What is Chris Rodriguez?

[BTH]

5 hours ago, ThisismineScios said:

I 100% think you have to try him as a starter because he has ace potential. But I think you keep him in the 6-man and give him a lot pitch count to start—60 or so. If we still have Barria, maybe piggy back them? Or Suarez. 

Why bother giving him a pitch count?

If he’s healthy and his performance is good, just let him go as deep as he can.

 

I hate the idea of putting him on a pitch or innings limit when you’re not even sure how healthy he will be down the road. IMO, you can’t avoid an injury through cautious use. Just use him while you can before he inevitably has another injury.

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, Trendon said:

Why bother giving him a pitch count?

If he’s healthy and his performance is good, just let him go as deep as he can.

 

I hate the idea of putting him on a pitch or innings limit when you’re not even sure how healthy he will be down the road. IMO, you can’t avoid an injury through cautious use. Just use him while you can before he inevitably has another injury.

I wonder if giving him a pitch count/innings limit would cause him to go too hard. 

He's an interesting pitcher, for sure. I'm still glad we have him.

[ThisismineScios]

8 hours ago, Trendon said:

Why bother giving him a pitch count?

If he’s healthy and his performance is good, just let him go as deep as he can.

 

I hate the idea of putting him on a pitch or innings limit when you’re not even sure how healthy he will be down the road. IMO, you can’t avoid an injury through cautious use. Just use him while you can before he inevitably has another injury.

I get what you’re saying, and it makes sense. Ultimately they need to know what he is capable of. I just think he’s the second most talented pitcher in the system and some precaution is necessary. But, again, if a starter’s workload is too much for him, he could instantly becomes one of the best relievers in the league. 

[Stradling]

You give him a pitch count because virtually every starter has a pitch count. I’m perfectly fine with them letting him build up throughout a season where he finishes between 90-100. 

[Warfarin]

On 8/11/2022 at 2:40 PM, Trendon said:

I think bringing him back as a starter makes the most sense, as it enables you to plan out his appearances.

I wouldn’t put any pitch limits or innings limits on him.

If he’s healthy, just let him start and pitch as deep into games as his performance and body will let him. And let him make as many starts as his body lets him.

I don’t like the idea of artificially limiting his innings or pitch count because you don’t know if he’d even be healthy enough to make another start a few weeks later. Use his pitches/innings while you can, and don’t restrict him.

While I like this idea, I think that he's had so much trouble staying healthy in general, that perhaps it's best to just keep him as a reliever and limit how much he pitches at once.

While they can't quite plan his games out as a reliever as they can a starter, they can essentially avoid having him pitch twice in a row and various kinds of things like that.  His stuff is nasty, and he could become a great shutdown reliever for us, which is another area this team needs help in.

If healthy, he could likely replace Iglesias as our closer almost immediately, given how nasty his stuff is.

[AngelsLakersFan]

On 8/12/2022 at 7:12 AM, Stradling said:

You give him a pitch count because virtually every starter has a pitch count. I’m perfectly fine with them letting him build up throughout a season where he finishes between 90-100. 

I don't know how capable they are in the dugout, but better than using a pitch count would be tracking reductions in velocity and spin rate. Once a decrease is noticeable they should pull him. Because it's not about the number of pitches, but how much fatigue set in.

[Slegnaac]

It seems that he is the perfect candidate for a Six man rotation.

[ThisismineScios]

6 hours ago, Slegnaac said:

It seems that he is the perfect candidate for a Six man rotation.

I agree. But At a certain point you have to turn your guys loose and not baby them. They let guys get to 100 pitches which I like. Analytics may suggest bringing in a reliever sooner for a guy like Suarez or Lorenzen (I bet He’s back). In which case guys like Herget, Barria, and Loup have more value. 

[Angel Oracle]

Ohtani, Sandoval, FA (Bassitt or Thor on 3 year deal tops?), Detmers, CRod, and either Suarez or Bush

Barria is in the pen, if CRod needs an occasional break from pitching in the rotation.

Six man rotation through 2024, and then 5 man rotation after that.

If Ohtani can go from averaging 20 innings/season from 2017-2020 to 241 innings these past 1.7 seasons, then CRod has a chance to go from about 20 innings/year  since being drafted 6 years ago to a decent/solid workload in 2023 and beyond.

No heavy workload so far, obviously

Intriguing because like Sandoval, he’s allowed very few HRs (4 in 127 career MiLB/MLB innings) through a high GB/FB ratio.

Edited August 14, 2022 by Angel Oracle