Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - TDIB 11 May 2010: Morrowse

TDIB 11 May 2010: Morrowse

Despite Brandon Morrow's best efforts, the Jays actually made it close.

This'll be a short one; sometimes, life just doesn't give you enough time, y'know? Other times, you have to go to dumb evening meetings. Still other times, you spend way too much time on Minor League updates ("9,623 more words"?!?!?! That is the most amount of words I have ever created, ever, even if many of them are quotes and tables).

Anyway, here's something to talk about. We all assume that Eveland is the first one out of the rotation. But what if Morrow keeps having terrible control problems? He's the kind of guy who could go into a pretty bad funk with his mechanics, and maybe he needs to spend some time down in the minors to straighten things out. I'm not suggesting that should be the course of action now; it's just one start, after all. But if this happens two or three more times, what do you do? He's got options; sending him down is not a problem.

On the other hand, might it be counter-productive to send a guy to a different environment with different catchers and pitching coaches? I would think that consistency is important in fixing problems such as this one. Would you move him to the bullpen then, instead? Or just give him a very long leash?

Dumb Fact of the Day: the Jays have three guys slugging over .598. And then two more between .470 and .490. And none of those guys are Aaron Hill or Adam Lind.

Posted by Dave Rutt on Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 07:50 AM EDT.

TDIB 11 May 2010: Morrowse | 18 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

rpriske - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 08:25 AM EDT (#214886) #

It isn't just one start. The number of walks he has given up is untenable. He hides it behind a KK/BB ratio that is still okay because he strikes out so many, but the walk total HAS to come down.

Cynicalguy - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 09:00 AM EDT (#214887) #

What's the point of sending Morrow to the minors? He'll just rack up a lot of strikeouts with the free swingers down there, without having to throw pitches close to the plate. He'll have to learn how to throw strikes to MLB hitters who have the patience to take pitches. In the minors he'll be more encouraged to throw pitches away from the plate.

Hodgie - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 10:02 AM EDT (#214890) #

Granted, yesterday Morrow couldn't have hit the ground if he tried, but if this season is truly about development then I don't see the point in sending him to the minors. Their unexpected start to the season not withstanding, I have a hard time believing this team as presently constructed has a realistic chance to make the post season. In light of that, they need to use the year to see who is going to be a part of the core for the next few years and the only way to do that is to show the requisite patience. They are currently doing this with Snider and should continue to do so with Morrow until he either cements himself as a part of the future or the Jays decide that he is not capable of being the player they hoped he might become. Now, if the calendar turns to September and the boys in blue magically have a shot at the wildcard, then you probably don't have room in the rotation (short term) for Nuke Laloosh. Other than that though, if they are at least competitive you run him out there.

Hodgie - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 10:11 AM EDT (#214891) #

As disheartening as Morrow's performance was yesterday, the Jays still should have won that game. The middle infield, generally a strenght accounted for 3 runs against and HIll and Lind stranded enough runners to fill a small charter. For all the angst about the slow starts by Snider and Overbay, I am surprised that the present ineptitude of Hill and Lind seems to have escaped everyones attention.

StephenT - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 12:40 PM EDT (#214894) #

The Red Sox radio announcers were predicting early in the game that the Jays' fielders would make some errors because Morrow was making them stand around in the cold so long.

John Northey - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 12:40 PM EDT (#214895) #

How often can a team win when the #2-3-4-5 hitters go a collective 0-16 (with 2 walks)? That makes the 6 runs they did score more amazing.

Funny that one unearned run was the difference in the end though. Also interesting that Gonzalez has 7 errors already.

damos - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 12:46 PM EDT (#214896) #

The Globe & Mail is reporting that the much anticipated Phillies series is being moved to Philadelphia because of the G-20.

That one hurts.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 12:56 PM EDT (#214897) #

Morrow did not really conquer his control issues in the minor leagues in 2008-09. I would have probably sent him down prior to the year. With the club having decided that he would do his learning in the major leagues, it would probably be best off to stick with the plan.

TamRa - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#214899) #

the only scenario that makes sense to me in terms of sending him down is subject to two things:

1. Zep and Litsch are both healthy and pushing to be brought back to the major league rotation; and

2. the plan is to have Mel Queen make a special project out of Morrow to see if he can unlock some secret to consistant control.

Not to disrespect Walton or anyone but just on the theory that a new set of eyes might spot something.

Sano - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 02:32 PM EDT (#214905) #

I agree with the consensus opinion. This season is about development and seeing what players are going to be part of the core moving forward. Morrow's got to be given a proper run to see if he can conquer these control problems. When he's on, it's really unbelievable though, his stuff is pretty unhittable. He just has to find the plate to keep hitters scared.

