The Indians announced that left-handed pitcher Edwin Escobar has been designated for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, whose three-year contract with Cleveland is now official.
Cleveland originally picked up the 24-year-old Escobar off waivers from the Diamondbacks in November, so his time with the organization could come to an end before he so much as throws a pitch. Escobar tossed 23 2/3 innings of relief for Arizona this past season and yielded a 7.23 ERA (19 earned runs) with a 17-to-12 K/BB ratio in that time (three of the walks were intentional). He’s pitched better in Triple-A but still comes with a modest track record, having compiled a 4.63 ERA with 6.5 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 286 innings at that level.
Escobar won’t turn 25 until late April, so he’s still relatively young, and he’s traditionally held lefties in check quite well. In 2016, same-handed batters hit .266/.329/.329 against him between the Majors and Triple-A, and in three of the four prior seasons, he held lefties to a sub-.600 OPS. As a former Top 100 prospect and a player with baseball in his bloodlines — Escobar is the cousin of Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, Angels righty Vicente Campos and retired right-hander Kelvim Escobar — Escobar could find himself claimed by a rival club looking to add some left-handed depth to its ranks.
I don’t understand why major league teams don’t understand that slotting Escobar into the bullpen would make him an amazing pitcher. He posted a 4.32 ERA in relief last season compared to a 14.14 ERA as a starter and even better, his K/9 nearly double from 3.9 to 7.6. If you look at his stats from August 1st, he posted a 3.31 ERA over 16.333 innings (which makes up 70.4% of his time in the majors last season based on innings pitched)
First of all, 16.333 innings isn’t a thing. Secondly, sample sizes. Thirdly, he posted terrible peripherals. He walks too many people, he gives up too many hits, he struggles with runners on, bad k rate, and his stuff isn’t great. He’s brutal to watch.
Comparing his relief to his rotation work is night and day though. I think as he matures as a reliever, it will improve. Besides, Im not saying set-up man or anything, but major league middle reliever, like 0.5-0.8 WAR is possible.
you’re exact words about moving him to the bullpen were that it would make him an “amazing pitcher”.
I exaggerated a bit- my b
16.333 innings is equal to 16 innings and 1 out.
We’re talking baseball, there is no 16.333 innings, that would translate to 17 innings.
16.333 innings in in fact, a thing. Simple math will tell you that is equal to 16 1/3 innings…which translates to 16 innings + 1 out, which is a thing
In baseball talk it is not. 16.333 would actually translate to 17 innings
Nope. 16.0, 16.1, 16.2, 17.0
Any baseball database use that format for innings.
I’ve always heard that as 16-1/3 innings but I’ve only followed baseball for 33 years so what would I know
Those sample sizes are way, way too small to draw anything conclusive out of.
The Diamondbacks didn’t want him? Must have been that he didn’t get rave reviews.
#ravenation
Arizona doesn’t like players that do not get rave reviews.
Especially when they don’t get rave reviews on their defense at C and OF
Sounds like a possible dumpster dive for the Jays to pick up. Sigh.
Nah these guys are more into the low obp guys, who can hit a couple of homers and strike out a ton. Upton, Smoke and Morales. I’m almost expecting them to overpay for JP Arencibia as our back up catcher (1 year $5M)
JP? Don’t even joke.
Heads up, Billy and A’s…
Swapping Edwin for Edwin ehhh
He was fine away from hitter friendly Reno in AAA last year. His first 3 starts in Reno he allowed 21 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings. Sometimes pitching in parks that are so hitter friendly gets into a guy’s head. Brewers have the same issue with AAA Colorado Springs.
There’s definitely potential there..
Case in point: Josh Hader’s numbers at AA and then at AAA Colorado Springs.
AA: 57 IP, 0.95 ERA
AAA: 69 IP, 5.22 ERA
Hader had 6 home starts in CS. Had a 3 ERA in 4 of those and terrible the other 2. In his 8 road starts he wasn’t good in half of them but dominant the other half. 2.35 ERA in 8 of those 14 starts split between home/away. Guys like him with plus curves/sliders have difficulty showing consistency in those environments unless they have a solid change they can go too.
I was referring more to Taylor Jungmann and Jorge Lopez who both struggled mightily at Colorado Springs. Lopez is dominating winter ball and Brewers have dilemma of where to assign him this year. Same goes for several other prospects like Brandon Woodruff and Luis Ortiz..