In Search of the Right Rotation

Let's play a little fantasy baseball. Imagine Boone and Cirillo hitting over .300 again, the Mariners never losing three in a row again, and, if you can, imagine the Mariners with the same starting rotation and the same relievers in the bullpen for the rest of the season.

The fifth starting position and the bullpen have changed so many times this season it is difficult to keep track. John Halama and Ryan Franklin must be getting tired of playing musical reliever-who gets the seat in the bullpen this week?

Up With Creek and Halama

Maybe the M's found a partial solution in their acquisition of reliever Doug Creek from Tampa Bay. He's a lefty and that's what they were looking for to replace Norm Charlton in the bullpen. They tried to use Fitzgerald and Watson, but found them a little too fresh out of the minors to handle the Mariner's usual close game.

Now they have someone with major league experience who can come in when they need a left-hander and give Rhodes a break (we've seen the results lately when Rhodes gets used too much). Creek has a good fastball, breaking ball and split finger. He faired well against left-handed hitters (.224) this season, which is how the M's plan to use him.

Will Lou be happy with keeping their reliable lefty, John Halama, in the starting rotation now? That is really where he belongs. In 2000, the only year he was used strictly as a starter, he won 14 games. In 2001 he had a few bad outings and got demoted to the minors and the bullpen. I think he's more than earned his right to start again.

A Few Bad Outings

Speaking of a few bad outings, would you ever think of demoting Freddy Garcia or trading him because of a few bad outings-three to be exact? In the last three starts he has given up 16 earned runs over 16 2/3 innings, with two losses and a no decision. He's 11-7 with a 4.02 ERA, so no need to panic yet. He just needs to find his changeup again.

Joel Pineiro (10-4) knows about bad outings too. On July 22 Joel yielded eight hits and four runs. The start before that he gave up six runs. But remember the 20 consecutive scoreless innings (the 10th longest in Mariner history) he had before that?

Some of you might be a little worried about James Baldwin. After all, the big priority in the off season was to get another starting pitcher and he's it-and he's only 6-6 with a 4.42 ERA. He has pitched some good games, though, without getting the win because of lack of run support from the offense.

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