If we assume Capuano makes the starting rotation, how long is his leash?

[JohnBriggs12]

Question for the many Capuano backers out there.

 

Suppose in April he extends his losing streak to 15 and/or 25 straight losing appearences and Gallardo is ready to come off the DL. Will you finally be ready to pull the plug on this guy and at least banish him to the bullpen?

[trwi7]

Question for the many Capuano backers out there.

 

Suppose in April he extends his losing streak to 15 and/or 25 straight losing appearences and Gallardo is ready to come off the DL. Will you finally be ready to pull the plug on this guy and at least banish him to the bullpen?

 

Depends on how he's pitching. If he's getting hammered around the park and walking a ton of guys then yeah, if he's going like 7 or 8 innings and giving up only 1 or 2 runs but still losing then no.

[Ennder]

W and L will have nothing to do with my opinion of Capuano and they shouldn't have anything to do with it.

 

If Capuano is pitching well he should keep his spot, if he isn't he shouldn't. He could be 0-20 on the year and if he pitched well I'd keep throwing him out there. W are a team stat that the SP influences, not an individual stat.

[JohnBriggs12]

W and L will have nothing to do with my opinion of Capuano and they shouldn't have anything to do with it.

 

If Capuano is pitching well he should keep his spot, if he isn't he shouldn't. He could be 0-20 on the year and if he pitched well I'd keep throwing him out there. W are a team stat that the SP influences, not an individual stat.

 

So you think he's pitched "well" over the past year and a half?

 

I will concede he hasn't been as bad as the W-L record, and he's had some good games mixed in, but overall, he hasn't pitched "well" in my opinion since the first half of 06.

[Ennder]

He was good last year before the injury. He was good in August of 2006. He was average for parts of the rest of the span, he was bad for parts of it.

 

If you just want to play the splits game.

 

Between August 11th of 2006 and June 02 of 2007 in a 22 start span he had a 4.11 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and 1.04 HR/9. Unfortunately I can't get more in depth stats than in the day by day database but I don't think he has been bad for a year and a half. He has had some bad chunks of time in there for sure, especially last year after his DL trip.

[twobrewers]

he hasn't pitched "well" in my opinion since the first half of 06.

Man, how quickly people forget.

 

Through May 7th last year, Capuano was 5-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 7 starts. So I would call that a pretty good stretch.

 

Don't be fooled by his horrible luck down the stretch last year. He didn't pitch well in the second half - but he didn't pitch all that poorly either.

 

I think Capuano has a decent shot at a 4.00ish ERA this year. He still could be a very effective #3 pitcher. (He was down on his velocity towards the end of last year. So if he regains that...)

[TooLiveBrew]

So you think he's pitched "well" over the past year and a half?

 

I will concede he hasn't been as bad as the W-L record, and he's had some good games mixed in, but overall, he hasn't pitched "well" in my opinion since the first half of 06.

 

How many times do we have to re-hash this debate about Cappy? Are people still honestly forgetting what gets brought up literally every time? W-L again?

 

I'd be surprised if Chris is anything less than solid in 2008. The things he can control as a pitcher, he does quite well.

[splitterpfj]

Chris Capuano, second half of 06 - August 11- September 6, 6 starts, 9 ER total - outstanding. Final four starts - 22 ER. He didn't have a bad second half, he had a terrible finish. 2007 - Through 7 starts, Cappy is 5-0 with a 2.31 ERA. From that point on, he gives up 5 or more ER 7 times, he gives up 3 or fewer ER 4 times. If some other team released this player, this board would be filled with people pushing for the Brewers to claim him. Capuano shouldn't be counted on to be the #2 starter the way he once was, but there's no reason to simply dump him at this point.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Regarding Capuano, it always boils down to what timeframe/set of splits people use to critique his performance. W-L record has little to no bearing on how he pitches from game to game. The only thing consistent about Capuano is how inconsistent he's been - 3 good starts, one great start, then 2 putrid starts, etc.

 

I will say this - for all the people who shoot down the W-L record argument completely, citing all the effective starts Capuano had during his winless streak, they tend to leave out the starts he made where he was staked 2-3 run leads, only to have him give them up entirely, or leave the game in the 6th inning in a jam that our inconsistent middle relief couldn't get out of. If anyone could look this up I'd appreciate it - how many of the Brewers' 3-run plus blown leads were games in which Capuano started? Some of that obviously is attributable to the bullpen, but I think alot falls on the starting pitcher if he couldn't protect a sizeable lead (or pitch deep enough into the game to get the ball to the back end of the bullpen)

 

I agree with the previous post in saying that Capuano should not be considered a #2-caliber starter on a team thinking playoffs, he's more in the mold of a #4 or #5 - a guy who can give you innings, but not someone you'd want starting a playoff game...I think the issue that the Brewers have in their rotation is who's the #3 behind Sheets and (hopefully soon) a healthy Gallardo? The Brewers may have 8 starting pitchers on their roster, but that's not great if 6 of them are very average and inconsistent. I'm hoping Villenueva can slide into that role, and at least they do have a number of arms that can take the ball rather than having to dig into the AA roster every time a starter gets injured.

[TooLiveBrew]

how many of the Brewers' 3-run plus blown leads were games in which Capuano started? Some of that obviously is attributable to the bullpen, but I think alot falls on the starting pitcher if he couldn't protect a sizeable lead (or pitch deep enough into the game to get the ball to the back end of the bullpen)

Much can be attributed to poopy IF defense, too. Capuano had the worst 'bullpen support' in 2007 of any of our SP, as well. Not sure about run support, though.

