RODNEY DEALT TO THE MARLINS

PADRES RECEIVE: RHP Chris Paddack
MARLINS RECEIVE: RHP Fernando Rodney

Over his last 42 regular season outings, since Rodney joined the Cubs last season, he’s been flipping nails with a 0.44 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 10.62 K/9 and 3.54 BB/9 rate over 40.2 innings. Since that effort is spread over two seasons I tend to lend it more weight than if it was just 28.2 innings this season for Rodney. Speaking of his work this season, Rodney is 17-for-17 in saves while he has allowed two runs, just one earned. He’s been flat out phenomenal. His reward? He will now be serving at the setup man in Florida. At least that’s how I read the situation. As great as Rodney has been the wheels will fall off at some point. Beyond that, A.J. Ramos has done little to cause the Marlins to remove him from the 9th inning. Ramos has been a perfect 24-for-24 in save chances this season with a 1.74 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 11.03 strikeouts per nine. The only issue is the walk, it’s an unpalatable 5.23 per nine, but he’s worked around that issue all season. Plus, it’s not like Rodney is Mr. Avoid the Walk either. Ramos will close. Rodney will setup. Marlins fans prepare to start biting your finger nails at the end of games with these two high-wire acts.

The move of Rodney out of town does open up the 9th in San Diego. Seems like there are two candidates: Ryan Buchter and Brandon Maurer.

Buchter is a 29 year old lefty who has one career save in 38 outings. He’s never been viewed as a closing option in the big leagues, but I would have to think he’s the man who will get the first call (Dennis Lin agrees). However… (1) Butcher is a lefty. (2) He was bombed his last outing for five runs while recording just one out. (3) Despite his success this season, which included a 1.60 ERA and 1.01 WHIP before his last outing and a 13.24 K/9 overall, he has also done the tight rope thing as he’s walked 4.76 batters per nine.

Maurer is a righty with an 11.23 K/9 mark. Like seemingly everyone else in this article, he has issues avoiding the walk at times (4.30 walks per nine). He also owns a league average 1.13 GB/FB ratio for his career. Still, the 1.43 HR/FB ratio this season is higher than the 1.31 mark he posted, combined, the last two years. The rate will certainly go down. Just look at his 15.0 HR/F ratio this season, compared to 13.0 percent the last two years combined, and that bodes well for an ERA reduction. He’s been lights out his last nine games, 9.2 innings of work, with a 13.03 K/9, 0.93 BB/9 and just six hits and one run allowed.

I would say Buchter gets the first look, but that doesn’t preclude Maurer from potentially seeing time in the 9th inning the rest of the way for the Padres.

NOTE: IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL INDEED BE MAURER WHO GETS FIRST CRACK AT IT.

Paddack is a 20 year old righty who has thrown 15 hitless innings his last three starts at Low-A. He’s made six starts this season with a 0.95 ERA and a 0.39 WHIP with 48 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. The numbers are massive and some comps to Michael Wacha are out there for the 6’4”, 195 lbs righty. He’s got a bright future but it’s not likely that he will be seen in the big leagues full-time until 2018.

 

Jose Quintana that included an ERA over five. For more on Quintana, John Lamb and Matt Wisler in this edition of the Daily Dive.

 

DODGERS ADD NORRIS

Earlier Thursday I wrote about the fact that Clayton Kershaw is headed to the disabled list with a back issue in this Daily Trends piece. Kershaw is yet another injured arm the Dodgers are working to figure out a way to replace (Kershaw, Brian Anderson, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Alex Wood etc.). Knowing they cannot run up the innings count of 19 year old Julio Urias, the Dodgers made a move to add a veteran arm. Here are the details.

DODGERS RECEIVE: RHP Bud Norris, OF Dian Toscano
BRAVES RECEIVE: RHP Caleb Dirks, LHP Philip Pfeifer

Norris has been great of late, a fact I detailed in a recent Daily Dive video. That video pretty much lays out my thoughts on Norris. He had also better keep pitching well or he could easily lose his starting spot with the Dodgers if/when their arms get healthy. Obviously, not a huge fan of Norris am I.

Toscano signed a 4-year deal for $6 million with the Braves. He didn’t so anything once finally on the field hitting .226 with no homers and two steals this season at Double-A. He’s nowhere close to helping out at the big league level.

Dirks has a 1.44 ERA and 35 punchouts over 31.1 innings at Double-A this season with six saves. He’s got a big arm but he often struggles to keep the walks in check. Pfeifer is nearly 24 years old, and the lefty has never pitched about High-A where he is right now with 33 strikeouts and 17 walks over 24.1 innings. Obviously he needs a lot of refinement.

 

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday, 7 PM EDT and Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 7 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).