Comments on: Lance Lynn Gets 6th Starter Label

By: pitch and hit

pitch and hit — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:24:06 +0000

I don’t understand the value of having your young pitchers throwing so hard in March. It will be interesting to see how those who are throwing hard this soon will be in summer. That’s why they have NR players and those not on the 25 pitch in ML spring training so the ML guys can ease into April. These young guys are out to impress by throwing as hard as they can, in the back fields too, because velo is king.

The gun at the stadium isn’t accurate, as is most of the guns at the milb facilities.

I am not sure that Ottavino is convinced that he belongs coming out of the pen and I never did see him as a reliever. Not every pitcher can transfer so early in their career to starter to pen, especially if they haven’t ever done it. Lynn is unique because he can, Lynn also is they type who gets the sign from his catcher and just throws the ball and doesn’t give much thought. That’s a relievers mentality, and Lynn can do both, obviously.

I think the whole idea might have been to allow Ottavino time to get healthy, place him back on the 40 (to show off his stuff) and use as a trade. Return him to AAA and let him work up as a starter. I have always seen him as a pitcher that needs more then one inning to level out, in other words he gets better as he racks up innings in a game.

By: cariocacardinal

cariocacardinal — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:54:46 +0000

If one reads what I actually wrote it clearly says “in the past”. given his shoulder injuries I cant see it being pursued at this point. I have it on good authority that he had the pitching assortment to be an effective starter. He was derailed initially in his attempt by forearm issues.

By: scadder21

scadder21 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 05:09:46 +0000

Wasn’t just using the size argument, I was using the size, plus violent drop and drive delievery plus a lack of control sometimes plus the he’s already had some shoulder issues before this year combo.

By: BigRob

BigRob — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 03:25:43 +0000

Oh yea, absolutely give Martinez every chance to start. Several people would get fired if the Cardinals tried to move him to the pen immediately.

Back to Sanchez for a second. Martinez is listed at 6’0 165. Some say that it’s a generous 6 foot. Sanchez is listed as 5’11 170. They are pretty similar in size. Let me clarify that it was never of my opinion to have Sanchez start, I was just speculating that the original poster may have felt that way because of his big arm. However, if the Cardinals would have attempted to clean up his mechanics a bit more in the minors, he may have been able to start a few games as he climbed the ladder.

Obviously the right decision was made. And obviously Martinez should start until he literally proves he can’t. But the size argument doesn’t apply here. Also, a clean up on Sanchez’s mechanics could have allowed him to start at least until AA or AAA.

By: scadder21

scadder21 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:52:46 +0000

You sure about the 97? I’m asking because in Port St. Lucie a few days ago Cleto was only hitting 95. I say only because he normally throws 97-98. The gun today could be fast because usually the first few weeks of Spring pitchers aren’t comopletely cranked up yet.

By: Indiana Cardinal

Indiana Cardinal — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:44:11 +0000

I was at the game today.

Lynn looked very good. Topped out at 97, mixed things up nicely.

Segrist also was impressive, topping out at 92. Also mixed his pitches nicely.

Ottavino was terrible. Control was terrible and then came in with fat pitches when he got behind. Very dissapointing to watch, although he pitched apparently better in his first game on Monday.

By: scadder21

scadder21 — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:36:21 +0000

Sanchez is small and has a high effort delievery and how a shoulder issue last year. Absolutely the right idea to switch him to relief. I think the organization will do all it can to keep Martinez as a starter. We paid too much and his potential is so great that they have to give him every shot to start. On that note I saw a video from Martinez earlier in Spring and it looks like he’s worked on his delievery and its a little smoother and less violent.

By: Gruntosaurus

Gruntosaurus — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:00:36 +0000

Don’t get too perturbed about Miller. It’s still spring training and he’s still working on stuff.

This said, I don’t think he’s ready for the Show yet — close but not quite. Continue to help him grow according to plan and let Lynn be the Carp-pro-tem guy, at least until June.

By: BigRob

BigRob — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:59:47 +0000

He probably wanted him to start because of his electric arm. A lot of folks feel it’s best for pitchers with big time arms to try starting until they prove they can’t do it.

Obviously the Cardinals and their scouts didn’t feel like Sanchez had to the arm strength, durability, and/or repertoire to succeed at the major league level as a starter, but they knew with him arm that he could be a lights-out late-inning reliever.

On a somewhat related note, some scouts are skeptical that Carlos Martinez can continue progress as a starter, as they feel his future lies in the bullpen.

By: BigRob

BigRob — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:55:42 +0000

Probably someone on the 40-man and pitching decently in AAA. Someone like Dickson or Cleto.

However, if someone is going to miss significant time and they get injured in, say early June, I think the Cardinals would explore a trade or signing (Oswalt possibly). If they were to sign someone off the free agent market like Oswalt, however, they’d have to give him some time to build up his arm strength, therefore would have to give Cleto or Dickson at least 2-4 starts anyway.