08/09 kc royals @ red sox

[mvp 78]

It would be a sight for sore eyes if Whitlock gets his groove back. He was so good in 2021.

 

I don't think we get that version this season.

[moonslav59]

Kutter being better than Houck or Whitlock is really only by a razor thin margin. He was much better pitching out of the pen.

 

All three are better out of the pen.

 

I'd stick with Kutter as the starter, for now. He has a 3.95 ERA and 3.83 FIP since joining the rotation, so I'm not holding his earlier record as a SP'er so highly.

 

Career Numbers as SP

 

ERA/ OPSA

3.99/.643 Houck (2.68/.570 as RP)

4.76/.791 Whitlock (2.24/.603 as RP)

5.25/.809 Kutter (3.35/.592 as RP)

 

OPSA 1st, 2nd, 3rd PA as SP

.504/.715/.944 Houck

.667/.916/.946 Kutter

.760/.692/1.122 Whitlock

 

OPSA Pitches 1-25, 26-50, 51-75

.474/.650/.833 Houck

.666/.590/.831 Whitlock

.690/.781/.843 Kutter

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

It would be a sight for sore eyes if Whitlock gets his groove back. He was so good in 2021.

 

He was really good as a RP'er in 2022, as well:

 

2.75 ERA in 39.1 IP

.547 OPS Against is off the charts good

0.788 WHIP

[Bellhorn04]

Pen him up!

[Old Red]

He was really good as a RP'er in 2022, as well:

 

2.75 ERA in 39.1 IP

.547 OPS Against is off the charts good

0.788 WHIP

Some have been saying for 2 years now to keep him in the pen. Not only is he better there, but 2021 is the only year he’s stayed healthy.

[notin]

All three are better out of the pen.

 

I'd stick with Kutter as the starter, for now. He has a 3.95 ERA and 3.83 FIP since joining the rotation, so I'm not holding his earlier record as a SP'er so highly.

 

Career Numbers as SP

 

ERA/ OPSA

3.99/.643 Houck (2.68/.570 as RP)

4.76/.791 Whitlock (2.24/.603 as RP)

5.25/.809 Kutter (3.35/.592 as RP)

 

OPSA 1st, 2nd, 3rd PA as SP

.504/.715/.944 Houck

.667/.916/.946 Kutter

.760/.692/1.122 Whitlock

 

OPSA Pitches 1-25, 26-50, 51-75

.474/.650/.833 Houck

.666/.590/.831 Whitlock

.690/.781/.843 Kutter

 

 

 

 

 

Kutter has his MLB career high in IP and is only 9 IP short of his highest total since 2018.

 

I think a bump to the pen for a reduced workload might not be a bad thing…

[moonslav59]

Some have been saying for 2 years now to keep him in the pen. Not only is he better there, but 2021 is the only year he’s stayed healthy.

 

That might be related, but is hard to prove.

 

I can't help but imagine our pen with Jansen, Martin, Wink and Schreiber as the short inning guys and Whitlock, Houck and Crawford as the long inning guys.

 

To make that happen we'll need a boatload of decent & dependable SP'ers. Unless JH & Co. agrees to spend much more on the rotation, next year or agrees to allow Bloom to trade some top prospects to get one or two, we'll be forced to decide which one(s) start, next year.

 

To me, if I had to choose, I'd start Crawford first, Houck second (with a short leash) and Whitlock never again. Just my take.

 

 

[moonslav59]

Kutter has his MLB career high in IP and is only 9 IP short of his highest total since 2018.

 

I think a bump to the pen for a reduced workload might not be a bad thing…

 

All 3 should be in the pen, but right now, we can't do that.

 

BTW, Crawford had 144 IP back in 2018 in the minors. I think he can handle it.