Rotation Question

[AZCB34]

Sounds like the rotation is currently looking like this:

Johnson
Webb
Dessens
Reynolds

With the #5 guy to named during camp. I see the #5 guy coming down to one of three...Good, Randolph and Patterson. Randolph and Patterson I believe are out of options.

Any thoughts on who you folks expect to come out with the 5th slot in the rotation?

 

[CardNots]

What about the pitcher we received from Boston?

 

[AZCB34]

Forgot about him...who was that again?

 

[Lefty]

Casey Fossum was acquired from Boston. Wasn't Patterson traded to the Brewers for Sexson?

I think Fossum, Rodriguez, Good and Sparks will get a shot as the 5th starter.

 

[BC867]

Originally posted by AZCB34
Sounds like the rotation is currently looking like this:

Johnson
Webb
Dessens
Reynolds

I don't expect Elmer to remain #3 in the rotation, unless he pitches 5 innings each game, in tandem with one of the others.
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I'm not saying that Dessens compares in any way with Nolan Ryan, but it brings back memories of Ryan's rookie season with the Miracle Mets.

He and Jim McAndrew pitched every #4 start in tandem, until Tug McGraw took over to close. They followed Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Gary Gentry in the rotation.

Of course, the Ryan Express had blisters and soaked his hand in pickle juice after every start. Maybe Elmer should soak in pickle juice.

 

[CardNots]

From what I saw last year, Dessens is pickle juice.

 

[Djaughe]

Don't we have a knuckleballer?

 

[Gee!]

Originally posted by Djaughe
Don't we have a knuckleballer?

Sparks?

 

[Espo]

steve sparks is the knuckle baller

 

[mark1]

I think Patterson will win a job, at least I hope he does. The kid has the talent, it's just a matter of putting it together and being consistent. We need Patterson to step up this year

"Back to basics: John Patterson was one of those pitchers who got his throwing in Monday. The right-hander came to camp last spring penciled in as the No. 4 starter. After a poor camp, he started the year in the minors and struggled through a miserable year.

He spent the offseason working out with his father, Doug, and impressed Brenly with his mechanics Monday.

"I just got back to my roots," Patterson said. "I went back to the way I used to throw the ball when I was successful. I trust my dad. He's the only one who knows what my mechanics looked like in the past when I was successful. I needed to get back to that."

The Diamondbacks have wanted Patterson, who threw primarily a fastball and curve last year, to develop a reliable third pitch. He said during the offseason he worked on a cutter that's almost like a slider as well as improving his changeup.

"He's altered his mechanics a little bit," Brenly said. "He gets himself in a much better position to extend through his pitches and looked really good today."

 

[Djaughe]

Steve Sparks will most likely lose the 5 spot to a younger player. But I'm curious to see how effective he is - or perhaps how effective randy johnson will be against the opposition after sparks pitches one of his 50-mph knuckleballer games.

With the Detroit Tigers, he actually at one point went 14-9, and led the majors with eight complete games. I remember a game in-which he beat the Yankees, posting a complete-game three-hitter on 85 pitches!