Why AA for Maronde?

[Capital_Dave]

Seems like he pitched well in his September call up last fall, and didn't look too bad this last week or two after an awful start to spring training.  Why AA, as opposed to AAA, for Nick Maronde?  Didn't he put in half a year at AA last year?

[Docwaukee]

his peripherals at AA last year weren't very good. 

 

I think he did well enough with the big club last year to warrant a look as a part of the pen for this year yet his poor spring pretty much shot that down.  I think if they intended to keep him in the pen they would have sent him to AAA but my guess is they are sending him to AA so he can continue to develop as a starter.  Since all his innings were in relief during spring, they probably wanted to take some pressure off him to ramp back up the length of his outings.  

 

If he performs well there early, they could easily move him to SLC or even to the big club if there are injuries or poor performances.  My guess is that he's behind Richards on the depth chart so he's 7th, or maybe even eighth and won't get the call for a mere spot start but only if someone is going to be out longer term.

[Second Base]

Sounds to me like he's being converted back to relief full time in AA.  It's better than sending him to AAA where every medium depth fly ball is a towering HR.  Don't want to ruin his confidence like that.

[Angel Oracle]

AA is the best stop, since he's going into the pen full time.    If he progresses well, he'll be at SLC by July anyway and up here by September again.

[ScottT]

I hate that they are moving him to the pen so quickly. Always figured it was a good possibility, but not this soon.  

[jshep]

Ya, I would have preferred them stick with him in the rotation a little longer.

 

Not thrilled with the fact that at this point our best backup options for our iffy starting rotation both appear to be starting the season as relievers.

[Angel Oracle]

I just hope we don't go Ron Washington on him, and switch him back and forth between starting and relieving.

That really worked out well for Ogando and Feliz (yeah right, rolls eyes).