Valentine and Aceves

[Danzz]

Last night Valentine did it again; used Aceves for 2 1/3 innings. He did have that flexibility with Cook's complete game on Friday but now he doesn't have him (or shouldn't) for the final game of the Seattle series. The fact that Aceves got the loss is beside the point. Valentine is going to burn Aceves if he doesn't change his tactic.
Tito may have been a bit overprotective of pitchers for my taste but Valentine is way over the line the other way. This is a marathon Bobby, not a sprint.

 

[60'sfan]

Last night Valentine did it again; used Aceves for 2 1/3 innings. He did have that flexibility with Cook's complete game on Friday but now he doesn't have him (or shouldn't) for the final game of the Seattle series. The fact that Aceves got the loss is beside the point. Valentine is going to burn Aceves if he doesn't change his tactic.
Tito may have been a bit overprotective of pitchers for my taste but Valentine is way over the line the other way. This is a marathon Bobby, not a sprint.

In all fairness to Bobby, Aceves is a pitcher who likes to pitch and was almost begging for more work. He pitched one inning on the 21st and threw only 7 pitches, one inning on the 23rd and threw 11 pitches and one inning on the 26th and threw 12 pitches. Going into is 3rd inning of relief last night he had only thrown 14 pitches. I think Bobby was trying to get one more inning out of his closer but it didn't work out. I think he is far from being burned out and will be able to pitch today if needed.

 

[NHUConnfan]

And it's not like Aceves can't pitch more than a couple of innings. He's got the arm to start.

 

[Deepster]

Wouldn't be the first time. Valentine absolutely pitched the right arm off of Turk Wendell in '99 and '00. Pitched him right out of baseball. Hurt his arm in 2001 and never pitched the same again.

 

[60'sfan]

Wouldn't be the first time. Valentine absolutely pitched the right arm off of Turk Wendell in '99 and '00. Pitched him right out of baseball. Hurt his arm in 2001 and never pitched the same again.

Actually, he hurt his arm in 2001 while with the Phillies. He had been having a pretty good year with the Mets in 2001 when they traded him in July. He did miss the 2002 season but came back with a good year with the Phillies in 2003. He retired at the age of 37 after a mediocre season with the Rockies.

 

[Danzz]

And it's not like Aceves can't pitch more than a couple of innings. He's got the arm to start.

Pitch him as many innings you like as long as it is every 5th day or Valentine can use him as a closer for 1 inning a game. If you try to do both with a closer, you are asking for problems: either he burns him out or he becomes ineffective. Every pitcher has a good arm until he doesn't.

 

[60'sfan]

Pitch him as many innings you like as long as it is every 5th day or Valentine can use him as a closer for 1 inning a game. If you try to do both with a closer, you are asking for problems: either he burns him out or he becomes ineffective. Every pitcher has a good arm until he doesn't.

I think pitch count is more important than innings. Aceves is very efficient in pitches per inning. See my post above. As a result, I think he can be used more often. If it were Dice K, I would agree. He nibbles all over the place and is usually in the 100 pitch count in the fifth. Watching him pitch is like watching the grass grow.

 

[Deepster]

Actually, he hurt his arm in 2001 while with the Phillies. He had been having a pretty good year with the Mets in 2001 when they traded him in July. He did miss the 2002 season but came back with a good year with the Phillies in 2003. He retired at the age of 37 after a mediocre season with the Rockies.

Yeah...he hurt his arm with the Phillies.....after Valentine pitched him 80 times a year....not counting the times he warmed him up and didn't come in. Valentine ruined him.

 

[Danzz]

I think pitch count is more important than innings. Aceves is very efficient in pitches per inning. See my post above. As a result, I think he can be used more often. If it were Dice K, I would agree. He nibbles all over the place and is usually in the 100 pitch count in the fifth. Watching him pitch is like watching the grass grow.

Aceves is already tailing off a bit. He has lost 2 mph off his fastball and his control isn't quite as sharp as it was.