Ed. Rodriguez and What Aces Do For Young Pitchers

[Cumberbundy]

15 hours ago, Frobby said:

It's frustrating to me that we traded Rodriguez away.    The mentor stuff I take with a grain of salt.     I'm not saying it doesn't help, but I don't think you have to be a top 10 pitcher in MLB to be a good mentor for a younger pitcher.   

If DD made no trades we'd be a much better organization. 

[Cumberbundy]

13 hours ago, Frobby said:

I complained at the time, so I'm entitled to complain now.    Miller was an asset, and performed as well or better than we could have hoped, but the long term cost was too high IMO.

But I don't really want to rehash that old topic.    I'm more interested in questioning the premise that great, super-talented pitchers like Price or Sale are somehow better mentors to younger pitchers than good, solid veterans like Chris Tillman.     I don't buy it.     

Why do you think Porcello won the cy young? He knew they'd sign Sale.

[Cumberbundy]

12 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I agree.  I don't get bent out of shape about losing Ed Rod.  Or Arrieta for that matter.  2104 was our year.  KC was lucky as hell.  Machado got hurt.  Davis got suspended.  MW was hurt too.  Miller was just viewed as a lefty that would maybe pitch 10-15 innings down the stretch.  That's what a lot of the reporters were saying.  DD saw what Miller could be.  Miller pitched in every game against the Tigers.  Britton was shaky that whole series.  Without Miller we don't win that series.  

Look at what Cleveland had to give up to Miller.  4 players and current top 70 prospects.  We gave up just a fringey top 100 guy that was having a down year in AA.  

I'm not going to hate on Ed Rod, he was one of my favorite players to follow in the minors, but the guy does pitch for the sox now.  I hope he has a 8 ERA the rest of the year.  

Like Arrietta, he benefited from a change of scenery.  Less pressure.  He got to leave his bad AA season behind him.  Even though he was just 21 when we traded him away he had been in the org. since we signed him when he was 16.  He responded right away to a change of scenery.  

Nothing compares with the pressure of pitching in Baltimore.

[Cumberbundy]

10 hours ago, weams said:

We could have won. We should have won. It was the right bet. 

You don't get graded on what someone thinks should have happened. You bet and you win or lose based on the result. He bet, bet pretty big, and he got crushed. Boston is, probably, better for a decade ....and we are worse for a decade ...because Dan failed. 

Hes done tremendous things for the Cubs and Red Sox recently, maybe the Cubs could send him a ring, that's the trade that took a team over the top. 

Hader would be our #1 prospect. 

Arrieta, Bundy, Gausman, Tillman, Rodriguez. There's a nice rotation. Miranda and Hader in the system and 2 first round picks moving up because we didn't have to sign Ubaldo or Gallardo. Those two picks and Hader would give us a system that was respectable. He's obliterated the rotation and system all for? Nothing. You are what your results say you are. We'd be contenders now and for many years to come if he never picked up a phone.