Time To Say Goodbye To Roy Corcoran

Dave · June 27, 2009 at 8:40 am · Filed Under Mariners 

Last year, the Mariners got 73 good innings out of Roy Corcoran. He was a poor man’s Sean Green, throwing a nasty sinker that got a ton of groundballs and allowed him to pitch his way around some command problems. However, very few pitchers can survive a pitch to contact strategy if they don’t have the ability to pound the strike zone, and Corcoran is feeling the swift kick of regression to the mean.

After last night’s struggles, his season line now stands at 13 2/3 IP, 22 H, 15 BB, and 5 K. His FIP is 6.79. The M’s hoped that a trip to the DL would solve his early season command problems, but he’s been just as bad since coming back a few weeks ago – 6 walks and 1 strikeout in 5 innings of work. Groundballs are great, but if you can’t throw strikes or miss bats, you’re in trouble. Corcoran is in trouble.

Shawn Kelley should be back off the disabled list in a week or two, and Corcoran is the obvious candidate to lose his roster spot when that happens. I’d suggest they not even wait that long, however. There are other options – the Rays just designated Winston Abreu for assignment, so he’ll on waivers shortly and could be had for nothing. The M’s are already giving themselves the short end of the stick by playing with a bunch of Triple-A backups as they head out for their toughest stretch of the season. They don’t need to take Corcoran to Boston and New York and let him continue to prove that he’s incapable of getting major league hitters out.

The upside of Corcoran pitching this badly is he’d almost certainly clear waivers, so the M’s could send him to Tacoma and see if he gets himself straightened out. He’s not helping the team, or himself, turning deficits into blowouts. It’s time for a change.

Comments

15 Responses to “Time To Say Goodbye To Roy Corcoran”

  1. Jake N. on June 27th, 2009 10:16 am

    Lastnight was a beacon on just how many deficiencys the Mariners really have. The whole game was ugly. It is a shame that all the pieces we have to shop are all broken. Good bye Roy.

    Those Dodgers are young, athletic, with offense and defense. Makes a fan jealous. With a little more pitching they should be a terror for a long while. Glad they’re in the NL west. The rumor of Wash for Pierre is lame. We already have enough leadoff hitters.

  2. Tek Jansen on June 27th, 2009 10:45 am

    He’s not helping the team, or himself, turning deficits into blowouts.

    Well, since Silva’s on the DL, someone has to pick up the slack.

    Any chance that Olson stays up with the team as the lefty reliever who can also eat some innings if/when Bedard comes back on 4 July. That would mean sending down Carp or DFAing Wilson or Woodward, but I feel that Wakamastu might need a 12 man staff with Vargas and Morrow in the rotation. Don’t forgot, Bedard will probably not be going 8 or 9 innings in the near future either. When Kelley returns, the club can theb decide about who is least useful rather than who is most disastrous.

  3. dsmiley on June 27th, 2009 10:30 am

    [Piniella]

  4. section331 on June 27th, 2009 1:44 pm

    I like Corcy and I’d almost pay money to hear him give post-game interviews

    Or books on tape!
    This is sad news, as I like the guy, but after having had a taste of Win, it’d sure be nice if we had a little more. Just hoping that Kelley is truly rehabbed and ready to go when he comes back.

  5. Breadbaker on June 27th, 2009 1:53 pm

    The key to the number needed in the pen is Jakabauskas, and how often he can bridge the gap between the starter and the one-inning guys. I would prefer fewer men in the bullpen and more flexibility on the bench, particularly since we have a third baseman who should be given as much rest as possible and two guys who basically can’t play the field in Griffey and Sweeney.

  6. DAMellen on June 27th, 2009 2:48 pm

    Nobody’s ready to give Josh Fields a shot?

  7. trtlrock on June 27th, 2009 3:42 pm

    I’ve long been intrigued by Abreu. His lengthy minor-lg record has produced highly variable results, but there are some mind-boggling years there…

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=abreu-001win

    I don’t know what he throws, but if there’s such a thing as an AAAA reliever, he’s the poster boy.

    Just one of many potentially useful players the Nats have let slip through their fingers over the years…

  8. trtlrock on June 27th, 2009 3:47 pm

    I’m obviously cherry-pickin’, but here are Abreu’s stats for his most recent 84 IP at the AAA level:

    84-IP 38-H 3-HR 25-UBB 131-K 1.28-ERA

  9. Paul B on June 27th, 2009 3:55 pm

    Nobody’s ready to give Josh Fields a shot?

    The White Sox utility 3b-LF’er?

    I didn’t know he could pitch.

  10. Joeyjojo Jr Shabadoo on June 27th, 2009 4:32 pm

    Unfortunately the M’s still have a few players on the 25 man roster who aren’t very competitive for being big leaguers. Balentien at some point needs to drive in some runs.

  11. JMHawkins on June 27th, 2009 4:59 pm

    Unfortunately the M’s still have a few players on the 25 man roster who aren’t very competitive for being big leaguers. Balentien at some point needs to drive in some runs.

    You mean like, go out to the airport and pick up some guys Zduriencik traded for who can get on base and drive them back to the ballpark? Or do you mean he needs to bear down with runners on and get some clutch hits?

    ‘Cause personally, I’d rather he just focused on hitting better in general. A sub-300 wOBA is tough to stomach coming from a guy known for outstanding defense. Coming from Wlad, it’s even worse.

  12. Wolfman on June 27th, 2009 5:36 pm

    What’s Pierre batting, .330? Why are people upset about Seattle getting him? The guy is speedy and can actually get on base. I know he has no power, but he has other things to bring to the table. No? I’m not the baseball expert some of you are but I’d like to get some bats in here and the guy is a pretty good base-stealer too. Balentein can’t hit his own butt with both hands. Please help me out here!

    Not trying to be smug or sarcastic. I seriously don’t understand why some are against this move.

  13. Paul B on June 27th, 2009 5:39 pm

    His hitting this year is an aberration. His lifetime OPS+ is 85. Not great for an outfielder.

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pierrju01.shtml

  14. joser on June 27th, 2009 10:23 pm

    Dave wrote about Pierre at Fangraghs earlier this week. If the M’s are going to give up something significant, there are other things I’d rather see them get in return.

  15. Wolfman on June 28th, 2009 1:34 pm

    Thanks guys. Hopefully, Jack Z. can get some hitters (left-handed would be great) in here. I have full confidence in him. It will be interesting to see what he does.

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