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Well.. Marcum pitched 3 scoreless innings today giving up 1 hit and 2 K balls.

The way the scheduling and pitching rest is working right now... Marcum is in the slot that would assume opening day duties. Romero slips into second which isn't bad considering he has looked good and is a lefty. Brandon Morrow pitched on the day that would put him in line for the 3 spot and Zep threw 3 innings of relief behind Morrow which will set him up to throw on 4 days rest and slip into the 4 hole. Currently, Tallet is holding the 5 spot in "A" games.

There's a host of guys who are trying to stake a claim throwing "B" games like Brad Mills. Brett Cecil got his first sniff of action today after being delayed by cutting his finger or some ****. From all accounts, it sounds like Dusty McGowan is looking pretty damn good too, he has thrown a couple simulated games and it's been said that his stuff looks good.

All of that being said... the way the scheduling is working out and the pitchers are being used it seems like the rotation will look as follows.

1. Marcum (RHP)
2. Romero (LHP)
3. Morrow (RHP)
4. Rzepczynski (LHP)
5. Tallet (LHP)

I actually quite like the way the rotation looks minus Tallet. We have a nice order going from righty to lefty 1-2 and 3-4. I think it's a different blend of all kinds of different pitchers. Marcum is a location guy and he gets decent movement on his stuff, pounds the zone but seems to be effective with that style. Romero is a little more power, but is learning to contain his breaking stuff. He is in the mold of a Santana if he can ever put it all together. Morrow is a power arm with great stuff, and it's been said that he is improving his change-up which is good news. Zep is like a combination of things, his style is hard to describe, he seems to be one of those guys that adapts to the situation and just doesn't show fear which is really telling about his ability to throw all of his pitches in any situation. My only beef is Tallet, without a doubt he did an admirable job as a plug when we needed him, but I just don't see him as a consistent winner and I think his abilities are magnified by being a middle relief guy. I just think there are too many other options to look past, especially when Tallet could be very valuable for us in the bullpen. I would rather see one of Brett Cecil \ Brad Mills \ Robert Ray get a chance in that spot because I think they are all capable, and Cecil in particular has the upside of a 2 or 3 type guy. In an ideal world, McGowan miraculously becomes that #5 and in that case, I would say that our rotation would easily be in the top 15 in baseball barring collapse. Maybe even top 10.

Here's to hoping that they put Tallet in the bullpen. If he does start in the Rotation though, I really hope McGowan can supplant him after about a month when he's back.

Did Richmond lose his spot this year?
Edit: Nevermind just saw hes on the 60 day

I really really dislike Tallet, on many levels. I dont like that Cito keeps hinting that a spot is his just because he logged a lot of innings last year when there were injuries. HIS NUMBERS WERE BAD! They were Chacin-like. 5.32 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 120k:72bb.

And if the spring is about winning jobs in a wide-open race, then why dismiss the fact that his first start was ugly? 2BB, 2HR, 4ER in 2IP.

Sure, it was nice to have someone eat up a lot of innings and starts last year, but that shouldnt just automatically guarantee a spot in the starting 5. To me, he was much more effective as a long man out of the bullpen/lefty specialist. The year before he put up a sparkling 2.88ERA with 0 starts.

My guess would be they are set up for Cecil as the 5th, but he needs a little more time so Tallet may take the first 5th starter outing. Just pure guess on my part though. I just don't see Cecil going back to AAA. What they do with the rotation if they actually keep those 5 healthy and get back McGowan I have no idea. That would be a nice problem to have.

Well I certainly don't like the idea of Tallet starting. I've said it before, but basically I feel like every start he makes is a missed opportunity for the development of the team's younger pitchers.

A Marcum/Romero/Morrow/Rzep/Cecil rotation with a hopeful McGowan waiting in the wings will be fun to watch this year, even though we will likely suck. Watching young pitchers work their way up is fun to me.

So, Screw Tallet.

I'm all with the consensus opinion here. Tallet has not proven himself based on last year and thus far in the spring. This is yet another case of some veteran getting undue consideration. I would have rather seen Robert Ray get a crack at it based on his ability to start.

Tallet is a stopgap option while McGowan sits out for the first few weeks of the season. It actually makes a lot more sense to use him there for the 2-3 starts they need a #5 than have Cecil start (even though, I think Cecil is just as good as any one of those top four starters). Tallet or Eveland, really, and I'm fine with it.

What I don't understand is that Tallet is almost certainly a middle relief guy. He just doesn't have the variety of pitches needed to start, and the experiment needs to stop now. I liked him when he was doing the job that he was supposed to be doing, and throwing him out there in the starting rotation is only going to hurt his confidence.

Eveland has really impressed this spring IMO. Cecil would be my choice because I feel he has the stuff necessary to compete in the Majors and he won't get MLB quality experience in Vegas. Either one is fine. Tallet as the long guy/spot starter is a perfect role for him and one he has played well in for the last couple of seasons. Tallet is a valuable piece but not in the rotation.

I See, Marcum,Romero,McGowan,Ryp and Cecil

I think Richmond an McGowan jump right into the rotation when they get back but if they are playing well you leave them in I see us stretch are rotation out to maybe even 6 at one point in the season to get everyone a game or so in or have them doing Long Relief in games one of are young guns get torched.

Trilogy wrote:A Marcum/Romero/Morrow/Rzep/Cecil rotation with a hopeful McGowan waiting in the wings will be fun to watch this year, even though we will likely suck. Watching young pitchers work their way up is fun to me.

So, Screw Tallet.

Agree with this. I like where the rotation is headed. Also Drabek and Stewart waiting in the minors.

Despite everyone's hatred of Tallet, he will play an important role this year and is being primed for it. I think, right now, because he ran out of gas last year filling in as a starter, he's being stretched out as a starter. However, he, most likely, will be flipping a lot between the pen and the rotation due to injuries, call ups, starter ineffectiveness and the occasional long relief that will happen with a young rotation. So, it's a lot easier to stretch a reliever out now as opposed to during the season so that's what they're doing. Also, the words of encouragement Cito is telling Tallet is designed to give confidence to Tallet so he can assume this difficult role.

In other words, even if Tallet makes the rotation now, he most likely will not hold that spot all the way through the season (hell, he might lose it in 2 weeks when McGowan returns). I won't be surprised if Tallet starts the season as 5th starter and ends up being the key situational lefty at the end of the year.

Tallet is perfect in a relief role for us.

Tallet will be called upon when the kids go through some tough outings. He is basically a second starter for games that the kids get destroyed in. He could also be a good coach for some of the younger pitchers. He has been around for quite a long time in the league and has held his position well. The young studs on our team could learn a thing or two about how to survive in the MLB.

I expect Tallet to be a big inning eater for us. He will figure prominently in a lot of games this year.

squeekysneakers wrote:Tallet will be called upon when the kids go through some tough outings. He is basically a second starter for games that the kids get destroyed in. He could also be a good coach for some of the younger pitchers. He has been around for quite a long time in the league and has held his position well. The young studs on our team could learn a thing or two about how to survive in the MLB.

I expect Tallet to be a big inning eater for us. He will figure prominently in a lot of games this year.

You make it sound like Tallet is some 10-year veteran... he has only really been in the majors for 4 years now. While he made his debut in '02, in four years in Cleavland he appeared in all of nine games.