Question of the day: Who does Cruceta replace?
posted in 2008 season |As a quick site note, my schedule this week makes my recaps sketchy at best. They will return. But for now, I’m just askin’ and answerin’.
When the Tigers call up Francisco Cruceta, who is going to be sent to Toledo?
The way I see it, and most observers, it’s not a matter of if Cruceta gets the call up to the Tigers bullpen, it’s a matter of when. That when is coming soon. He has pitched in Toledo three times since receiving his visa and warming up in Lakeland. But the Tigers have to either bring him to the majors or put him on the waiver wire by May 10. He’s made three appearances in Toledo. He’s got 15 strikeouts in 7 innings to go with three walks and one run allowed.
That leaves three possibilities for taking the trip to Toledo (or the waiver wire), in order of most likely to least:
- RHP Zach Miner – He struggled mightily and was the worst pitcher — statistically — for most of the season. He may be the worst pitcher statistically still. His ERA is still 9.00, his WHIP 1.80 and he has allowed more runs than hhe’s struck out batters. On the other hand, he has allowed just one earned run in the 7 innings he has thrown since a meltdown against the Indians in mid-April. Oh, and he has an option remaining. He’s not safe.
- LHP Clay Rapada – I do have some fear for Rapada based on his inexperience and Jim Leyland’s decision earlier this year to go with just one left-hander. Now I think it makes no sense to send him down myself — his has a 0.38 WHIP in 8 innings and can pitch to right- or left-handed batters — but I think we have to entertain the possibility it could happen. He’s probably not safe.
- RHP Jason Grilli – He melted down twice in the first week. He was awful. The home crowd boo’d him, and who could blame them? But since then, he has not allowed a run since April 8, and his ERA is down to 3.29 for the year. So that’s 11.1 scoreless innings. Now I know he’s allowed a couple of other pitchers’ runs in. I don’t have the exact figure on how many. So it’s not all roses and peaches. He has nearly a strikeout per inning, more than a groundball per inning and has faced just four batters over the minimum required to complete his work in his past five appearances (29 batters for 25 outs). He’s safe.
So, you can tell, my best guess is Miner is the disposable one. He is pitching better — the whole bullpen is. And that’s a good thing. But with an option remaining and probably the worst stuff of the three, he should be sent back to Toledo. Maybe the Tigers should try to stretch him back into a starting pitcher, which you may remember is how he came to Detroit in the first place back in 2006. But they probably won’t. In any case, a little work in Toledo and a callup if there are any injuries to the pitching staff seems the best move to me. Rapada both deserves his spot and he contributes quite a bit. And Grilli really isn’t that bad. (No, I swear, he’s not!) He may not be popular — inexplicably, because he really hasn’t struggled nearly as much as the public perception goes — but he’s a deserving member of the team.
Now the corollary question: Whose role does Cruceta replace in the bullpen?
This is a more tricky question, because we can’t really assume Cruceta replaces Miner’s mop-up position. For a guy as hyped — and apparently as effective — as Cruceta, that would a waste of talent, wouldn’t it? Aquino Lopez should has been effective as a late-inning reliever. Denny Bautista has walked a lot of guys, which makes me think Cruceta has a chance to surpass him in tight situations, though I think Leyland’s going to want to see him prove himself first. So he should be a 7th inning guy to start. If he proves himself, I could see him filling the classic Joel Zumays c. 2006 role of bridging the gap from starter to 8th inning in a tight game, no matter if that takes 1 out or 6.
But I admit that’s totally a guess.
Update: On further review, I believe the short answer is, he fills in Bobby Seay’s one-inning role….
But that’s still just a guess.
Sphere It
If I had to pick it would be Miner that would be sent down. I really like the way Rapada has been pitching since being on the team.
I agree with you that Grilli is not that bad. The problem with him is that I just don’t think he is the type of guy you can put into a 1 run ball game, as he just doesn’t seem to have success in these situations. He is a good innings eater for the bullpen though.
Boy, I knew Cruceta’s first appearance was good but I didn’t know he was pitching so well. Good to see. I agree with you, I think Miner is gone but I’m also scared it could be Rapada. Rapada has been put in some really tough situations this year and has come through every time. I think he should stay but I admit, I don’t always have the same way of thinking as Leyland.
What are the possibilities for a trade? Let’s say the Tigs package Rapada and Inge for a catcher… Or Rapada straight up for a prospect with a higher ceiling. Grilli’s trade value has to be quite low, but Miner could be useful to a team looking for a #5 starter. He’s succeeded there before, and someone might be willing to have a look.
The Tigers are not just facing the arrival of Cruceta, but in the near future, the return of Willis, Rodney and eventually Zumaya.
I think it’s likely Rogers heads to the bullpen before the end of this season, as well, with a rotation of: Verlander, Willis, Bonderman, Robertson, Galarraga.
So they need to clear out some players via trade, or lose them.
Two points.
1) hey look, I’m wrong!
2) Nice call, Scott, on the trade
Thanks, Kurt, but I was only counting on the Genius of Dombrowski, which always seems to be a pretty safe bet. I’m surprised it was Grilli, but I think it’s fair to say the Tigers are happy to take a flyer on a second-round draftee.
Their options for Grilli were 1) Outright release, eating his contract; 2) Try to clear him through waivers, hoping someone would pick up his contract, but getting nothing 3) Trade him for a prospect, unloading his contract AND getting someone who might contribute later. All credit to the Tigers for finding a way to make #3 work.
I’m not counting on this A-ball prospect to turn into a major-league star, but Dombrowski does have a way of identifying unrealized potential, so who knows? He has a better track record than most GMs, I think.
I just couldn’t see the logic in losing a guy who has proven contribution at the major league level when you don’t have to. I mean, if Miner didn’t have an option and you recognize you probably won’t get him or Grilli through the waiver wire, then yeah, a trade for what you can get makes sense. But a trade for a high-A guy when you can send Grilli’s younger version to Toledo this season, I still don’t think it makes sense to me. I hope I’m wrong.
And I still enjoy Grilli’s goggles from the Tigers’ 2006 celebration — even if he did borrow the idea from a player for the A’s!