The Indians fast start to the offseason is reminiscent of how they started the season. The Indians had little time after the World Series to decide whether or not to pick up the options of two of the longest tenured Indians; which is unbelievable in its own right. The Tribe accepted Fausto’s and seemingly everyone that gets paid to write about this thought it was the right move. I 93% disagree. I understand the argument and importance of the high number of innings he is capable of logging. However, that argument would make more sense in little league, where winning doesn’t matter. Fausto was flat out miserable last year. His ERA was 5.25. No offense, not even the Yankees could sustain any sort of success with pitching like that (I cannot and will not imagine what Fausto’s ERA would have been in Yankee Stadium). Further, anyone that watched our offense last year knows we cannot outhit anyone. I don’t understand how having Fausto take away inning from someone like Jeanmar Gomez helps us win games. Fausto’s WAR (wins above replacement, which would be a AAA player a.k.a. Jeanmar) was -1.4, easily the lowest on the Tribe last year. Next lowest you ask? Chad Durbin. Remember how painful he was last year? His WAR was half as bad as Fausto’s, -.7 (Asdrubal’s defensive WAR was also -.7 but his slow first step is excused by the fact that he made outstanding play after outstanding play and because he took over for Jhonny Peralta who might be as slow as Victor Martinez). Having a pitcher who can eat up innings is like having a fat kid at Thanksgiving. Just because he makes the cook happy that there’s no food left doesn’t mean he is doing everyone at the table any favors because everyone else wanted some food also and would have been more productive with that food (the last part is a stretch but just go with it).
Inexplicably, the Indians thought that having Fausto around was such a good idea, they decided to waste five million and a future lefty specialist away for another Fausto. Derek Lowe’s compiled stats last year: turned 38 years old (and does not have Benjamin Button’s disease), 9-17 win loss record (7-15 for Fausto), ERA of 5.05 (5.25-Fausto), WHIP 1.51 (1.40-Fausto). They are both awful numbers and both pitchers got about 185 innings worth of opportunity to compile these numbers. I know the Tribe thinks Derek Lowe can rebound from that but I’m not so certain. I would have much rather seen the Indians take the 12 million they spent on those two and signed a Mark Buehrle or Roy Oswalt or traded for someone like Wandy Rodriguez and watched David Huff attempt to develop into the next Cliff Lee. Further, I understand the importance of having pitchers that can pitch that many innings but the ONLY strength of our minor league system is our depth at viable starting pitchers. I say only because having great AAA hitters does not mean they are going to be good in the pros (Hello Matt LaPorta and Luis Valbuena). I'm glad the Tribe has taken the aggressive approach into the winter. I just hope that the moves they've made have been well thought out and more importantly than anything, help us win.
Inexplicably, the Indians thought that having Fausto around was such a good idea, they decided to waste five million and a future lefty specialist away for another Fausto. Derek Lowe’s compiled stats last year: turned 38 years old (and does not have Benjamin Button’s disease), 9-17 win loss record (7-15 for Fausto), ERA of 5.05 (5.25-Fausto), WHIP 1.51 (1.40-Fausto). They are both awful numbers and both pitchers got about 185 innings worth of opportunity to compile these numbers. I know the Tribe thinks Derek Lowe can rebound from that but I’m not so certain. I would have much rather seen the Indians take the 12 million they spent on those two and signed a Mark Buehrle or Roy Oswalt or traded for someone like Wandy Rodriguez and watched David Huff attempt to develop into the next Cliff Lee. Further, I understand the importance of having pitchers that can pitch that many innings but the ONLY strength of our minor league system is our depth at viable starting pitchers. I say only because having great AAA hitters does not mean they are going to be good in the pros (Hello Matt LaPorta and Luis Valbuena). I'm glad the Tribe has taken the aggressive approach into the winter. I just hope that the moves they've made have been well thought out and more importantly than anything, help us win.
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