Is there any chance that Scioscia..

[Angelsfirst]

won't acknowledge the fact that Matt Shoemaker has turned into our #2, if not our best pitcher this year besides Richards. I'm OK with Jered pitching game 1 of the ALDS or the WC game if it comes to that. He has more than proven himself in past playoff starts to earn that.

Ive always been a fan of Scioscia and like most people on this board I've questioned his decisions from time to time (some more than the rest of us). I just hope that he doesn't go with Wilson ahead of Shoe because of his "experience" and/or the size of his contract.

For me I have seen Matt Shoemaker turn into a very confident and focused pitcher who pounds the strike zone and seems to have found the ability to hit his spots more and more often. His split is a nasty out pitch and he seems to have no fear out there on the mound. I would LOVE to see him and Jered run out there for games 1 and 2 of the ALDS, assuming we take the division. I just hope that Mike isn't blinded by his loyalty to his veterans.

[Angelsfirst]

Well I guess this means Sosh will listen to me.

[DoubleOffTheWall]

Shoe has done great and is a god send.

But he will face the As this weekend and it will be a big test. I am interested to see how he does.

[Angelsfirst]

Yeah it depends on how he pitches down the stretch of course, but I just really like his makeup and his control has been damn near flawless his last two starts. Lets hope he can keep it up. Should be a great series.

[UndertheHalo]

Shoe has done great and is a god send.

But he will face the As this weekend and it will be a big test. I am interested to see how he does.

yea will be especially interesting since they just saw him last week.  Definitely a big test.

[LAAMike]

If Shoe continues on anything like his existing pace (which I think is unfair for us to expect) he will force Mike S hand.  Shoe is our #2, at least, right now but a lot of baseball has yet to be played. 

[AngelsFanSince86]

I really hope he does get the second spot.  As said already thoug, it will really depend on these last games.  Right now Shoe and Santiago have been beasts since the all-star break:

 

Shoe:  1.91 ERA, 0.795 WHIP, 7 GS

Santiago: 1.45 ERA, 1.095 WHIP, 6 GS

 

Shoemaker also has a 3.19 ERA and a 1.083 WHIP as a starter this year.

[QuinlansMinion]

In the alds you only need 3 starters usually because of the extra off day.  I would start Weaver/Shoemaker/Santiago.  Theres no way Wilson should start unless he has to.

[Angelsfirst]

In the alds you only need 3 starters usually because of the extra off day. I would start Weaver/Shoemaker/Santiago. Theres no way Wilson should start unless he has to.

Totally agree, Santiago has really shown me something. But I doubt he would start a potential game 3 unless Wilson totally melts down the rest of the season. We'll see I guess.

[QuinlansMinion]

Totally agree, Santiago has really shown me something. But I doubt he would start a potential game 3 unless Wilson totally melts down the rest of the season. We'll see I guess.

If Santiago continues to pitch like he has since the break, I dont see how he doesnt make your playoff rotation.  I posted it in another thread but he has a lower ERA than David Price this season.  But now all of a sudden playing a series where you need a 4 man rotation doesnt seem like such a bad idea if CJ can get rolling.

[arch stanton]

I would certainly concede that Shoemaker is the #2 but I might still be tempted to split the lefties up because they're more likely to need extra bullpen help. I'd give whichever of them is pitching better at the time the second start.

[QuinlansMinion]

I would certainly concede that Shoemaker is the #2 but I might still be tempted to split the lefties up because they're more likely to need extra bullpen help. I'd give whichever of them is pitching better at the time the second start.

Thats not a good reason to avoid using Shoemaker in a game 2.  In the postseason you can have 3-4 different relievers pitch an inning on back to back nights.  In the ALDS there is an off day after game 2 and 4, and in some cases after game 1.

[arch stanton]

I'd also prefer Shoemaker make the road start.

[Angel Oracle]

Until Shoe's domination in Fenway though, he had struggled on the road with an ERA over 5.00.

He's been an ace at home all season with a mid 2.00's ERA.

It could well be though that he is so locked in now, that it doesn't matter where he pitches.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Inside Pitch]

Until Shoe's domination in Fenway though, he had struggled on the road with an ERA over 5.00.

He's been an ace at home all season with a mid 2.00's ERA.

It could well be though that he is so locked in now, that it doesn't matter where he pitches.

 

That 5.00 was more a case of how misleading ERA can be than anything else.   He had one horrible start in KC that slanted the numbers a great deal, as well as some shoddy RP appearances on the road.  He's had 7 road starts.  In 6 of those games he's put up a 2.69 ERA...  The one start in KC he put up an ERA of 24.7.  

 

That one start pushes his overall road ERA (as a SP) to 4.20.

[Angel Oracle]

That's a good point that I overlooked.

His innings pitched is less on the road than at home, and of course the KC game is skewed even more as a result.

Take away the KC game, and although short of the min num of innings pitched, he'd be top 10 in AL ERA at under 2.80.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[mtangelsfan]

I'm guessing that whatever Sosh does it will be because he believes it is the best thing to do for the team to be successful, not because of some board invented conspiracy theory.

[TroutCron]

We have seen how CJ has pitched in the post season, therefore I would start Weaver, then Santiago and Shoemaker. Depending in how the series goes use CJ in game four, that leaves the best of the rotation for the last three. Shoemaker would be the best bet in a game seven.