Do we let Povich make his next start against the NYY?

[spiritof66]

2 hours ago, Rbiggs2525 said:

You let Povich pitch. He is a Jeckly and Hyde pitcher good for results all over the place. Since he just got an awful one out of the way then there is good chance, decent, good, or great start will follow up. This has been his track record in the minors as well.

I don't see how the fact that Povich was really terrible yesterday improves the chances that he'll pitch well against the NYYs. When the NYYs were rolling earlier in the season, they were getting off to a hot start with Volpe/Soto/Judge/Stanton getting on base and scoring. They lead MLB (by a small margin) in first-inning runs scored. Povich managed to emulate that with walks and a homer in the first inning against the A's, and he put the game out of reach pretty quickly. If I were using Povich against the NYYs, I would consider using an opener to face the top of the lineup -- not that we have anyone who's ideally suited for that role and is expendable for that game.

There's a good chance we'll be competing with the NYYs for the division championship. I think there's significant value in winning the division rather than a wildcard spot. So there's a good chance that games against the NYYs are worth two games, both in the division race and the potential tie-breaker in that race. I don't understand why you would line up your pitching so that, after series with two weak teams, you're starting Povich and not starting Burnes against the NYYs. 

 

[Sports Guy]

 

[AlbNYfan]

I guess you have to give him the start if you think he has a future here. He certainly gives a different look than most starters. I am concerned about how he looks in the first couple of innings. He seems to throw an extraordinary number of pitches early in the game. His first batter yesterday was beyond horrific. The 3-0 pitch sailed to the backstop. 4 pitches all fastballs and not one close. If I was the opposition I wouldn't swing until he proves he can throw a strike. I don't know whether Cade is just keyed up and has to settle down. I don't know whether they have to adjust his pre-game warmup process. But, something has to be done. He is not going to overwhelm batters he better learn to pitch. I am tired of hearing Jim Palmer talking about adjusting to the mound, an umpire and hitters in the box. If your down 3-0 having only thrown 1 strike, it's time for some adjustments.

[now]

Thinking of Povich today after practicing flute--trying some note sequences that sounded way off, compared to some that were harmonically pleasing. Sometimes the biggest help to learning is find out what doesn't work.

In other words, I'm betting on a good outing next time out, whether it's vs. NY or someone else. It can help to get beat up by the pros once in a while.