Let's talk about the defending National Champion Baseball Team

[CadaverDawg]

Who are we thinking will be our top 4-5 guys in the lineup? Weird not having Rowdey and TA up there

[smootness]

If Sims can be a legit Friday guy, he's more valuable there, that's why you make that move.

He'll have to dial back some of the intensity and probably a little velocity to start, but no reason he can't do that and be a starter like anyone else.

[Johnson85]

If Sims can be a legit Friday guy, he's more valuable there, that's why you make that move.

He'll have to dial back some of the intensity and probably a little velocity to start, but no reason he can't do that and be a starter like anyone else.

Is that really true though? I know that's conventional wisdom, but surely as much time put into baseball analytics, somebody has some numbers on what a closer who can close two games a weekend is worth compared to a friday night starter. I know we didn't let Sims pitch twice in a weekend for the most part, but we could have, and I presume would have done so more this year if he had stayed at closer.

[smootness]

Is that really true though? I know that's conventional wisdom, but surely as much time put into baseball analytics, somebody has some numbers on what a closer who can close two games a weekend is worth compared to a friday night starter. I know we didn't let Sims pitch twice in a weekend for the most part, but we could have, and I presume would have done so more this year if he had stayed at closer.

I think it is true, especially on this team. Because right now we don’t have any guys we know we can rely on as a consistent SP, and if you don’t have a Friday guy who can compete, that’s a bunch of losses already on your schedule.

We can find somebody who can be good enough on the back end, we really need someone who can allow us to compete every Friday night. That’s harder to fill than closer for us. And it also maximizes his innings, especially if Sims is only going to pitch once most weekends.

Once you get to postseason play, it may be a tougher argument, but for the season as a whole, I think we’re better off if Sims can give us 6-7 every Friday.

[Homedawg]

Is that really true though? I know that's conventional wisdom, but surely as much time put into baseball analytics, somebody has some numbers on what a closer who can close two games a weekend is worth compared to a friday night starter. I know we didn't let Sims pitch twice in a weekend for the most part, but we could have, and I presume would have done so more this year if he had stayed at closer.

To be honest, we were careful w him. AND he was careful himself. There was more than once he basically made himself unavailable. We'd get to the field and he wouldn't have his spikes on...