I'm impartial on Jon Lieber...and I'm saying this is a mistake!
You simply do not take an opening day starter from 2006 and put him in the bullpen to start 2007, barring an injury hindering his abilities. Especially when you are replacing him in the rotation with a free agent signing with a far less reputable career. Last year was Lieber's first season over 4.5 ERA in his last 10 years. That's consistency. Add in the fact that he's usually among the league leaders in walks per 9, and you don't simply demote a guy like that to the bullpen in a heartbeat.
Even if the Phillies have given up on Lieber, which looks to be right given their apparent attempt to trade him, they should still showcase him early in the season for trade value. What does it say to other teams when you don't think the guy is good enough to start for you? Adam Eaton is no Cy Young.
Adam Eaton should have gone to the pen. He's injury prone, and new to the team. He should have to earn his stripes. What does this do to team chemistry when guys like Ryan Howard, who has still yet to earn his payday despite his efforts, sees a guy with a spotty past, come in on a huge paycheck, and get handed a starter job over last season's opening day pitcher?
This doesn't bode well for the team. If this was Manual's decision, it proves he's a moron. Though, I doubt it was all him since he loves veterans, especially players he's gotten to know.
Lieber's career ERA is 4.33, certainly good enough to be a 4th/5th starter in the MLB, especially for this team. Unless there is something going on here below the surface, this move is ill-advised in my mind. The Phillies really need to come out of the gates firing. Lieber was pitching well in Spring Training, and this may simply trip this team up and force them to chase the division through the dog days of summer like years past. I'm disappointed to say the least.
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4 comments:
I don't think it is that clear cut. If Eaton signs with the verbal agreement to be a starter, and then he is sent to the pen without losing his job, the Phils would look awful around the league to players and agents.
Well now Garcia will be sidelined, so throw out that idea. And by the way, I don't care about what they said to Eaton. The GM and Managers job is to put the best 25 man roster together and best 9 guys on the field. Lieber has been a much better starter through his career than Adam Eaton.
Now it looks like we'll see both of them starting, and then Brito once Eaton or Hamels go down. No wonder we thought we got too good of a deal with Garcia.
Lieber to pen then back again? Yep, rotation bound is he.
I would have made this a post instead of a comment, but with the Garcia thing, for now this just stays here.
I take a different perspective. Lieber is getting older, which may be why he struggled (although he pitched very well at the end of the year and this spring). More importantly, Lieber is a free agent after 2007, and we have Eaton for two more. Let's assume that both want to start but would relieve in good faith, which seems to be true - even still, they are going to harbor some resentment. Better to have the old guy who probably wasn't returning than the guy we just signed.
Furthermore, look at some pitchers who have gone from the bullpen to the starting rotation, especially the guys who were starters first - they don't transition back well. I'm thinking Ryan Madson as my number 1 example, and can't think of anyone other than Smoltz who did it well. Maybe it is mental, maybe it is physical, but there seems to be a risk that Eaton would get messed up with a year or even a few months in the pen, so unless we want an $8M reliever with injury problems and no bullpen history for 3 years, moving Lieber makes sense.
Besides that, we would still get offers if there was an injury, we just need a very specific and rare quantity in return, which makes the trade hard. And Lieber is the strikethrower, I trust him to pitch in big spots (as long as he doesn't have to field a bunt).
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