Spifficus - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 03:07 PM EDT (#214914) #

Last night was just a further reminder that he's our new Burnett. The mechanical tweaks they've already done are going to take time to imprint on muscle memory, and he's occasionally going to have lapses like the second inning.

One thing I noticed was his landing foot was inconsistent by about a foot-width. Wasn't this one of the things he was working on? Normally I'm not a huge fan of that camera angle, but it made something like this easier to notice.

It's going to take time, and there are going to be bumps. This is the best spot for him, though, because opposing hitters are going to give instant feedback when he's not throwing strikes, and video and quality of instruction are better. This really does offer him the best chance to put it all together.

dan gordon - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 03:17 PM EDT (#214915) #

Didn't like the Morrow trade when it was made, and I still don't. His results away from the pitcher friendly Seattle home park were terrible. His control continues to be very poor. He has a lot of work to do. Great stuff, sure, that's why he's a prospect. But at this point in time, I think that's what he is and he should be in AAA. I think the next 2-3 starts for Morrow/Eveland will determine what the Jays will do when Rzepczynski returns. I see Litsch is now starting his comeback with Dunedin. In a month or so we may be looking at a rotation of Marcum, Romero, Cecil, Rzepczynski and Litsch.

uglyone - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 03:25 PM EDT (#214916) #

Question:

I'm not getting a clear message from the Jays on this - are they trying to fundamentally re-shape his delivery, or is what they're doing properly being labelled as "tweaking" ?

because if it's a more fundamental change, you have to think that the minors would be the place to do that, at least for a short stint, no?

greenfrog - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 03:29 PM EDT (#214918) #

I get the impression that Morrow's problems are primarily mental (possibly akin to Ankiel's woes on the mound). Maybe the Jays could retain Harvey Dorfman, or someone with similar talents, to help get him sorted out. After all, Dorfman wrote the book (The Mental ABCs of Pitching) that Halladay totes around and continually rereads during the season.

Ron - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#214919) #

Morrow has had control problems his whole career. And by career I mean in the Majors, Minors, and even back when he was pitching in the PAC 10. At this point of his career, he's basically Daniel Cabrera part 2. It's not like Morrow is blocking a Strasburg type prospect from coming up with the Jays so I see little harm in putting him out there every 5th day. The goal is to see if Morrow can get major league hitters out on a consistent basis and sending him down to the minors does nothing to accomplish this. Morrow has already bounced back and forth between the minors and majors as well as from starter to bullpen which has probably hurt his development. The Jays aren't going to be contending anyways so they need to see what Morrow can do over a long stretch. Even in the worse case scenario (he stinks it up start after start) he will be helping the Jays draft position for next season.

uglyone - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 04:29 PM EDT (#214924) #

I understand at the Cabrera comparison, but I always cringe at it (which is probably the intention of it)....but Cabrera was markedly worse I think...

Cabrera: 892.1ip, 6.8k/9, 5.2bb/9, 1.3k/bb, 1.57whip, 5.10era, 88era+
Morrow: 232.2ip, 9.7k/9, 6.0k/bb, 1.6k/bb, 1.50whip, 4.37era, 98era+

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 04:46 PM EDT (#214928) #

If you factor out Morrow's relief work (numbers in relief are better than those for starters), they're pretty much even. Bobby Witt was another right-hander of the type. He actually had one good year. Usually, starters who walk 5-6 batters/9 IP and strike out 8+/9IP don't progress enough. Sandy Koufax did. Others of the type include Jason Bere, Tony Saunders and Angel Guzman.

uglyone - Tuesday, May 11 2010 @ 05:07 PM EDT (#214931) #

well, "even" - aside from the fact that Morrow is still up at 9.2k/9 as a starter for his career, while Cabrera is down at 6.8....with a similar walk rate for both, which is a signficiant edge for Morrow.

but what's really interesting about the Cabrera comparison is that in his first 3 years at age 23-25he was actually....not good....but ok. His ERA+ was in the mid-90s, and his K-rates were increasing every year to a peak of 9.6k/9 at age 25. It was only at age 26, in his 4th season, that he fell of a cliff and became an atrocious pitcher with his era+ diving steadily down into the 70s and his K-rates steadily being cut in half...not sure if that was just him making one too many adjustments, or him just killing his arm, or maybe just losing any confidence he had.

Which might indicate at least that Morrow is at a pretty critical juncture of his career.

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