I'm not at all unhappy that we won yesterday. I don't even know that it was the wrong move to pull Erasmo at
But Erasmo has been a casualty of McClendon's style since day one. Lloyd needed a whipping boy in Spring Training, and Erasmo's "horse-****" pitches provided him with one, launching him on a tirade back in March. Since then, there's nothing that Erasmo has done to Lloyd's liking.
On April 22nd, E-Ram's ERA was a nice 6.75. Lloyd had successfully scared him "straight" and Erasmo didn't know how to pitch, since challenging hitters and then ruining them with his plus changeup was his modus operandi. He was demoted to "figure it out," and then recalled for sport starts, random gigs and partial trials, mostly out of need and always under his manager's distrustful eye. For a time he didn't dare to throw a strike, he was so messed up. But he's struggled through, and gotten back on track.
His ERA is down to 4-ish, now, or basically what Roenis Elias has done. Erasmo is younger than Roenis, btw. And James Paxton. And three years younger than a Hector Noesi.
But in a game where Erasmo is doing what his manager asked him to do - avoid challenge pitches over the plate on pitcher's counts - and where he has both his pitch count and the scoreboard in near-perfect shape, Lloyd comes out to get him in the middle of an at-bat.
No pitching coach visit to the mound. No call for the catcher to go settle him down. One wobble and he's outta there. Hit the showers. No chance at a win for you, no "attaboy," no chance to earn the favor or respect of his manager.
Lloyd doesn't like Erasmo, and doesn't care if he knows it. Or if he rubs the kid's face in it.
Lou was like that too, y'know. It's the reason they basically had to take the pitching staff away from him - to keep him from ruining the kids on the mound.
Elias is gonna run outta gas before the playoffs. Nothing says Paxton or Walker can stay off the DL. Young will be throwing his most innings since 2007, if not setting a career high. If we NEED Erasmo, really need him, are we gonna have him there emotionally? Or are we gonna put it all on the pen because Erasmo isn't trust-worthy? Certainly not worthy of Lloyd's trust.
After the game, Lloyd said he thought Erasmo was tired. Erasmo, also after the game, said he'd lost the feel for a bit, that it wasn't about being tired. But now Erasmo knows even when he's pitching well he's not gonna get any leeway for those momentary lapses every pitcher gets. No one has any faith in him.
I hope we don't have to count on Erasmo this year. And I would expect to trade him in the offseason. Lloyd has a doghouse and getting out of it seems like quite the chore, especially if you're not allowed to pitch and everyone treats you like a dirty placeholder.
The win was good, and nobody can argue that Lloyd has been good for a lotta guys in that dugout. But much like with Sweet Lou, there will be certain personality and player types we may need to find a buffer for - or we'll really need to count on Jack drafting a ton of dudes so we can find one who doesn't rub Lloyd the wrong way.
I hope we didn't win that battle only to lose the war later in September when a confident Erasmo could mean the difference between the playoffs and going home... and we ruined the kid along the way. Whoops.
~G
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