He is young, but his contract, his poor performance this year, and his injuries are valid reasons to move him when you're a team on such a shoe string budget.
10 mill a year isnt awful for a pitcher...in his last 3 starts, 7 runs in 19 2/3 innings for a 3.15 ERA.
Yes he has been inconsistent this year (and injured) but it's hard to justify. plus, if he stays healthy the rest of the way, they could trade him for a stud (prospect(s)) in the offseason.
His ERA for the whole year is in the 5s right?
I prefer a large sample size to a small one when I'm making my decision about players, especially pitchers.
ok, so if you prefer a large sample size, how about looking at one. Rather then the 20 games this year, why not include last year, or the year before, or how about his career? I am glad you made the point, because looking at a real sample size, you quickly see that this year if anything is an outlier.
as a 21 year old, in the best division in baseball, his ERA was 3.77 with 174 k's. as a 22 year old, in the best division in baseball, his era was 3.24 with 163 k's. as a 23 year old, in the best division in baseball, his era was 3.48 with 239 k's. As a 24 year old, in the best division in baseball, his era was 3.49 with 166k's.
See a pattern? ERA in the mid 3's with a lot of k's. now there is this year. do you think as a 25 year old he forgot how to pitch or do you think injury may play a role?
bottom line is you dont trade 25 year old, left handed pitchers who strike guys out at the rate he does based on a bad season (or half of one).
