OnlyBucs

6F646C6065647F3A3C4B726A6364642568640B0 wrote: Relievers are failed starters. Rivero is no different. He was a starter in the minors with some higher ERAs. Do you trust the Nationals judgement?



Rivero has had more success in the majors as a reliever compared to the minors as a starter.



I don't know if he can start. I just don't know if I want to find out.


Right, but Rivero was also a failed reliever.  Searage fixed him.  Perhaps he can fix him as a starter, too. Given that they gave him away to us, no, I don't trust the Nationals judgment on the matter.



If Rivero pitches 80 innings as a reliever with lights out stuff, that's great.  If he could pitch 175 innings as a starter with similar lights out stuff, that's better.


The Nationals didn't give him a away.  They got one of the best Closers in return.



I just wonder why he was never tried as a starter in the majors.  Or was it the Pirates that decided to leave him in the bullpen?




I suppose we can call it whatever we want, but they rented a closer for half a year, and gave us someone with far better stuff, who less than a year later is arguably the best reliever in baseball. Whatever we term that, it was a mistake on Mike Rizzo's part, before even adding Taylor Hearn to the equation. As I posted the other day, I suspect Rizzo's rear end is pretty sore from kicking himself every time that joke of a bullpen coughs up another lead, all the while watching the best reliever in baseball, a guy who was in his bullpen less than a year ago, pitch for another team.

Rizzo did what most here want to do: Go for it!



When you don't win it all, that is the consequence. Losing a player who would help in the future for the now. It did hurt a little more that they couldn't sign Melancon long term, as that was part of their plan.

212A222E2B2A317472053C242D2A2A6B262A450 wrote: I just wonder why he was never tried as a starter in the majors.  Or was it the Pirates that decided to leave him in the bullpen?


He started a lot in the Nats' minors until 2015 when they used him only as a reliever. When he was called up the Nats only used him in the pen. 




I don't know why the Nationals didn't try him as a starter in 2016.  Was it because they didn't think he could do it, needed him in the bullpen, or was just no room for him in the rotation? 



I didn't hear any attempts by the Pirates to stretch him out either.  Maybe they think he can be like Chapman and Miller?
Well, once again, as I said, the Nats took him out of a starter role in the minors which he did exclusively in 2014 and used him only in the pen in 2015. Then they called him up and continued using him only as a reliever. So it sure looks like they made the decision after the 2014 season to convert him to a reliever, which they did in AAA before recalling him. I seriously doubt that the only reason the Nats didn't start him was because there was no room in the rotation and he was needed in the pen more. You don't convert a starter into a reliever in the minors if you want him to start in the majors.

Many on this board wanted Glasnow to start in the bullpen. The same was said about Kuhl. The reasoning was that many rookies start in the bullpen before they go to the rotation. Williams did that this year.



I just wasn't sure if the Nationals had a plan for him to stay in the bullpen or were giving him time in the bullpen and eventually going to put him in the rotation. Giving him time in the bullpen could help the team now. He only pitched six innings in the minors in 2015 before he was called up.



The Nationals have had a very strong rotation and other younger guys like Giolito, Cole, and Lopez who got some starts too.

We stretched Nicasio out as a starter in spring training then gave him ample opportunity to show us what he could so as a starter.  Once that failed, we moved him to the pen where he has been pretty solid.  I don't see why we can't do that with Rivero next spring. 

There are much easier ways to find a quality starter or two than converting one of the best closer in baseball while he's hot into a starting role.



Trade or acquire a starter in FA.   What about our awesome farm with Glasnow, kingham, Kuhl, Brault, huchison, clay holmes

?

We have 3 quality starting pitchers with some real good topside potential (Cole, Taillon).   



Don't take an Olympic top sprinter and try him at the 5000 meters.

7E777F6E601A0 wrote: There are much easier ways to find a quality starter or two than converting one of the best closer in baseball while he's hot into a starting role.



Trade or acquire a starter in FA.   What about our awesome farm with Glasnow, kingham, Kuhl, Brault, huchison, clay holmes

?

We have 3 quality starting pitchers with some real good topside potential (Cole, Taillon).   



Don't take an Olympic top sprinter and try him at the 5000 meters. 
I think Dmetz is right. This year has shown me that finding a closer cannot be taken for granted. Having the best in the game is a beautiful thing, and I think it helps the guys throwing in front of him, too, knowing that he can erase a mistake by pitching 4 out saves routinely.