Wanted: a Pitching Mentor Topic

Having some problems with my pitching staff...I just can't get these guys to perform well....granted,  I haven't given them the best offensive support (that's another task for another day or mentor) 

I've been mulling over this guy
Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Luis Candelaria
And whether to send him back to AAA or continue to give him innings in the bigs.

Where is he going to grow the most?...This part of the game has always vexed me.

Any help?

Thanks in advance.
2/19/2013 3:31 PM
He is 28. He's done growing. He has splits in the 60's and has below average pitch ratings. What he's doing now in the majors is what I'd expect from him. On a playoff caliber team, he'd be a 12th man in the pen, mop-up pitcher at best. I wouldn't use him as a regular starter.
2/19/2013 3:37 PM
I don't think he's that bad but he's the sort that needs a really good D behind him.    Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Marino Reyes has put up good numbers with a top 5 D in S26.   Not so much in S25 with a horrible D.
2/19/2013 4:11 PM

I think the big difference though is that Reyes has 4 out of his 5 pitches above 60 while Candelaria has 1 out of 4 above 60.

2/19/2013 5:25 PM
I'm not sure what you're looking at but I'm thinking the +27 control and superior VL/GB offsets Reyes pitches(75/58/60/58).  
2/19/2013 5:30 PM
Using my pitching formula in Greenberg, Candelaria is 98.23% of the pitcher that Reyes is.   Which is virtually nothing. 
2/19/2013 5:34 PM
So I gather he's destined to the bullpen as a mop up guy...maybe situation B against the lefties.
2/19/2013 5:48 PM
He's not that good.  If his control was in the 90's and he had a 2nd pitch then he would be a different guy...but then he wouldn't be Candalaria. 

2/19/2013 7:32 PM
He's a major league pitcher; marginal, but playable at low leverage.  I've used guys like this in the long relief role, as a 10th pitcher, with reasonable success; expect ERA's in the mid-to-high 4s.  Don't arb him even once. But he's half a run of ERA better than what's in Rule 5 or AAA in any decent world, and cheaper than similar FA that are available at the end of the FA cycle.

EDIT-- I missed the high salary.  Oops.  Not worth those $$, but you have him, so use him.

2/19/2013 11:06 PM (edited)
Upgrade your D, which is NEVER a bad idea, and use him in long relief with a 50-60 PC.    You're paying him 4.5m for the next three years.  Utilize him.
2/19/2013 8:26 PM

But I always disagree with those who use absolutes in HBD.

"He must have 70 splits!!!"

"He'll never be a BL pitcher with 49 control!!"

"If he doesn't have 3 pitches over 70, he's never pitching for me!!"
 

2/19/2013 8:27 PM
Personally, I love it when someone posts a player who would easily be a starter on my team and someone invariably sniffs, "looks like an LRB - if that."

I don't have to be an expert to figure out that all 70+ ratings means the player's good and yes, I would like to have him on my team if I could.

But we can't all have them, so I figure it would help to know figure out how best to use the players with 60+ ratings.  Right?

So I agree that Candelaria should be useful for something, and it's up to the manager to figure out what.  I've learned over time that I should avoid paying that type of player that type of money.  But if he's on your team, you've got to get the best out of him.

2/19/2013 8:50 PM (edited)
Candalaria isn't horrible. Saying that, he's not great. He could start for a team not looking to compete. Otherwise it's strictly bullpen duty. He definitely doesn't deserve to be making $5 million a year.  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Aramis James can currently be had for $640,000 in our world right after Spring Training got over.
2/19/2013 9:18 PM
I was expecting better, but I'm learning. All this helps. I have a decent (I think, but after this thread I'll be re-examining it) trio in the minors a year or so away.

2/19/2013 10:41 PM
I would expect everyone has a few contracts they regret. In my case I picked up a few 6th year minor league FAs when I started. Not BAD players, but not worth FA salaries, and you realize soon why their old teams let them walk, they're Quad-A players. But like you, I'm waiting for my prospects to develop, anyway.
2/20/2013 12:56 AM
123 Next ▸
Wanted: a Pitching Mentor Topic

Search Criteria

Terms of Use Customer Support Privacy Statement

© 1999-2024 WhatIfSports.com, Inc. All rights reserved. WhatIfSports is a trademark of WhatIfSports.com, Inc. SimLeague, SimMatchup and iSimNow are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts, Inc. Used under license. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.