Vazquez should stay invisible
The Pirates are mired in one of the worst late- season skids in baseball history. They are 4- 21 since the AllStar break, good for a .160 winning percentage. At this rate, according to a man named Shawn Annarelli, who did the research, they will pulverize the post- All Star game record for futility.
The 1935 Boston Braves apparently set that dubious mark, going 17- 63 (. 213 winning percentage) down the stretch. They were managed by Wilkinsburg’s own Bill McKechnie — who had managed the Pirates to a World Series title in 1925 and would later
have the club’s spring training facility in Bradenton, Fla., named after him.
The ’ 35 Braves featured players named Pinky Whitney, Flint Rhem and some guy named Babe Ruth, who miraculously managed a .789 OPS despite a .181 batting average in what proved to be his final season.
But I digress. The topic here is Felipe Vazquez. Remember him? He’s been seen about as often as Lonnie Chisenhall around these parts lately — he pitched just 8⅓ innings in July and has made all of two appearances in August — and i’m kind of wondering why.
Losing every night tends to minimize save opportunities. I get that. I also realize that manager Clint Hurdle is fiercely loyal to the old- school notion of using his closer almost exclusively in save situations, even when save situations are occurring about as often as clean innings from Dovydas Neverauskas.
But if save opportunities are
so scant, why not use Vazquez in other situations? Why not use him in close games even if the Pirates are losing? The Pirates play close games every once in a while, yet Vazquez seems to appear only in blowouts.
The last time he pitched in a close game ( two runs or closer) was July 21 against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he entered a 1- 1 game in the ninth inning. That’s a long time. His past two appearances were in blowouts Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers and five nights earlier against the New York Mets. He did not appear in three close games this month.
Look across Vazquez’s Pirates career, and you will see he logs double- digit innings virtually every month. So, even with all the losing, it’s curious that his usage has plummeted. He obviously isn’t injured. He is throwing as well as he ever has, as evidenced by him wiping out the side on strikeouts Wednesday.
But you know what? Curious though it might be, I’m all for putting him in mothballs. An arm only has so many innings in it. Why waste them on pointless games, which are the only kind the Pirates will play this season?
You have to pitch him once in a while to keep the rust away, but if the Pirates are preserving Vazquez in order to protect both his trade value and that golden left arm, great.
I’m also all for losing as many games as possible in order to secure a better draft pick ( not just in the first round, but every round). I doubt the Pirates are using this rationale for Vazquez’s usage, but, if they are, good. He is a critical player both in value to other teams and his potential value to a winning team here.
Meanwhile, it might not be a bad idea to get Keone Kela back into some save situations, in case Vazquez is traded during the offseason. When Kela isn’t blowing up on an assistant coach, or even when he is, his stuff still is very good.
The best outcome here is for the Pirates to net a windfall of prospects for Vazquez. You don’t often get to turn a relief pitcher into a haul of young talent. The sooner the better. So, yes, by all means, keep this man on the Chisenhall plan. It make sense.