Mound Jockeys Galore
Pete Vuckovich, 4-0, 2.84 ERA With his 25/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, his 0.95 WHIP, and his fantastic Fu Manchu, Vuke earned National League Pitcher of the Month honors for April. The Big Serb has been great, everything a staff ace should be.
The real Vuckovich was one of my favorite pitchers, a great character, and he could have had a much better career if he had taken care of himself. Hopefully the game is kinder to his career than reality was.
Bob Forsch, 1-1, 4.13 ERA Been a little wonky thus far.
John Fulgham, 1-2, 7.33 ERA He's had one good start and three not-so-good starts. I have hope for him, though. He's struck out ten batters and hasn't walked anyone, and his WHIP is a not-too-bad 1.37. He just needs to stop giving up the longball (five dingers allowed already).
John Martin, 2-0, 2.18 ERA With Forsch and Fulgham struggling, the back end of our rotation has really picked it up. Martin is a lefty who keeps the ball down and uses his fielders. Can't ask for more from your #4 starter.
Silvio Martinez, 2-0, 2.08 ERA Pitched well and won both of his starts. If he keeps it up, we may need to move him up in the rotation. Pitch smart. Pitch S-Mart.
Jim Otten, 0-0, 2.70 ERA He's pitched well so far in the long-relief role, the only guy who's pitched double-digit innings out of the bullpen so far. I keep wanting to call him Don Otten.
Donnie Moore, 1-0, 1 SV, 2.08 ERA Our most effective reliever at this point, I need to do a better job of getting him into key situations.
Here's the rest:
Pedro Borbon, 0-1, 5.40 ERA
Jeff Little, 0-0, 1 SV, 5.79 ERA
John Littlefield, 2-1, 7.72 ERA
George Frazier, 0-0, 4 SV, 4.50 ERA
Pretty sad, isn't it? Both of Littlefield's wins are the vultured variety. Frazier's my closer of the moment, but he's pretty rickety. He hasn't blown a save opportunity yet, though.
I'm not really a believer in the whole closer philosophy. I think you should get your best pitchers in the game any time the score is close, in whatever inning he's likely to help you the most. Saving a reliever (especially a good one) for "save opportunities" is a misuse of talent, and having any pitcher that's incapable of pitching at least two innings at any time is a waste of a roster spot.
Having said that, closers can be fun, but only if you have an interesting one. Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers, Dan Quisenberry, Bruce Sutter, Dick Radatz, Eckersley, Mariano Rivera, etc. Watching them with the game on the line made for great theater.
In any event, unlike the White Rat, I haven't run off to get a Rollie Fingers or a Bruce Sutter just yet. Maybe I'll experiment with the whole player import thing and create my own.