A few items of note out of MLB's Central divisions …
- The Indians are interested in signing free-agent reliever Mike Gonzalez, tweets Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, although it may depend on the health progress of dinged up relievers Rafael Perez and Chris Perez. Rafael has battled left shoulder soreness while Chris was sidelined early in spring by a left oblique injury.
- The Tigers appear unlikely to acquire a fifth starter via trade, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Andy Oliver and Drew Smyly are the front runners to be Detroit's fifth starter, Knobler adds.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin said there were recent talks between the organization and John Axford's agent, Dan Horwits, but Melvin characterized them as "just a conversation," tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The Brewers and Axford have been rumored to be discussing an extension, and MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith recently examined what such an extension might look like.
Smyly all the way!!!!!
I am a BIIIG Smyly fan, but he has only started 7 games above A-ball. I think it would be wise to give him more time in AA/AAA (especially if Oliver’s simplified approach keeps yielding such these positive results).
So the white sox still have the best top to bottom rotation in the al central….
Peavy
Floyd
Danks
Sale
Humber
Um…no.
First of all, Verlander is so much better than anything the White Sox can offer. Even if you expect significant regression from Fister, he is (at worse) right in line with everyone in the Sox rotation. Maxwell vs Peavy, Floyd, or Danks is a close battle. Ricky and Oliver/Smyly would both be right around the Sale/Humber level.
If by “best top to bottom” you mean “most balanced” (as in the best guy is pretty close to the worse guy skill-wise, then yes, your are correct.
(BTW: not taking anyhting away from the White Sox rotation. Definitely battling the Indians for the second best rotation in the division.)
How? I would rather have
Verlander
Fister
Scherzer
Porcello
Oliver/Smyly/Turner
You’re funny………..
Keep dreaming!
If Peavy stays healthy, Sale translates well to the rotation and Humber is the real deal, then you may have a case. But right now it has to be the Tigers
The ace for the white sox would be the number 3 for Detroit.
Justin Verlander, defending MVP and Cy Young winner, Doug Fister, 7-1 with an ERA under two, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, two solid pitchers, and take your pick of Smyly and Oliver say HAHAHA….we’re over here.
I would take Detroit and Cleveland over Chicago. It’s not even close.
Chicago doesn’t have anyone on that staff that can match up with Verlander and Fister, assuming Peavy doesn’t bounce back to Padre form.
I’d take Cleveland’s rotation with Masterson, Jimenez, and Lowe over the White Sox too.
tigers should look at signing john garland over trading for lannan… cheaper move, with possibility of garland really stepping up like he has in the past.