who were nearly guaranteed to be on the Playoff roster were Woodruff and Hader. At that time, Davies, Jeffress and Guerra were the next best bets.

 

It's now August and the situation hasn't changed much. It would be surprising if Anderson and Davies didn't make it though. Jeffress and Guerra are still iffy but more likely than not to make the roster.

 

It's a very strange situation to be in for a team with high aspirations.

 

I think Jeffress is the most iffy pitcher they have right now. In his last 17.2 IPs - 15 ERs. He is quickly playing his way off the team much less the post-season roster if they make it.

 

Boy, talk about going from the penthouse to the outhouse like Jeffress has! I have no use for Junior either.

[JosephC]

I brought this up last night in the IGT, but it got lost in the wash. Or maybe things like this interest only me ... but as of right now, the four current members the the Brewers starting rotation were on the roster at the end of last season. Three of them (Anderson, Davies and Lyles) weren't deemed good enough to make the playoff roster, while the 4th (Houser), didn't even warrant a call-up during roster expansion despite being on the 40 man. How awesome would it be if these four led the team back to the playoffs?

 

My how times have changed.

 

Last year's team finished 29 games over .500 and this year's team is on pace to finish 4 games over .500. This is probably why. Lots of poor performances out of the starting staff has relegated Milwaukee to many B-options. They weren't deemed good enough to make the playoff roster last year, let's see if they can push the Brewers into the playoff this year.