Max wrote:

the arguably unwarranted and demoralizing demotion of Garcia as our #3.

If my shoulder wasn't already sore, I might give myself a pat on the back.  (happy) (happy) (happy)

forsberg_us wrote:

Max wrote:

the arguably unwarranted and demoralizing demotion of Garcia as our #3.

If my shoulder wasn't already sore, I might give myself a pat on the back.  (happy) (happy) (happy)

because starting westbrook 3rd makes it a good a trade?

I agree.  I think that's the way that LaRuncan sees him.  This is very much a Jeff Suppan 2004 type of move, with Carp and Wainwright playing Morris and Williams to Westbrook's Suppan. 

I was very impressed when I saw Garcia pitch early in the season, predicted him to be a walk for ROY as you will remember, IF he kept his ERA in the right place.  In the end his ERA exploded in his last two starts and he was shut down, effectively killing any chance he had for ROY.  Buster Posey was a surprise who was not on radar when I made the prediction.  In a game of IF's: if there had been no Posey and the Giants hadn't exploded into the post-season, and if Garcia had finished the season at about 2.35, where he was on Sept. 3, when I was still saying he should win the award, then I think he could have beaten out Heyward, who I think was 8.5 parts hype to 1.5 parts genuine ROY candidate.  But in the end, Garcia didn't keep up his end of the bargain, Posey and the Giants did rock, and Garcia was blown out of the competition, a very distant third to Posey and Heyward.  That's the way it goes; nothing to be ashamed of all around.

I can agree with with LaRuncan's idea to cast Garcia as the 4th pitcher based upon stamina, seniority, and the unlikelihood that he can repeat a sub 3 ERA.  I also appreciate that the organization seems to have put very strict limits on how LaRuncan can use Garcia, seeing him as potentially dominant, but still fragile after his surgery.  I hope that Garcia sees all this as a challenge, and that by the end of the season we have identified our future #2 starter, whom we will control for the next several seasons.

APRTW wrote:

I dont see how it really matters.  Who is the real 1,2,3,4 and 5 pitchers will be decided on the field.

True, but I can only imagine that players place a certain prestige based upon where they start in the opening rotation.  It's one of those, "humans aren't machines, but wouldn't it be great for managers if they were" issues.

forsberg_us wrote:

Actually, I suspect the players' agents care more than many of the players although I'm sure that some players find it important.

This reminds me of something unrelated.  Why do Boras care if Holliday defers money?

forsberg_us wrote:

It's probably not the deferred money that Boras would care about, its not getting anything in return for being willing to defer money.

That is why everyone thinks he is such a bitch.

forsberg_us wrote:

APRTW wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

It's probably not the deferred money that Boras would care about, its not getting anything in return for being willing to defer money.

That is why everyone thinks he is such a bitch.

Just the owners--and maybe the fans.

Chad told me an interesting Holliday/Boras story that was told to him by Ankiel (also a Boras client). Supposedly Holliday's first 2 seasons of minor league baseball hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped and Holliday was questioning whether he'd made the right decision to sign with the Rockies rather than take a football scholarship to Oklahoma State. Boras took the infornmation, told the Rockies front office that Holliday was considering leaving baseball to go play football, but that he'd keep playing baseball if the team gave him a $1M bonus. Supposedly the Rockies paid the bonus and the rest is history.

I have no idea if that story is true, but if it is, it shows you why Boras' clients love him.

I already know his clients love him because he fills there bank account.  Who knows if Holliday was really going to leave baseball and play football.  Boras might have just saw a chance to get Holliday and himself a handfull of cash.  I wouldnt be to happy as a fan or owner if Zack Cox played crappy in the minors for a couple years and then Boras forced the Cardinals to pay a million dollars of lose a prospect.  That is a pretty shitty move to expect a team to do after they likely paid a signing bonus to start with.