18 games in 17 days coming up

[daaskins]

Mods merge this if necessary but i just wanted to talk about who starts in the spot start we will need in july. there is a stretch of games where we have 6 games in 5 days sandwiched between 18 straight games! should be a fun 18 days!

Is this time to move to 6 man rotation those 18 games? or whats your ideal situation.

This is from july 13th to the 29th

[mmzznnxx]

Only one I'm worried about given all the days and the heat of summer that's finally arrived is Flores. Hope Solano gets a couple starts in there to keep Flores fresh.

[daaskins]

very true forgot to mention flores. i would say start him 13 of 18 games?

[aussienatsfan]

I'm very comfortable with solano starting games, I've mentioned it a few times but I love his swing and he has been solid behind the plate, the catcher depth we have is a credit to the organization.

It might sound crazy but I remember maya spot started once last season and threw a good game, we could hope he can do it again, otherwise we have Wang or lannan.

It is also going to be taxing on the pen

[sportsfan882]

Anything less than a 4 games sweep of Colorado will be disappointing. They are a disaster.

[Slateman]

I'm very comfortable with solano starting games, I've mentioned it a few times but I love his swing and he has been solid behind the plate, the catcher depth we have is a credit to the organization.

It might sound crazy but I remember maya spot started once last season and threw a good game, we could hope he can do it again, otherwise we have Wang or lannan.

It is also going to be taxing on the pen

I agree with Flores.

I think this is a perfect opportunity to utilize a six man rotation. Or at least get Wang a couple of starts.

Gio and Jackson are simply going to have to go deep in to games on their starts. Even if they're struggling, Davey has to give them the Verlander treatment.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

gorzo can spot start, as can Wang if either or both are still on the roster.  that stretch runs right up to the non-waiver trade deadline.  It would not surprise me if there is a pitcher currently not on the roster coming here.  If Storen and H-Rod remain on schedule, there is going to have to be more staff shuffling too. 

I've been saying since before the season that when there are 12 or so games in 12 days, there should be spot starts to give the starters coming off injuries (Stras, CMW) and that have not gone 200 IP before (JZ) an extra day's rest.  This looks like a stretch to do it. 

Note also that after 7/30, there is a stretch of 17 games in 16 days.  So that is 35 games in 36 days. Even if we don't want to get the whole staff on a 5 day rest cycle, we will need 2 spot starts for the 2 doubleheaders in that stretch.  It probably makes sense to throw in one or two more spot starts rather than go 7 times through the rotation without an extra days rest.

[HalfSmokes]

They can always swap lannan and a reliever/bench bat on the roster for spot starts

[Slateman]

They can always swap lannan and a reliever/bench bat on the roster for spot starts

That would be awesome. Have Lannan come up and pitch a gem.

[Hogie]

Anything less than a 4 games sweep of Colorado will be disappointing. They are a disaster.

Has anyone even noticed that we get them the first time each of their 4 pitchers has to pitch their second game in the 4-man rotation? For instance, Jeff Francis pitched last night and will face us on Monday. Some awful guy named Friedrich pitches for them tonight and then again on Tuesday.

Oh yeah, and we have our top 4 guys all lined up for them.

[Sharp]

Friedrich actually hasn't been awful.  The rest of that rotation, though...

[Kevrock]

Has anyone even noticed that we get them the first time each of their 4 pitchers has to pitch their second game in the 4-man rotation?

Nice. I'm super curious about their 4 man rotation, so this will be fun to watch.

Note also that after 7/30, there is a stretch of 17 games in 16 days.  So that is 35 games in 36 days. Even if we don't want to get the whole staff on a 5 day rest cycle, we will need 2 spot starts for the 2 doubleheaders in that stretch.  It probably makes sense to throw in one or two more spot starts rather than go 7 times through the rotation without an extra days rest.

I had my eyes just on getting through this tough interleague stretch, but it's going to be a real grind from here on out.

[OldChelsea]

Has anyone even noticed that we get them the first time each of their 4 pitchers has to pitch their second game in the 4-man rotation? For instance, Jeff Francis pitched last night and will face us on Monday. Some awful guy named Friedrich pitches for them tonight and then again on Tuesday.

Oh yeah, and we have our top 4 guys all lined up for them.

Slowes/Jageler discussed this at some length on last night's radio broadcast (monitoring how they were doing against the Phillies). The story went that the Rockies' bullpen was depleted so they cut back to a 4-man rotation and put each starter on strict 75-pitch maxima, so they could put another reliever into the bullpen.

[Currently, only the Cubs and Padres have a worse record in the NL than the Rockies.]

[houston-nat]

Friedrich actually hasn't been awful.  The rest of that rotation, though...

Yeah, it's easy to see the Friedrich mistake, because the Colorado rotation you just assume is 100% suck.

[HalfSmokes]

Slowes/Jageler discussed this at some length on last night's radio broadcast (monitoring how they were doing against the Phillies). The story went that the Rockies' bullpen was depleted so they cut back to a 4-man rotation and put each starter on strict 75-pitch maxima, so they could put another reliever into the bullpen.

[Currently, only the Cubs and Padres have a worse record in the NL than the Rockies.]

how does that work- 1 extra reliever, but they're insuring more work for the bullpen

[Hogie]

Friedrich actually hasn't been awful.  The rest of that rotation, though...

Oh, he has been at home!

[Ed Stroud]

Oh, he has been at home!

Thought I was on the wrong board.

[Count Walewski]

Wasn't a knock on Flores in the past that he couldn't start for a whole season/had stamina issues?

[wpa2629]

Wasn't a knock on Flores in the past that he couldn't start for a whole season/had stamina issues?

I don't remember that. He was a rookie basically his first year here so they were being conservative with his innings. Everything else was injury related.

[Lintyfresh85]

Too bad Flores can't hit. He'd make a solid starting catcher.

[Slateman]

Too bad Flores can't hit. He'd make a solid starting catcher.

Ironically, Ramos can't catch.

[Lintyfresh85]

Outside of a stint this year blocking wild pitches and his problems on tag plays he's a perfectly fine catcher. He's much more of a complete player than his replacement (post injury) is.

Both are starter quality... Just one is slightly better than the other.

[Slateman]

Outside of a stint this year blocking wild pitches and his problems on tag plays he's a perfectly fine catcher. He's much more of a complete player than his replacement (post injury) is.

And catching fly balls.

So basically.he's a catcher who doesn't block pitches as well as Flores, has trouble catching relays to home plate, and struggles at catching pop ups.

[Dixon Ward]

and he was having trouble throwing anyone out at second, if my memory serves me

[Lintyfresh85]

He's dropped, what, one pop up in his career?

He's not a bad defensive catcher... He's not Flores, obviously... But his bat is so much better that he's still the clear cut starter when both are healthy.