Monday, March 21, 2011

R.I.P.czynski


...and with that, Marc Rzepczynski's career with the Blue Jays comes to an effective end. Probably?

Hyperbole? My specialty. Gregor Chisholm got some key quotes from AA regarding RZep's future, I'll do my best to provide them without comment.
...at the end of the day we still think he [Rzepczynski] has upside as a starter. But we know his first and foremost priority is that obviously he wants to be up here and he wants to be in Toronto.
Call me crazy but offering a "marginal" big leaguer the choice between trying to make the club as a reliever or taking a guaranteed trip to AAA to iron out the kinks is offering no choice at all. Not many professional athletes are wired in such a way that they'd make the "sound" decision.

I admire Rzepczynski's ambition, in some ways. When asked about possible role in the bullpen, RZep sounds like he models himself after one of the best.
"We had a great guy in [Scott] Downs ... he found a home in the bullpen," Rzepczynski said. "I'm not saying that's going to be me but for right now I see myself kind of as the same guy. We throw about just as hard, have the same kind of stuff. For right now, it fits perfect for [Toronto] so it works for me."
When I think about valuable guys in the bullpen, pitchers who struggle with their command (due to inconsistent mechanics) and pitchers who give up the occasional long ball don't jump out at me as high-leverage reliever candiadates.

Rzepczynski issues too many walks when he isn't right and fights the tater tot from time to time. I really don't how moving to the bullpen would help that. Maybe he doesn't listen or maybe he doesn't work. Maybe he Accardoed somebody he shouldn't have. It just seems that, despite AA's assurances of upside, that the Jays don't see a real spot for Marc Rzepczynski long-term.

Overreacting as I might be, it remains difficult to see where the guy with the name I can't spell fits in. If can sort out the issues that keep him from throwing strikes in the bullpen, he has to be a rotation candidate again, right?

14 comments:

  1. Is he worth anything or just a throw-in for potential trades?

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  2. I am deeply enamored with Rzepczynski. Ground balls and strike outs are good things to acquire and he does them with relative ease. I simply struggle to figure where he fits, given the group of higher profile names around him on the depth chart.

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  3. I like Rzep too, but I agree that I can't see where he fits in the rotation. If he doesn't fit, I hope we can trade him (as himself or in a package) for something worthwhile to a place were he can get a legitimate shot as a starter.

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  4. Don't give up so quickly. Lots of young pitchers have started in the bullpen. Short bursts of success leads to longer sustained success and believing they belong. If his stuff is good enough, he'll work his way back into the rotation. Journeymen relievers who couldn't hack it as starters due to poor secondary/tertiary offerings get to stay in the pen.

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  5. I expect Rzep will get another chance at starting in the majors this year. He will either fill in for an injury or take over if/when Litsch struggles.

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  6. The Jays changed Mark's delivery last year and it took him a long time to get comfortable with it. I imagine he's going through the same thing now. The last place he should be is in the bullpen, working periodically.

    He should be in Vegas, ironing out his mechanics and ready to come up when the first problem in the major league rotation occurs.

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  7. I LOVE that title. Brilliant Drew, brilliant!

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  8. Totally agree with Gil. if you don't want him in the MLB rotation, fine. But then put him in AAA and let him find his command and learn to repeat his delivery. Even if it is only to make hi a trade chip.

    It always seemed to me that he just needed to throw strikes and he would be at least a decent starter. His stuff was good enough to miss bats and get grounders.

    The only positive thing i can think of is that getting to work with major league pitching coach day in and day out might be helpful.

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  9. Considering how big AA is on "competition", I fully believe that barring any major changes or an absurdly perfect performance fro. Rzep, they already plan on sending him to Vegas. This is likely all for show, to him, to the real bullpen candidates, and to the fans.

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  10. I really can't see him making the bullpen, if only because the two other left-handed candidates are both out of options. It's also interesting that Purcey and Reyes have both been in basically the same position as Rzepczynski at some point in the past year or two.

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  11. i'm sure someone knows the actual number but i think at least 8 guys started games before the late season call-ups last year. it is overwhelmingly likely that the Jays will need extra starters this season.

    he should go either be the spot starter who doubles as a long relief guy/blowout guy, or go to Vegas and wait for the inevitable injury. making him a one inning reliever makes no sense at this point.

    and since this likely means Jo Jo makes the team, what has he actually done to deserve the spot over RZep?

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  12. and since this likely means Jo Jo makes the team, what has he actually done to deserve the spot over RZep?

    I know we like to discount Spring Training results, but it seems clear that teams do not entirely do so; and Reyes has pitched well while Rzep has pitched poorly this spring.

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  13. As mentioned, Jo Jo is out of options so leaving him off the rosters cost money, so to speak.

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  14. I'm with Ian; sick fucking post title.

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