[ozzybourne]

Question for the many Capuano backers out there.

 

Suppose in April he extends his losing streak to 15 and/or 25 straight losing appearences and Gallardo is ready to come off the DL. Will you finally be ready to pull the plug on this guy and at least banish him to the bullpen?

if parra was a proven, healthy lefty innings eater cappy would probably have been traded. parra has not, so cappy gets another chance. if he starts out poorly--1-5 with an era over 5.30 and is wild--to the pen and spot starter for him.

 

i expect a nice bounceback season. he prepares as well as anyone. cappy, suppan, and bush all had down seasons last year and yet cappy gets hammered on the most. (in fact with estrada gone they should all get better).

 

cappy also brings some other things to the table most starters do not--he can put the ball in play as a batter. he has a great pick off move to hold runners. he is a great athelete and fields his position.

 

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Good point(s) on Chris's all-around skillset, oz. He's really a gifted athlete. Parra's role in 2008 I expect will be crucial... albeit limited in terms of MLB IP.

[ozzybourne]

Good point(s) on Chris's all-around skillset, oz. He's really a gifted athlete. Parra's role in 2008 I expect will be crucial... albeit limited in terms of MLB IP.

hey anikin--this could happen

 

cappy returns to early 2007 form

suppan has an above average year and earns his money

sheets stays healthy

gallardo continues his impressive start

villy has breakthrough year

 

if the pieces fall into place--which they do sometimes-this could be a top 5 rotation in all of MLB

[Ennder]

If you look at something as simplistic as 3-yr average which is what I consider the lowest number of IP you need for ERA to matter you end up with this.

 

Bush - 4.68

Capuano- 4.28

Gallardo - 3.67*

Sheets - 3.63

Suppan - 4.11

Villanueva - 3.86*

 

Maybe not the greatest playoff rotation but if Villanueva and Gallardo can do something like they have so far in their careers it is a good rotation. Really up to the defense to step up and play close to average overall to be able to hit those targets.

[trwi7]

Much can be attributed to poopy IF defense, too. Capuano had the worst 'bullpen support' in 2007 of any of our SP, as well. Not sure about run support, though.

 

Are you talking about run support from the offense? I looked this up a while ago for each of Vargas, Bush and Capuano's starts last year.

 

Capuano 5-10 record as starter, team averaged 3.68 runs in those starts.

 

Bush- 10-10 record as starter, team averaged 4.68 runs in those starts.

 

Vargas 10-4 record as starter, team averaged 5.78 runs in those starts.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Cappy and his 83 mph fastball can leave town.

[Tbadder]

I'm not really hopeful for Cappy. The one thing we ignore is the damaged pysche that results in so much losing. He reminds me of Clyde Wright--heady guy with decent stuff, but a loser at heart. Wright had some good years just like Cappy but then that 20 loss season and it was over.

 

He's got to have a good start or I think he'll be through. I hope his problem was the injury. God knows that with the Diamondbacks and Mets staffs the Brewers are going to have to have major improvement in their starters if they really want to compete.

[hauser42]

I see Cappy having a rebound this season and being a solid starter for this team. He has some bad luck and tough games in the second half last year, but he still has a lot of good stats for the season. I had him as the #3 guy in the rotation behind Sheets and Yo and before Suppan so that the team could break up the righties.

 

Parra having an option makes is it easy to send him down this year to start out.

 

Carlos V could take hit this year. He has a 26 hit % of balls in play, league average is 30%. And his strand rate was almost god like with 96% in his starts, league average is 90%. This numbers start to come back to normal and he will not have the numbers of last year. Still think he will be a solid SP but he is going to go through some rough times.

[rluzinski]

The greatest irony in the world would be Cappy having a nice April and people calling him the team's new ace. Why not?

[RyDogg66]

Question for the many Capuano backers out there.

 

Suppose in April he extends his losing streak to 15 and/or 25 straight losing appearences and Gallardo is ready to come off the DL. Will you finally be ready to pull the plug on this guy and at least banish him to the bullpen?

Maybe, maybe not, but you clearly already are.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Are you talking about run support from the offense? I looked this up a while ago for each of Vargas, Bush and Capuano's starts last year.

 

Capuano 5-10 record as starter, team averaged 3.68 runs in those starts.

 

Bush- 10-10 record as starter, team averaged 4.68 runs in those starts.

 

Vargas 10-4 record as starter, team averaged 5.78 runs in those starts.

 

 

Yes, I did mean that. Thanks for doing the dirty work here. I thought it'd happened like that. Horrid bullpen support, below-avg. run support; it's no wonder his W-L totals struggled. Or - wait - Cappy's just a loser!

 

Cappy and his 83 mph fastball can leave town.

Greg Maddux sez hello. Besides, he routinely hits in the upper 80s with his FB, not sure why you call him out for 83.

[logan82]

83 just sounds better than 89-91.

[twobrewers]

Capuano's fastball was down towards the end of last year.

[TooLiveBrew]

FB velocity isn't as important as changing speeds effectively, though. Chris's changeup has been a solid pitch.

[TerraceReserved]

Cappy and his 83 mph fastball can leave town.

 

So you'd rather have Vargas and his low 90's fastball? And as others have mentioned, he's an upper 80's guy anyway.