Terry Collins generated some discussion in recent days by mentioning that he’d like to see Pedro Beato work this winter as a starter. Ron Darling, on last night’s broadcast, even speculated as to how he’d make Beato into a starter.
Here’s how I think it would work:
Step 1: Hope Beato becomes a different, better pitcher
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: PROFIT
The problem is, there’s exactly zero reason to think Beato could succeed as a starter. He didn’t excel at it in the minor leagues. His strikeout rate is 5.4 per nine in the major leagues as a reliever- and it is typical for that rate to drop as a starter.
That’s too low, even if he were a precision pitcher, and he isn’t. His walk rate is 3.7 per nine as a reliever, and it is typical for that rate to rise as a starter.
So, let’s review. He failed in the role as a minor leaguer. His command and dominance are already substandard as a reliever. Why exactly is he starter material?
As far as I can tell, it is because he looks like a starter. He’s big, strong, and throws hard.
Look, my sixteen-month-old daughter is tiny, likes horses, and would look ADORABLE on one. But if I tried to make her a competitive jockey, tears and losing would surely follow. And they’d probably lock me up for negligence.
The same should happen to anyone who tries to make Pedro Beato a starter. Let him keep working on relieving, in New York or Triple-A next year. A little improvement in the walk and strikeout rates, and he can be a serviceable bullpen arm.
But he’s no starter. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go tell my daughter why she won’t be competing in the Preakness.
2 Comments
You’re probably right about this, but just to be fair to Collins: The reason he thinks Beato might succeed as a starter is that he has three, maybe four, quality pitches. Obviously that is not true of, say, Bobby Parnell. I’m not saying that it’s a good idea to make Beato a starter, but that is the reason they’ve been talking about it, not that he is “big and strong.”
His three or four quality pitches aren’t translating into results. Nothing wrong with having him spend the offseason and next season in the minors developing his pitches. As a starter he’d get more innings/pitches in, and therefore presumably develop faster.
In the end we’re probably still looking at a mediocre middle reliever, but if starting for a year helps get him there faster… and it’s not like he’d be taking a starting slot away from an important prospect… and who knows? Maybe the horse will learn to sing.