Comments on: Justin Masterson: Starting Reliever http://wahoosonfirst.com/2010/09/13/justin-masterson-starting-reliever/ A Cleveland Indians Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:22:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Dan C. http://wahoosonfirst.com/2010/09/13/justin-masterson-starting-reliever/#comment-662 Dan C. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:29:59 +0000 http://deepleftfield.com/?p=933#comment-662 Ed, Good post. I just think you need to come around and see the Justin Masterson situation from the Indians perspective. Remember when we met Larry Dolan and we kept asking him why Jhonny Peralta was our shortstop? Dolan said his "people" (Shapiro, front office, ect) kept telling him that Jhonny's offensive numbers make him valuable as a shortstop. As a third baseman, Peralta's numbers were only average. But if you kept him at shortstop, he was an above average player. (Later on the Indians did move Peralta...to third and then out of town. But you and I both know that if we had ANY capable option at third they would have kept Jhonny at short and put Asdrubal at second for as long as it worked.) This is the same type of thinking that I think they have with Masterson. There are only X number of players who can pitch 200 innings and give you an era under 4.50 and a good strikeout ratio. The Indains have to keep all their commodities valuable because they can only upgrade through the draft, trades, and the bargin bin. Until Masterson proves he's not effective as a starter he will remain in the rotation. Yes, his inconsistency is maddening, but when he's on, it's top end of the rotation stuff. No way the Indians give up on that. Also, I know you love the thought of Masterson setting up Rage Perez, but lets be honest; finding a good setup guy is a lot of luck. We caught lightening in a bottle with the Raffey left/right combo. Two years later look what happened. Hell look at Edward Mujica!! I'm convinced a good bullpen isn't just great arms (although that's part of it, u gotta have guys in the pen who can strike guys out...curse you Joe Borowski) but it's also about confidence and chemistry. Maybe Masterson would be great in the bullpen, but he's pretty good as a starter, and I'd rather be searching for bullpen guys than a #3 or #4 starter. (And I still say Masterson could be a #2 if he ever becomes consistent) /end rant Ed,
Good post. I just think you need to come around and see the Justin Masterson situation from the Indians perspective. Remember when we met Larry Dolan and we kept asking him why Jhonny Peralta was our shortstop? Dolan said his “people” (Shapiro, front office, ect) kept telling him that Jhonny’s offensive numbers make him valuable as a shortstop. As a third baseman, Peralta’s numbers were only average. But if you kept him at shortstop, he was an above average player. (Later on the Indians did move Peralta…to third and then out of town. But you and I both know that if we had ANY capable option at third they would have kept Jhonny at short and put Asdrubal at second for as long as it worked.)

This is the same type of thinking that I think they have with Masterson. There are only X number of players who can pitch 200 innings and give you an era under 4.50 and a good strikeout ratio. The Indains have to keep all their commodities valuable because they can only upgrade through the draft, trades, and the bargin bin. Until Masterson proves he’s not effective as a starter he will remain in the rotation. Yes, his inconsistency is maddening, but when he’s on, it’s top end of the rotation stuff. No way the Indians give up on that.

Also, I know you love the thought of Masterson setting up Rage Perez, but lets be honest; finding a good setup guy is a lot of luck. We caught lightening in a bottle with the Raffey left/right combo. Two years later look what happened. Hell look at Edward Mujica!! I’m convinced a good bullpen isn’t just great arms (although that’s part of it, u gotta have guys in the pen who can strike guys out…curse you Joe Borowski) but it’s also about confidence and chemistry. Maybe Masterson would be great in the bullpen, but he’s pretty good as a starter, and I’d rather be searching for bullpen guys than a #3 or #4 starter. (And I still say Masterson could be a #2 if he ever becomes consistent)

/end rant

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