Jeremy Hellickson and a Six-Man Rotation

Posted: 22nd May 2010 by Michael Emdeyar in Rays News
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What if the Rays went to a six-man rotation to help maintain the starting five?  I know it's unusual, but I have to believe that Joe Maddon is just the manager to give it a try.  The St. Petersburg Times notes that starting pitcher workload might just be the biggest concern for the rest of the season.  Pitch count and 100 pitches will become the magic phrases as you watch a Rays game. The Rays aren't there yet, but what if the Rays bring up Jeremy Hellickson to insert him into the rotation to give the rest of the starters a breather?  It would seem to me, the benefits would be two-fold.  Obviously, this would decrease the workload on the rotation, getting them ready for what is looking like a post-season run.   Beyond that, it would give Hellickson some meaningful innings in the big leagues.  Is Jeremy Hellickson ready for this?  At this point, we don't know.  But, a move like this might just create a valuable piece of the bullpen down the stretch.  I have to believe that if Jeremy Hellickson is brought up from Durham, he's here to stay.  Many have wondered if he could be a bullpen piece, much like David Price was in 2008.  What better way to introduce Hellickson to the bigs than giving him a few starts along the way.  Joe Maddon is the master of strategy.  What do you say?  I can't think of a better way to decrease the pitch counts than to insert a sixth starter into the rotation.
  1. Billso says:

    It could work! I like it.

  2. Michael Emdeyar says:

    I know it’s early to consider. But, at some point during this season, I sure hope the opportunity is there. Hellickson looks like the real deal. What better way to see what he has and see if he could help the bullpen down the stretch.

  3. tripsr3 says:

    A breather? It’s a 5 day rotation as it is and any longer probably would dull the edge so to speak. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!! Jeremy is going to get his chance (if anything he will be in the bullpen by September), and then we can really scare the bad guys.