If, IF, if Ubaldo continues to dominate?

[Redskins Rick]

IF the back spams are real yep he's headed to the DL

Did he step in Ubaldo's pothole?

[Satyr3206]

I think if DD and Buck think they have enough depth at AAA someone, likely Norris, gets traded.

[Rene88]

Did he step in Ubaldo's pothole?

From all I read, it seems to be legit, but who knows....

[TouchemAll]

Did he step in Ubaldo's pothole?

Heck WHY not LOL ain't no way I see them sending Gausman back to Norfolk.

[Aristotelian]

Why do you say that? Because he is a managing a weak Pirates lineup?

Weak lineup? Pittsburgh is a team that won 88 games last year, 4th in the NL in R and 3rd in OPS. The lineup Ubaldo faced today includes most of their top players, including McCutcheon, Alvarez, Harrison, Walker, and Marte. No walks. Yes it is only spring, but for a spring start this is as big as it gets for Ubaldo.

[Frobby]

Nice outing for Ubaldo today -- 5 scoreless, 4 hits, three strikeouts, and zero walks. He truly has looked a little better each time out.

[MarylandAaron]

Have to agree with the OP. Ubaldo certainly made his case to be in the rotation today. 5 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 SO against a solid Pirates lineup. I'm hoping Norris is traded or put on the DL as others have suggested. Really, really don't want to send down Gausman or Gonzo.

[Redskins Rick]

Nice outing for Ubaldo today -- 5 scoreless, 4 hits, three strikeouts, and zero walks. He truly has looked a little better each time out.

When he is on, he might have the best stuff on the rotation.

[Bahama O's Fan]

I love that my "ifs" are becoming less and less relevant. Imagine this team with Ubaldo pitching lights out.

[Frobby]

There are still 12 spring training games remaining, plenty of time for someone to get hurt or stink up the joint so badly that he becomes the odd man out. I have to say, Bud Norris needs to pick it up a little or he could find himself in the bullpen.

[BohKnowsBmore]

I sure hope you folks aren't jinxing Ubaldo by being so optimistic over grapefruit game improvement. I prefer to wait until he faces a full fledged major league lineup in games that actually count before I become a believer!!

Thing is, grapefruit game struggles have been used as support for extreme pessimism as well.

[Crazysilver03]

Yeah the suckiest thing is the 2 guys with options are two guys that absolutely do not deserve to be sent down.

It's also hard to trade a starter because then your "what if Ubaldo sucks" insurance is gone.

It's quite a pickle.

Eh you still have Wright and Wilson at AAA and both looked good this spring.

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[Frobby]

Yeah the suckiest thing is the 2 guys with options are two guys that absolutely do not deserve to be sent down.

It's also hard to trade a starter because then your "what if Ubaldo sucks" insurance is gone.

It's quite a pickle.

There are plenty of teams that would love to have that dilemma.

I do think there are some signs that Buck could send Gausman to the minors to start the year. He has been brought along more slowly than the others in terms of his pitch/innings limits so far, plus of his four starts, one was in a "B" game, one was a minor league game, and the other two were home games against weaker lineups.

[LookitsPuck]

Nice outing for Ubaldo today -- 5 scoreless, 4 hits, three strikeouts, and zero walks. He truly has looked a little better each time out.

Last 13 IP: 1 walk.

[Aristotelian]

Eh you still have Wright and Wilson at AAA and both looked good this spring.

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Don't forget TJ, and possibly Bundy and Harvey before long. Lots of options there. Question is whether we can get anything back for Bud. He hasn't helped us this spring.