Speculations

Missing Pieces, Part 3

We’ve nearly completed our tour of EFL pitching staffs. All that’s left are a couple of the younglings (Canberra, Portland) and oh yes, the Cheese. Three teams who are, shall we say, less than stellar. Our expectations are not high. Yet hope springs eternal, or so we’ve heard. What does 2015 look like for these short-shrifted staffs? How should they strategize for the upcoming drafts?

Canberra: Looking for an ace, here. Hmm, let’s see. Edwin Jackson? Too bad about that contract, Canberra. Mike Minor, former member of the Wolverine M-squad? Better hope he bounces back into form. Still looking…

How about Arodys Vizcaino? Don’t think so. He’s headed for the bullpen, to join your outstanding closer, Aroldis Chapman. Did you think he was going to become a starter? Sorry about that. Erasmo Ramirez? The only reason he’s not in the minors is that he’s out of options. Still looking…

What about Daniel Hudson? He was pretty good, once. Nice rule 5 pickup, Canberra. But not ace material. Peacock? Perez? Erlin? Fifth starters, if you’re lucky. Wait a minute – here’s a name – Taijuan Walker. The big first-round draft from last year.

Walker looked good in his comeback from injury late last year, and he provides the best hope for Canberra. Eventually he could be the Kangaroo ace. But for this year, we’re still looking…

Hey, what about that Strasburg guy? Don’t you have him any more?

Portland: The Rosebuds have a bunch of good-looking young pitchers, and a couple of unpredictable veterans.

Danny Duffy and first-rounder Yordano Ventura looked great last year, and should anchor the Rosebud staff. Jimmy Nelson and Rubby De La Rosa have potential – we’ll have to see if they blossom. (Get it? They’re Rosebuds? I shouldn’t have to spell this out for you.) Drew Smyly was outstanding in the second half of 2014, and he’d be an asset to any pitching staff.

But several of Portland’s hurlers fall into the “unpredictable” category. Tyler Skaggs was shut down due to injury – can he return to fulfill the promise that used to be there for him? Erik Johnson was a huge disappointment to the White Sox – we don’t even know if he’ll get another chance in MLB. Ervin Santana is often quite good – but not someone you can count on year after year. Still, I’d count on him for the back end of any rotation. Josh Johnson? He’s going to give it another try, it seems.

Danny Farquhar is Portland’s lone occupant of the bullpen, and while he’s a good reliever, he can’t do it all himself. With their flower-garden full of young starters, it looks like all Portland needs from this year’s draft is a couple of relievers.

Cottage: How does one review one’s own staff? In a way it’s easy – they’ve been under strict review for some time. Some of them are not going to make the cut. (Get it? Cut the Cheese? Honestly, I don’t know why I waste my time with you.) Strictly speaking these guys are still Cheese, but they will soon be looking for other work in EFL.

Dan Haren, for one. Whatever possessed us to offer him three years at $6M per? Good grief, retire already, Dan. Or at least get traded. We need the bucks. Stephen Pryor, we never knew ye, and we’re not going to, either. See ya! Paco? Allen? Give us a call when you get settled. It’s been real.

Unfortunately, the Cheese are stuck with Clay Buccholz. Another long-term contract regret. When will we ever learn? Maybe he’ll be good again. Maybe. We are going to spend 7 million of the best to find out.

Fortunately, the Cheese made a deal with the Pears last year, and that has saved our bacon. (Hmm, cheese, pears and bacon – might make a good sandwich.) We got two of our staff anchors, Alex Cobb and Phil Hughes, out of that one. Thanks, Pears! You guys are great! Let’s hope these two can continue in the ways of excellence.

The ace of this staff should be Sonny Gray, last year’s excellent first-round pick (we can still hear the howls of complaint from Canberra, and it still makes us smile). His A’s teammate Drew Pomeranz should get another chance to start this year, and we expect him to do well.

Nathan Eovaldi is now a Yankee, and according to what I read, they’re going to help him get better. I hope so. Somebody needs to.

Looks like the Cheese will need one more reliable starter to bail out the inevitable failure of one of their top 5 (my bet’s on Buchholz) and another reliever or two to fill up the pen.

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