Ray’s Ramblings: Bauer, Erasmo to Pen

DON’T GIVE UP ON ERASMO

Erasmo Ramirez has been sent to the bullpen for the Rays. People are dropping him everywhere as a result. My advice… stop and take a breath. Do you realize the situation with the Rays or did you just see a random tweet somewhere about Ramirez being demoted? Here‘s what is going on.

1 – Erasmo has been demoted for a time only. He’s not hurt, he’s not struggling. So why was he demoted to the bullpen? The reason is that the way the schedule is set up in April leaves the Rays without the need of having a full-time fifth starter. For the first 5-6 weeks it sounds like Ramirez will work exclusively out of the bullpen as the Rays have seven off days in the first 40 days of the season. The club’s top-4 starters – Chris Archer, Drew Smyly, Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore – will each pitch two times before the team needs a fifth starter, and there will be a couple of turns in the rotation where the 5^th spot will just be skipped. The couple of times that a fifth starter is needed the team will likely turn to Blake Snell or Matt Andriese as fill-in’s. It sounds like when Brad Boxberger is set to return, likely about the time when the schedule gets harder and a fifth starter is needed consistently, that Erasmo will be slotted back in the rotation. Of course, there’s the risk that Snell could crush it in limited work leading to a battle for the 5^th spot or, perhaps, Erasmo will be dynamite in the bullpen and the team won’t want to upset the old apple cart.

2 - "We're not asking him to go to the bullpen and just wait your turn," manager Kevin Cash said. "We're asking him to go to the bullpen and pick us up because [Brad Boxberger] went down and we need help." Sounds like Ramirez might even be able to work the 9^th inning at times. "When I say Erasmo will go to the bullpen, he's going to the bullpen to get big outs," Cash said. "He's going to be right in that grouping of games on the line, tough situations. (We have) all the confidence in the world. He might pitch in the seventh with a one-run lead, he might pitch in the ninth with a one-run lead. And let's say we're up by two or three and we bring him in in the sixth, he might finish a game out. He's versatile. 

I get what the Rays are doing here but it’s too bad since Erasmo pitched so well last season. Hard to feel great about drafting him in a 10/12 team league, but in deeper leagues maybe, just maybe, you can take him as the last guy on your staff. Still, even in a 15-team mixed league it’s probably best to go in another direction and wait until the month of April is over before you add the righty from Tampa.

Follow this link to check out the entire Player Profile Series.

DON’T GIVE UP ON BAUER

Trevor Bauer is more talented than Josh Tomlin. Period. End of story. Anyone that says anything else has LOST THEIR MIND. There’s no debate. None. Still, the Indians will start Cody Anderson and Tomlin, behind Cory Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. That means Trevor Bauer will end up in the bullpen to start the year. What gives?

Tomlin stinks. A few highlights from his Player Profile. Oh hell, you can just read the report. Here’s a good quote. “…I just can’t understand why you would be looking the 31 year old’s way at the draft table.” Apparently the Indians didn’t read the profile.

 Oh hell, I don’t even know what to say here. Just some random thoughts.

1 – Bauer is more talented. Did I already say that?

2 – Tomlin stinks. Did I already say that?

3 – The Indians remind me of that guy who sends me the question of whether or no he should accept the trade where he gets Charlie Blackmon for Juan Nicasio. What are the Indians thinking? I honestly have no idea. I’m trying to find a reason, to understand their choice. I haven’t and I can’t.

4 – Trevor Bauer was throwing harder than ever this spring. In fact, according to August Fagerstrom, Bauer’s fastball was up 3.1 mph this spring, the 7^th biggest jump in all of baseball.

5 – This is apparently what the Indians think. According to Jordan Bastian who covers the team for MLB.com. “Antonetti [president of baseball operations]: Bauer had great spring, but Anderson/Tomlin ahead of him in team's eyes. Francona: Bauer's specific role in 'pen will evolve.” Really? The data from Spring Training 2016.

The fix was in, obviously. How are Anderson/Tomlin “ahead” of Bauer? Are you seeing something I’m not? My goodness. Tomlin allowed batters to hit .338. Anderson struck out 44 batters in 91.1 innings last season with an xFIP of 4.58 and a SIERA of 4.89. Bauer pitched the best of the trio, and he has the most talent and upside, yet he’s the one who is on the outside looking in?

Here’s the Player Profile on Bauer. I wouldn’t panic if you drafted him, not yet at least, but this obviously means you should be very cautious with drafting him if you’ve yet to put your club together as, clearly, the Indians front office is fine with making terrible decisions.

For more, here are some quotes from Terry Francona, manager of the Indians. 

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday, 7 PM EDT and Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 6 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).