Sunday, May 6, 2012

'Splain This to Me

Right-handed reliever Brandon Gomes is coming back to the Bulls.

I am always ready to learn something about this puzzling game. More so since I started this blog and started paying attention to some of the little stuff.

Here is what was reported on the  Rays website:
Because of the workload, Gomes was optioned to Triple-A Durham following the game. The Rays will make a corresponding move before Sunday’s contest.
Tampa Bay Times writer Marc Topkin expanded on the comment slightly here. Stacy Long over in Montgomery has this take.

What puzzles me is the “workload” comment. Gomes has pitched a grand total of 10⅔ innings all year (6 with the Bulls and 4⅔ with the Rays). This was over 10 appearances (5 with the Bulls, 5 with the Rays). He has pitched the least number of innings of any pitcher on the Rays roster. So, what "workload"? I’m guessing that something else is afoot.

In the meantime, we can speculate on who will be called up to replace him.

Note: Gomes surely won’t show up with the Bulls for a couple of days, but one of the Bulls pitchers will likely be heading for St. Pete today. It's possible that whomever has been called is already on his way to be there for today’s game.

Choices: Dane De La Rosa, Josh Lueke, Cesar Ramos, John Gaub, Alexander Torres.

Gonna be tough on the Bulls’ staff because last night's postponement is going to mess with the pitching rotation and the Bulls hit the road for Syracuse, New York after tonight's games.

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Update: It's Cesar Ramos. Well-deserved! Good luck!

2 comments:

  1. It is possible that the "workload" comment means that his workload is too small, not too high. Maybe he is being sent down to get more innings, not fewer.

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  2. Had not thought of that. And I'd forgotten about his surgery. Back, wasn't it? Maybe they looked down at the Bulls and realized that instead of being cautious with Gomes, just go ahead and bring someone else up.

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