With Johnny Cueto’s groin injury, the Giants need a starter on Sunday in ... San Diego? They’re going back to San Diego? Ugh, fine, Padres. Fine. That’s fine.
Should that starter be rookie Ty Blach? Let’s look at the pros and cons of him starting!
Pro: Ty Blach had a great season in AAA
14-7 with a 3.43 ERA seems good on its surface, but then take into account that his numbers include 2 starts in Salt Lake City, 2 in Las Vegas, 2 in Albuquerque, and 2 in El Paso, all hitter’s parks. His strikeout rate was low, but not abysmal, considering that he’s a pitch to contact type of guy, he didn’t walk anybody, and he just kept pitching well. You know when Mike Krukow says a guy knows how to pitch and can locate on both sides of the plate and will throw anything at any time? That’s Blach. That all describes Ty Blach. He’s a pitcher, not a thrower, you see.
Con: Matt Cain’s had a great Giants career
That’s irrelevant and you know it, Con.
Pro: Blach has pitched very well in his two major league long relief stints
Have you watched him in the majors? Yes, he pitched in two blowouts, so you could say that the opposing hitters didn’t have the focus they’d bring into a close game, or that maybe he pitched differently because he didn’t feel the pressure of the team relying on him, or some other way to minimize his performances. But he’s looked really good. You know who didn’t look really good last night? Matt Cain and Jake Peavy, both of whom gave up runs to the Dodgers. Ty Blach didn’t give up runs to the Dodgers. That’s a good trait in a person.
Con: Jake Peavy was good as recently as last year
Oh come on, Con, are you even trying?
Pro: Blach would at least be interesting
This might seem like a nothing point, but on the other hand, don’t you need the Giants to be interesting right now? Don’t you need an extra reason to watch? Any reason to watch? If Peavy or Cain starts, then I emphatically stand by my article from Tuesday about why you shouldn’t watch the Giants. If Blach starts, then that’s something new when we desperately need it. Don’t minimize that.
Con: Matt Moore threw fewer innings yesterday than Blach, so really he could go on short rest
Con, go to your room and think about what you’ve done.
Pro: Blach could be good
The possibility is certainly there! Much more so than the other options, it would seem, because those guys are definitely bad and Blach will only maybe be bad. But he will also maybe be good. That “maybe be good” is a powerful incentive to start him.
Con: Blach could be bad
Con. Buddy. Anyone else who starts this game is going to be bad.
Pro: If this game matters, why use the veterans who have struggled for 1 or 4 years? If the game doesn’t matter, why use veterans instead of evaluating rookies?
If the Giants are three games out going into Sunday, it wouldn’t technically be an insurmountable deficit. If the Giants are three games up going into Sunday, it would absolutely not be an ironclad lead. Do you want to trust either of those situations to Cain or Peavy? Do you really want to trust them now, in September, when they’ve spent all year being untrustworthy? Or do you want to throw Ty Blach out there, and see how his stuff plays in a start at the major league level?
Untrustworthy as baseball players, I meant. I would totally trust either Cain or Peavy to water my plants when I was away, if I had plants.
Con: That’s disrespectful that you would make many points I can’t refute and I consider it violence against my person.
So it’s settled. Ty Blach should start Sunday. Thank you for your time.