Idea for pitching rotation next year.

[BasEbaLlKnoItAll]

I still think Pavano will be dealt before the season begins.

I hope not, I hope we stick with ihim. Last year was rough but a lot of guys need a year to adjust.

[DoubleX]

If I had my druthers, I would have had traded Pavano and/or Wright. But since they are both still on the team, my biggest objective is to keep Wright as far as way as possible from the rotation and not take a spot that should go to Chacon or Wang. Here's how I'd set it up.

Johnson
Mussina
Chacon
Pavano
Wang

I'm particularly excited to see Chacon over a full-season. He showed a ton of poise last year, often pitching his best to get out of some tight jams. Now that he's away from Colorado, I expect that terrific curveball of his to only get better.

[Mattingly]

I hope not, I hope we stick with ihim. Last year was rough but a lot of guys need a year to adjust.

I'll agree on the adjustment period, per Clemens in 1999. However, you need to at least pitch during said adjustment period, don't you? Clemens pitched in and won Game 4 of that WS, whereas Pavano sat out the playoffs.

I'm willing to stick with him if he can stay healthy. I'm hoping that he's not another Javier Vazquez/Matt Clement type, whereby he has a fantastic 1st half, but a dismal 2nd half. Javy's 4-bagger to Damon didn't help matters much in the 2004 ALCS, Game 7.

If Javier is given a chance, I'd like to see what kind of pitcher he actually is, given that he's not still griping about being traded, and this done only after having signed a big buck$ contract, on George's payroll.

To me, Pavano and Wright are insurance for one another, just as El Duque and Boomer seemed to be the same around 2003. Neither one of them seems overly reliable in terms of stability, but if they can somehow avoid getting hurt at the same time, we may have at least one of them pitching for us. Now if their combined salaries weren't in the $17m/yr range, that would be even better.

[Mattingly]

If I had my druthers, I would have had traded Pavano and/or Wright. But since they are both still on the team, my biggest objective is to keep Wright as far as way as possible from the rotation and not take a spot that should go to Chacon or Wang. Here's how I'd set it up.

Johnson
Mussina
Chacon
Pavano
Wang

I'm particularly excited to see Chacon over a full-season. He showed a ton of poise last year, often pitching his best to get out of some tight jams. Now that he's away from Colorado, I expect that terrific curveball of his to only get better.

I wouldn't say we have a blistering, totally dominant rotation, but at least we have a few luxuries. We've got more starting pitchers than we need, and several of them, such as Small, Wang and possibly Wright, could all come out of the bullpen if need be. Regardless of how good your rotation is on paper, injuries happen, and flexibility, as well as players' willingness and capability of being swing pitchers, is definitely a plus.

I agree with your list. However, while Wang didn't look as good in the ALDS as during the regular season, he's still pretty young. Pavano seems to have lots more to prove, especially after getting a 4-year pricey deal with essential one good season under his belt.

[Tinyballer]

Umm i dunt think wang can come out of the bullpen very well because if you've noticed the time he struggles most in a game is in the first inning and when he starts to get tired so its not very true to think he is a bullpen option. but chacon can come outta the pen he was a closer i believe

[Mattingly]

Umm i dunt think wang can come out of the bullpen very well because if you've noticed the time he struggles most in a game is in the first inning and when he starts to get tired so its not very true to think he is a bullpen option. but chacon can come outta the pen he was a closer i believe

I hadn't realized that. I'll have to check his first inning performance a little closer. I was mostly judging how he'd done against Boston and a few others when he was relegated to the bullpen last season. After Mussina didn't do so well, he came in and stopped the number of runs allowed.

In either case, Aaron Small can certainly come out of the pen and go into the rotation if we need him, so even if Wang isn't the first choice, we have enough versatility to overcome possible injuries to multiple pitchers.

[constantine603]

Rotation

Johnson
Mussina
Pavano
Wang
Chacon
Wright


I REALLY like the idea of having a six man rotation.
Especially, with Mussina and Johnson's old arms and Pavano being injury prone.

Plus this way you give Wright a chance to show what he can do for the team without just throwing him into the bullpen.

Don't get me wrong this will probably not last long. Either someone will get hurt or someone will have trouble. It just seems the best for the start of the year.

[Evangelion]

I hadn't realized that. I'll have to check his first inning performance a little closer.

I'm baffled by how bad his numbers are in the first inning, so Tinyballer's point was correct and very good.

Wang has a whopping ERA of 7.41 in the first inning. Allowing 24 hits and 14 earn runs in only 17 starters in the first inning. So, he might not be the greatest option out the bullpen while, as you mention, Small can come out of the bullpen and I think would be more solid. Wang has also only had one career bullpen appearance, so if they want him to come out of the bullpen, they need to work with him during Spring Training. Oh, wait, is he even going to be there or going to be WBC?

[Tinyballer]

If you had to only start five you would have to start Johnson Mussina Wang Pavono and Wright and use small and chacon outta the pen and can i remind you that Chacon was once a closer in the impossible to pitch conditions of colardado?

[Evangelion]

If you had to only start five you would have to start Johnson Mussina Wang Pavono and Wright and use small and chacon outta the pen and can i remind you that Chacon was once a closer in the impossible to pitch conditions of colardado?

Still, Chacon prove he could be an effective starter last season. He deserve a spot in the rotation and if you can use a player who can be very good starter, you would use him as a starter over a reliever. Wright and Pavano should be the odd men out of the rotation at this point due to last year disappointment by both of them.

Make Wright work out of the bullpen for long relief and keep Chacon in the rotation. I think you prefer six or seven solid innings from Chacon than just one solid inning every so now and then.

[Tinyballer]

if i had my way the starting rotaion would be this johnson mussina wang chacon and Pavono and i would wanna toss jaret wright for some conterdor thats desperate for pitching umm Texas??? but i dunt have my way i am just stating the possibilities. actually to tell u the truth i would LOVE to see chacon stuff it seems his curveball breaks a lot better in new york than in dever.

[AVA8]

Unit, Moose, Chacon, Wang, Pavano.

I was really liking what Small did last year but think he should be the long relief man, unless someone gets injured. Wright really needs to go. I would entertain all trades for Pavano and be happy with Small as the 5th starter and Wright as a long reliever or gone

[Tinyballer]

Well i don't think its a good thing to think about not starting small. Small is a good pitcher but no ones going to be like o crap i am facing Aaron Small but some people will go oh crap i am facing Carl Pavono. Pavono's stuff is a lot nastier than wut small has. This is why we should try to acquire another big named starter dunno who but someone