What should our rotation be?

[BasketballAbyss]

Janssen was very good as a starter in 2006 before he hurt his knee and lied to the team about it. I expect he'll be just fine in this area for now.

Long term, I see better options than him, but I doubt Romero (he had very poor #'s in the minors for years, I'm not ready to award him anything based on 3 starts), Litsch, Richmond or Purcey will be better for this season.

You're definitely right about Janssen, but what people are arguing is that he was a better reliever than starter. He put up amazing numbers as a reliever in '07. But I can still see him being a starter, for at least this season.

This season:

Halladay
Richmond
Litsch
Janssen
Romero

Next season:

Halladay
Marcum
McGowen
Richmond
And the last spot is up for grabs but I see Litsch winning it.

And again, anything can happen so who knows how next years' rotation is going to look.

[Mustard_Tiger]

M_T, you doubt Richmond will be better than Janssen this year?

Richmond has no real history of success (and is also seemingly horrible at getting left-handed hitters out), so no, I don't see Scott keeping this up.

[Mustard_Tiger]

Janssen was very good as a starter in 2006 before he hurt his knee and lied to the team about it. I expect he'll be just fine in this area for now.

Long term, I see better options than him, but I doubt Romero (he had very poor #'s in the minors for years, I'm not ready to award him anything based on 3 starts), Litsch, Richmond or Purcey will be better for this season.

You're definitely right about Janssen, but what people are arguing is that he was a better reliever than starter. He put up amazing numbers as a reliever in '07. But I can still see him being a starter, for at least this season.

He may end up there eventually, but they need him to start right now.

[Avenger]

Janssen was very good as a starter in 2006 before he hurt his knee and lied to the team about it. I expect he'll be just fine in this area for now.

Long term, I see better options than him, but I doubt Romero (he had very poor #'s in the minors for years, I'm not ready to award him anything based on 3 starts), Litsch, Richmond or Purcey will be better for this season.

don't all our pitchers underachieve in the minors to one degree or another? Didn't Cecil have a 8 something ERA before he was called up?

[jonvito]

Halladay
Richmond
Cecil
Litsch/Janssen/TALLET!!
Romero

I think that Litsch may only be back for a few starts before they start shopping him around for maybe a power bat at first... well more power than Lyle Overpaid that is. by then Janssen should be ready or we just put the monster Tallet back in the rotation!! now that i think about it lets just keep him in there because how cool he is!! and i hope Overpaid does proove me wrong because he can be a really good ball player... just not the last couple years.

[BasketballAbyss]

Halladay
Richmond
Cecil
Litsch/Janssen/TALLET!!
Romero

I think that Litsch may only be back for a few starts before they start shopping him around for maybe a power bat at first... well more power than Lyle Overpaid that is. by then Janssen should be ready or we just put the monster Tallet back in the rotation!! now that i think about it lets just keep him in there because how cool he is!! and i hope Overpaid does proove me wrong because he can be a really good ball player... just not the last couple years.

I know we rag on Overbay a lot on these forums but it's mostly because his name is so punny. Lyle has been great this season. How can you complain about a guy with a .900 OPS? You also realize he has the third most home runs on our team, while being a platoon guy with Millar?

Yes Overbay hasn't been too great the past few years but at the moment there's not too much to complain about.

[jonvito]

he was great for a bit last season too. it's a long season and i do hope he keeps it up. he was always a favourite of mine even with the brewers. but it is so hard not to do anything with his last name. its a habit i am sorry.

[Mustard_Tiger]

Janssen was very good as a starter in 2006 before he hurt his knee and lied to the team about it. I expect he'll be just fine in this area for now.

Long term, I see better options than him, but I doubt Romero (he had very poor #'s in the minors for years, I'm not ready to award him anything based on 3 starts), Litsch, Richmond or Purcey will be better for this season.

don't all our pitchers underachieve in the minors to one degree or another? Didn't Cecil have a 8 something ERA before he was called up?

Romero "underachieved" in the minors for years. Cecil had 3 mediocre starts this season, after having 2 excellent minor league seasons.

[Mustard_Tiger]

Overbay is the best defensive 1B in the game, and he crushes right-handers. They don't need a replacement right now.

[Young Moosehead]

Overbays D is so under appreciated by some fans in love with this early offense. As long as a most of our pitchers pitch for contact it is more than worth while to have someone who so rarely misses a play and digs out bad tosses as well as he does.

On topic:
This Year-

Doc
Richmond
Romero
Tallet
Cecil

Jansen joins the bullpen as long relief and replacing Tallet if extended innings as a starter begin to take their toll keeping Jansen ready to get stretched out

IF McGowan does wind up coming back in Aug this possibly allows us to replace one of Cecil/Richmond/Romero if they start wearing down/falling off/coming up to max innings (the latter more for Cecil)

Trade that litsch character, maybe for a solid prosepect Catcher and/or SS

Next Year
Doc
Marcum
Mcgowan
Cecil
Let Richmond, Mills and Romero fight it out but we have such bad luck with SP health that we should by no means trade away that depth, unless an amazing offer comes through, obviously.