The worst thing about M’s closer J.J. Putz going down with an apparent elbow injury isn’t that he could be lost for the season. It’s that it gives knucklehead management an excuse to move Brandon Morrow to the closer role.As a set-up man, Morrow has been nails. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 10 appearances and is walking around with a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings pitched. The guy throws gas, striking out 25 and walking seven. He’s allowed just two earned runs this season and picked up his first save yesterday against the Blue Jays.
The temptation would be to slide him over to Putz’s spot and be done with it. But right now, Morrow should be starting games in Tacoma. The 2006, first-round draft choice of the Mariners should be working on a quality third pitch and getting in the every-fifth-day groove. Cripes, let him work out the starting role in Seattle, the season is pretty well toast anyway.
He’s shown the ability to start, he just needs the right organization behind him. The current regime has neither the willingness nor the intellectual ability to figure out a way to groom Morrow for a starting job.
I pray to the baseball gods that this column looks absolutely stupid in the next few weeks. Not a tall order, really. I hope that there is a change in philosophy where the M’s front office decides, “Yeah, it would probably be a good idea to think about the future and try to figure out how to win a pennant. That would be neat.”
The losses are piling up like sub-60 degree Seattle spring days. The fans deserve to see hope in the form of youth because it’s obvious the talent isn’t there right now to salvage the season.
It’s also time to start showcasing what this team has available to trade. There is a No. 1 starter on the roster whose name rhymes with “Dedard” that should be on the trading block. He’s got one tradable year left on a large contract. A big market, contenting team would love to pick him up in exchange for prospects and maybe a bat.
Or the M’s could continue to wear the blinders and count the gate revenue from Safeco Field. You just gotta wonder how many bobble head dolls fans are willing to pay for.
It’s also time to start showcasing what this team has available to trade. There is a No. 1 starter on the roster whose name rhymes with “Dedard” that should be on the trading block. He’s got one tradable year left on a large contract. A big market, contenting team would love to pick him up in exchange for prospects and maybe a bat.
Or the M’s could continue to wear the blinders and count the gate revenue from Safeco Field. You just gotta wonder how many bobble head dolls fans are willing to pay for.
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