Spurling: How long do we need to suffer?

[adambr2]

All right, I think it's finally time to come out and say that we should really start taking it easy on the guy. Every time he's brought in, we act like he's the worst mop-up reliever in baseball.

 

Seriously, he's got a 2.96 ERA in over 27 innings since he was brought up. Can anyone honestly say that they expected more from him? Yes, his WHIP isn't impressive, and I've never been a fan of his stuff at ALL. But let's give the guy his due already -- he's done a respectable job for us, especially for a guy who everyone looks at as the last man in the pen.

[TooLiveBrew]

Surprised to see Brettac hasn't come through with a gigantic, huge, "I TOLD YOU SO!"

 

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

 

Really, though, a 1.44 WHIP ain't too bad, esp. for a guy who's not exactly our #1 option outta the pen. To be fair, his last 5 outings (5 2/3 IP) have been fantastic. 2 BBs, 2 H, and a filthy .706 WHIP.

 

If you even go as far back as the beginning of June...

 

10 IP, 1.10 WHIP, 2 ER, 96 of 152 pitches for strikes, and only one HR surrendered.

[Lil Dummy]

Good grief, a Spurling lovefest has broken out!

[brettac1]

Surprised to see Brettac hasn't come through with a gigantic, huge, "I TOLD YOU SO!"

 

Yeah... if you're talking about Dessens, he's obviously hurt, since he couldn't make it through a simulated game last week. And 27 innings out of Spurling aren't going to make me say he's good. He is what he is, a guy who comes in and pitches non-important innings. But it's cool that a 1.43 WHIP is good now. Spurling's FIP is 4.44, and Dessens' was 4.83. He's cost the team more games than Dessens did, though, I'll give you that. When he implodes, who cares, just move onto the next one.

 

Now that Capellan's gone and Spurling will move into the "pitch every 10 days" role, I'd expect to see his numbers suffer like anyone who is put in that situation.

[adambr2]

He hasn't looked impressive, and he's gotten lucky at times, I'll certainly say that. His WHIP indicates that. But walks and hits per innings pitched don't score runs by themselves.

 

In any event, if we're this disgusted with a garbage time reliever that has a 2.96 ERA through over 27 innings, things are VERY good in Milwaukee.

[brettac1]

Spurling hasn't really been the garbage time guy yet, though. Now he's going to be in that spot where he almost never works, if the team is playing well. Then, if he does work, most likely the team is getting lit up. In which case people will rip him, because they associate him with pitching in games where the team loses (and probably giving up runs in the process, due to lack of regular work).

 

I wouldn't say I'm digusted by him, though. I couldn't care less who the garbage guy is. It's hard to get disgusted when you realize that he's the mop-up guy and he's pretty much going to be bad when you have a good rotation and he doesn't get normal work.

[Lil Dummy]

"In any event, if we're this disgusted with a garbage time reliever that has a 2.96 ERA through over 27 innings, things are VERY good in Milwaukee."

 

A little bit of hyperbole here, given that there's like one guy in the thread complaining about Spurling, and two dozen lauding him.

[Thurston Fluff]

Another feel-good "the times they are a-changin'" thread in my eyes. A few years ago, we'd have been questioning whether he should be our #1 setup option.

 

My thoughts exactly. He would be in the mix for a late inning close game role on a lot of clubs. Including some winning ones. Detroit just traded for Capps2 and he is getting more important spots than Spurling. I think he fits into the category of first impressions last longer than actual performance dictates Russ was talking about in another thread. IIRC he didn't start out very well in his first couple outings with the Brewers. Since then he hasn't had many important moments success (or opportunities) to erase that initial bad taste.

[endaround]

Actually he has and he failed. This wouldn't be such a big deal if Yost didn't insist on bringing Cordero in for every single save opportunity. So if Spurling lets one on in the 9th with a 4 run lead, Cordero starts getting warmed up even with two outs.

[patrickgpe]

I don't think there is anything wrong with Spurling, minus how Ned uses him. The games he has lost for us (minnesota, kc), where ones that he had no business being in. You need a mop up guy like Spurling in the pen. Id rather have him do it than Yo or Villy. Ned though seems to like putting him in late during a tie game. No way he should be in a game under those circumstances unless there is noone to pitch.

[Diskono]

I don't expect him to keep it up for too long, but a sub-3.00 ERA (who is also considered to be our worst reliever) makes for great trade bait. We could get something very useful at the deadline, and let one of our AAA relievers be the mop-up guy.