Question of the day: Whither Galarraga?
posted in Random |Some questions and possible answers from the past week of baseball:
What happens if Armando Galarraga keeps pitching this good?
And can he?
Obviously that’s a problem the Tigers would like to have. After three starts, he’s 2-0, and the team has won all three games. His ERA is 1.50. His WHIP is .72(!) And he manages to pitch out of jams. But it’s also the kind of problem where fans and the team may not necessarily come to the same conclusion.
Before we get too far into the answer, it’s best to remember Galarraga has at least a couple more starts before it becomes an issue. Dontrelle Willis is not expected to hit Toledo until late this week, and Jim Leyland wants to him to pitch in at least two games down there. So you a safe bet is another two starts for Galarraga. As a 26-year-old who has all of six starts under his belt in the majors — and half of those this month — you have to wonder if he’s a late bloomer, or if he’s pitching way over what you could expect of him for a full season’s worth of starts. But I guess no one is debating whether Galarraga’s going to be able to keep pitching so phenomenally.
The real question is whether he’s going to be one of the top five starters the Tigers can put on the mound. I feel like the Tigers have to find a way to keep running him out there every five games, especially when you compare him to Kenny Rogers, who just doesn’t look like he has anything to offer any more. After Rogers’ surgery last season, he tried unsuccessfully to come back before heading back to the disabled list. This year, he has an ERA near 8, a WHIP near 2 and he’s 1-3. Texas was teeing off like it was batting practice in his last time on the mound. I just don’t see how you can keep him in the rotation past Memorial Day unless he shows something in his next few starts.
Ultimately, I don’t think Rogers is going to turn it around and become effective and I feel like when that realization comes, Galarraga’s going to be the one to replace him.
Sphere It
I have to agree with you, Kurt. I really don’t see Rogers turning it around. At least Willis has age on his side. Hopefully Willis will get it figured out here, soon. I think Galarraga’s next two starts are huge. If he can keep it together against over those starts you cannot really send the guy down, they’d have to make room for him.