DCAB updates

[Mad Mark]

I still think we should have kept him, but I wouldn't expect him to be anything more than a #4 or #5 starter. I'd rather have Danny back a $3M for one year and no commitment after that than the collection of guys we have who aren't name Jeremy Guthrie (including over Koji, I'd rather have Cabrera for 1/$3M than Koji for 2/$10M).

If you're talking in absolute terms, maybe...just maybe, I'd agree with you. But the wider ramifications that could result from Uehara having success and enjoying his time in Baltimore are much more significant. I'm hoping he's just the first of many Asian-born players to make their way to the Orioles' roster going forward.

[Lucky Jim]

Translate the 6IP, 5ER to the American League and it's the same old DC. Any time you start wondering why the Orioles are taking such a conservative approach with their pitching prospects, look at Daniel Cabrera.

There are serious causation/correlation confusions that go on here. Cabrera was not a Tillman, Arrieta or Matusz who was ruined by being called up earlier - he had great stuff when he was young and very little command. A poor athlete who struggled to repeat his mechanics because of both his size and lack of coordination.

It's highly doubtful that any of that would've improved in the minors.

[Mackus]

But the wider ramifications that could result from Uehara having success and enjoying his time in Baltimore are much more significant. I'm hoping he's just the first of many Asian-born players to make their way to the Orioles' roster going forward.

Ok, I will cede that point, the non-Koji implications of Koji are important and I believe, eventually, tangible. Thanks for adding that, as it does make Koji's signing more palatable (and its really not that bad, I didn't want multiple mediocre pitchers signed to multi-year deals, but one of them isn't going to kill us).

On the mound though, I'll take Cabrera for 1/$3M over random American/Latin Player with Koji's exact credentials.

[Lucky Jim]

Ok, I will cede that point, the non-Koji implications of Koji are important and I believe, eventually, tangible. Thanks for adding that, as it does make Koji's signing more palatable (and its really not that bad, I didn't want multiple mediocre pitchers signed to multi-year deals, but one of them isn't going to kill us).

On the mound though, I'll take Cabrera for 1/$3M over random American/Latin Player with Koji's exact credentials.

What would that equivalent be? I'm not sure a contract ofr $5m a year for a former Cuban pitcher with strong international success would be all that bad.

I don't mind Daniel, and think he can provide back-end value, but for this team, now, his meandering starts where strikes are more a coincidence than an intended result do not fit. To me, at least.

[Mackus]

I don't mind Daniel, and think he can provide back-end value, but for this team, now, his meandering starts where strikes are more a coincidence than an intended result do not fit. To me, at least.

I'm just of the mindset that come September, we're going to think very fondly of a starter, any starter, with a 5.50 ERA over 180-200 innings, roughly what I think we would have gotten out of Cabrera.

I certainly don't have any lasting long-term hopes for him, those are summarily extinguished. But I think he'll be better than options #3-5 in our rotation this year and isn't a multi-year commitment like it was to find Koji (or another similar starter).

[LookinUp]

Ok, I will cede that point, the non-Koji implications of Koji are important and I believe, eventually, tangible. Thanks for adding that, as it does make Koji's signing more palatable (and its really not that bad, I didn't want multiple mediocre pitchers signed to multi-year deals, but one of them isn't going to kill us).

On the mound though, I'll take Cabrera for 1/$3M over random American/Latin Player with Koji's exact credentials.

Wow, you think Koji will be mediocre?

Since I'm going out on a limb today, I'll go on record as saying that Koji will be our best pitcher this year unless he just can't handle the innings.

[Mad Mark]

Ok, I will cede that point, the non-Koji implications of Koji are important and I believe, eventually, tangible. Thanks for adding that, as it does make Koji's signing more palatable (and its really not that bad, I didn't want multiple mediocre pitchers signed to multi-year deals, but one of them isn't going to kill us).

On the mound though, I'll take Cabrera for 1/$3M over random American/Latin Player with Koji's exact credentials.

My hope, of course, is that Uehara has all of us feeling good about his contract from a performance standpoint as well as being the first Asian player through the door here when all is said and done.

[Mackus]

Wow, you think Koji will be mediocre?

Since I'm going out on a limb today, I'll go on record as saying that Koji will be our best pitcher this year unless he just can't handle the innings.

Perhaps I should say average instead of mediocre. I think Koji will be ok. He doesn't wow me but I certainly don't lump him in with the Eaton's, Hendrickson's and Simon's of the world.

I would have looked at him pretty much the same was as guys like Looper or Wolf. I do agree that he adds some extra bonuses that we won't be seeing for a while in terms of getting into the Japanese market.

[LookinUp]

Perhaps I should say average instead of mediocre. I think Koji will be ok. He doesn't wow me but I certainly don't lump him in with the Eaton's, Hendrickson's and Simon's of the world.

I would have looked at him pretty much the same was as guys like Looper or Wolf. I do agree that he adds some extra bonuses that we won't be seeing for a while in terms of getting into the Japanese market.

This is probably fair given his age. I do think we signed a guy that was a sick pitcher, and is a true vet. He sort of reminds me of a right handed Moyer. I'm not quite sure how good his stuff is, but I love that he can put it exactly where he wants it. Here's hoping he gets the threads on a ML ball figured out.

[byrdz]

I don't know, they don't allow my database on my work computer anymore. But he has to be close if he doesn't hole it. The record for all hitless at bats in a season is 72, if I recall correctly. Almost no chance he gets 72 at bats.

Also, mark me down in the "don't care he's gone" column.

Just out of curiosiy Drungo, what were you using, something custom or Access?

[RShack]

Oh I agree, just surprised that there is 5 runs on 7hits and 2BB really. Other than his 4 run inning, he must have done well.

3 singles, a double and a HBP (didn't think about that part) in the 5th.

Wild pitch in the third too.

How'd he do in the 6th?

His pattern is that, if he survives a bad inning, he's usually fine in the next one.

In general, he's really good at getting it back together between innings. Not that that makes up for the bad inning, but still...

[Boy Howdy]

Cabrera gave up a 3-run double to an All-Star (Dan Uggla) with two outs in the fifth.

Obviously, you can play "what if" with anything, but the other 93 pitches he threw today produced some pretty good results...especially when you consider his largely ineffective and mostly inactive spring training.

Despite the "L", I don't think Cabrera or the Nats have anything to be ashamed of today. Dan Uggla gets paid a lot of $$$ to come through like he did.

[Anonymous]

I am so completely excited to have Simon, Hill, and Bergy as rotationers this year rather than Daniel -- and that's before you even factor in the $3 million bonanza that he somehow would have been able to extort for us to sign him. (No personal offense to Daniel, who seems like a good enough guy. It's just that his performance level comes nowhere close to justifying such a premium payment.)

When all is said and done, I wouldn't be surprised to see him outperformed this year by 15 O's pitchers. And again, that's even before we look at the money.

[olehippi]

I think that some manager or pitching coach somewhere is eventually going to figure out that Daniel Cabrera could be a good to above average middle reliever.

[Boy Howdy]

I like how Daniel's now wearing #45, which I assume is a tribute to his baseball idol Pedro Martinez.