Tropeano seems best suited for a long relief role. Honestly, he should probably have Jerome Williams's spot.
That FIP is much less than the average FIP for the PCL where the average ERA is 0.5-0.7 higher than the American League. The LOB% and BABIP probably explains why he has such a big difference between ERA and FIP. I am most concerned about the homers. Based on who the Astros have, I suspect he'll be a middle reliever in majors if he stays in the Astros organization.
Tropeano's overall numbers are being brought down by the tandem system. He struggled last year, and he struggled to start this year. He has been overpowering since OKC started giving him full rest. 7 GS 46.1 IP 9.1 K/9 1.6 BB/9 5.0 H/9 I'm gonna bet his FIP over that stretch looks pretty damn good.
8 BB and 47Ks... holy cow. His BAbip is .209 over that stretch, but those K and BB numbers are just amazing.
I have not seen good evidence that the tandem system is holding down pitchers. I have seen pitchers blame the tandem system when they pitch poorly. I have also seen pitchers not say a word while owning a hitters league while in the tandem system. I have not seen anyone devise a good way to evaluate the tandem system in the public sector. A guy in the Astros system goes down with injury, it is tandem system. A guy goes down in another system, it is overworking of young arms. The certain thing is that the tandem system allows the Astros to look at more pitchers for starting than if they didn't.
I'm not saying the tandem system is without merits, but not all pitchers are alike. Some pitchers have shined in it, but others (Folty,Nitro, Buchanan) have had strikingly better results since they went to the 6 man. I think this has also been one of the contributing factors to Appel's struggles (although I'm I'm certainly not putting it all on that) If they insist on wanting to look at extra arms, I think they should use a combo tandem system/6 man rotation. Maybe 4 guys pitch normal rest, and we go tandem with the last 2 spots. I have just never thought is was a good idea to have pitchers pitching on a schedule unlike they ever have faced, or ever will face in the show. I for one have never bought the work load argument, I think pitchers just get hurt, regardless of how much you work them or baby them.
From the California/Carolina League All-Star Game: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Josh Hader is practically sidearm but it's 92-95 with life</p>— keithlaw (@keithlaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/keithlaw/statuses/479062387379560448">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
All the evidence lies in the amount of pitchers who have shown marked improvement when they've been taken out of the system.... along with the pitchers themselves saying they don't like it. And on the flip side, nobody has come out and said they "like it" (other than the front office).
Marked and unexpected improvement. Tandem pitching might even be a significant factor, even though the pitchers do not like.
These are just words. Folty, Buchanan, and Alaniz performed better last year in tandem than out. There are plenty of pitchers that have pitched better in tandem pitching than not in tandem pitching. There is plenty of evidence that shows tandem pitching doesn't affect results. I am not willing to do an exhaustive search and do a statistical look at tandem versus non tandem results. I don't expect you do one either. Pulling up anecdotal evidence that I can find counter examples to very quickly means very little to me. There are huge fluctuations in performance in baseball. Young players typically improve the more they are in a level. There is a lot of noise in baseball. On the flip side, guys performing great outside the tandem system actually does not prove the tandem system isn't working. It actually proves that the tandem system is not having a negative affect on a pitchers as they are still able to pitch well on normal rest. No pitcher is going to give credit to tandem pitching if they pitch well. Pitcher that pitches poorly is going to look for an excuse whether it be tandem pitching or defensive shift. I've seen people blame Appel's appendix on tandem pitching earlier this season (I assume they meant it slowed his recovery.)
Yeah, I already put it in the Draft Tracker thread, but WTHB has a (unofficial) preliminary roster for Greeneville. Pitchers Zach Davis Dean Deetz Brock Dykxhoorn Josh James DD Keegan Yuhl Devonte German Austin Nicely Jorge Perez Reymin Guduan Gerardo Juarez Angel Heredia Agapito Barrios Jose Montero Juan Carlos Santos Catchers Jake Nottingham Brett Clements Trent Woodward Infielders Yonathan Mejia Dayne Parker Juan Santana Luis Reynoso Bryan Muniz Connor Goedert Antonio Nuñez Outfielders Ramon Laureano Sean McMullen Jason Martin Ydarqui Marte
You're just "using words" as well... and a bunch more than I used. Basically if a pitcher says he doesn't like the system, and he subsequently struggles in the system, and after the system is scrapped he subsequently goes on to do well... I'll take that over the even more anecdotal reasons you have provided. The Astros didn't stick with the system for these guys very long this year... even more evidence of how experimental it really is. Its not been around long enough to produce any sort of tangible results good/bad, but if players speak out against it, I'll value their opinion over that of the internet.
The bold is my point (at least using data limited to Astros organization). I am glad you agree with me even while trying so hard to disagree with me. I value the Astros's opinion more than the players so we do disagree there. I do find the "Oh my gosh. Folty is pitching the best he's ever done since the tandem pitching ended. See the tandem system broke him." argument to be absolutely funny.
The fact that they have mostly abandoned the system would suggest the Astros realized it wasn't a good idea either. Combine that with the fact that all of baseball, forward thinkers included, never thought this was a particularly good idea. Folty and Nitro have pitched better, not a little better, a lot better. Small sample or not this is undeniable. Not to mention they will never pitch this style in the show. What is the point of using a system that doesn't translate to evaluate starting pitchers. If a pitcher is great going all out for 4 or 5 innings, it doesn't tell us what he will do when being asked to go 6 or 7, good results can't be taken completely seriously, although bad results will be.
