Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Brandon League is not the answer

Before we start mapping out parade routes to welcome putative bullpen saviour Brandon League back to the Bigs, let's pull back the reins on our expectations.

In five games at AA New Hampshire, League's given up just one run, and has held batters to a .136 batting average.

There's a big "but", though. And as Pee Wee said in his Big Adventure, everyone we know has a big "but". So let's talk about League's big "but".

League's control has seemingly regressed in the early going, as he has put up 6 walks (versus 6 Ks) in 6.2 innings. And remember, that's against AA hitters. And we've seen this song and dance from League before.

In 2005, 20 walks versus 17 strikeouts earned him a trip back to the Chiefs. His 2006 numbers showed enough improvement (29 Ks, 9 walks) that the more deluded of us thought that he had nailed down the set up spot.

Meanwhile, Lee Gronkiewicz (who the Jays demoted from Syracuse at the beginning of the year) has four walks and 37 strikeouts in 30 innings. And yet we don't hear any rumblings about giving him a shot in the Jays pen. (Although we've tried our best.)

Yet again, the Universe bends to our will: Gronkiewicz got called up today. (Tip of the chapeau to JaysGirl5)

2 comments:

JaysGirl5 said...

Word has it your man Gronkiewicz just got called up when Fasano was sent down today.

Darren Priest said...

A sad day for Sal's Pals!