Will Thompson get "Ponson'd"?

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » March 8 07, 11:20 am

GatewaySnayke wrote:As I recall it, it was a bullpen game and he wasn't asked to give more than three innings, though they were able to stretch him out during his stint in Memphis. But this presents an interesting case: on one hand you want me to pat Looper on the back for having two good outings in ST, then on the other hand you want to dismiss Thompson based off of a start a year ago. Which is it?

He's referring to Thompson's year as a SP in the minor leagues, not one bullpen start. So the comment about two good outings v. one bullpen start is completely irrelevant.

greenback44 · Post by **greenback44** » March 8 07, 11:25 am

Popeye_Card wrote:I think if Looper added a forkball, he could be a pretty effective starter as long as he can handle the innings.

When the idea of Looper was first floated, the PD said he started using a splitter in the second half of the season. I admit I don't remember seeing it.

I've come around on the Ponson decision. Yeah, it was a fake competition last spring, but you're gonna need those sixth and seventh starters at some point (the next candidate from Memphis would've been, uh, Dennis Tankersley) and the Cardinals obviously weren't too stubborn to keep trotting Ponson out there. As far as Looper is concerned, what happened with Ponson last year is encouraging to me.

Phyrkrakr · Post by **Phyrkrakr** » March 8 07, 11:28 am

greenback44 wrote:...the Cardinals obviously weren't too stubborn to keep trotting Ponson out there. As far as Looper is concerned, what happened with Ponson last year is encouraging to me.

What, he got cut and traded to the Yankees halfway through the season?

GatewaySnayke · Post by **GatewaySnayke** » March 8 07, 11:55 am

RC21 wrote:
GatewaySnayke wrote:As I recall it, it was a bullpen game and he wasn't asked to give more than three innings, though they were able to stretch him out during his stint in Memphis. But this presents an interesting case: on one hand you want me to pat Looper on the back for having two good outings in ST, then on the other hand you want to dismiss Thompson based off of a start a year ago. Which is it?
He's referring to Thompson's year as a SP in the minor leagues

Which year?

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » March 8 07, 12:07 pm

GatewaySnayke wrote:
RC21 wrote:
GatewaySnayke wrote:As I recall it, it was a bullpen game and he wasn't asked to give more than three innings, though they were able to stretch him out during his stint in Memphis. But this presents an interesting case: on one hand you want me to pat Looper on the back for having two good outings in ST, then on the other hand you want to dismiss Thompson based off of a start a year ago. Which is it?
He's referring to Thompson's year as a SP in the minor leagues
Which year?

2004, when he made 12 AA starts, 3 at AAA, and then had to be shut down. The only year, before coming to MLB, where he was a starter.

JohtoVillage · Post by **JohtoVillage** » March 8 07, 4:15 pm

I don't get why people are down on Thompson about his stint in the minors. Yeah he had to be shut down, but he was dominant. Those 12 games that he started in Tennessee he had a 2.36 era.

And should his 57.2 innings pitched scoreless streak be thrown out the window? We are going to sit here and say that because Thompson had a bad spot start last year that the job is Loopers? And then not look at the fact that Thompson did start in the minors and was effective.

My opinion? This is supposed to be a competition. That's all we heard was competition competition competition. This is just like last year: there isn't a competition. It's Looper's job. For some reason we don't trust him at the end of games (with good reason) so we trust him starting games? There's a reason that Looper hasn't ever started a major league game. If this is supposed to be a competition then they should have made it one. If Looper trots out there an throws to a 5 era in the Spring, the job is his. And that's just bogus.

Popeye_Card · Post by **Popeye_Card** » March 8 07, 4:20 pm

JohtoVillage wrote: That's all we heard was competition competition competition. This is just like last year: there isn't a competition. It's Looper's job.

If Looper trots out there an throws to a 5 era in the Spring, the job is his. And that's just bogus.

Has Duncan, LaRussa, or Walt been quoted as saying such? Or is it media speculation that it's a "competition".

From what I remember LaRussa saying, Carpenter has a spot, Wells has a spot, and they'll figure out the other 3. I don't believe he's stated anything is a "competition" and the "best man wins". Duncan has obviously been harping on Looper. There's only one way we're going to find out if Looper CAN do it, and that's by having him start spring training games and stretch out a bit.

So let's wait to see how everyone performs and what decisions are made before we start assuming the job is Looper's to lose.

--P--

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » March 8 07, 4:24 pm

John, I don't think anyone's down on Thompson. I'm definitely not. I hope he wins the 5th starter job, personally, and I'm a huge fan of the kid because he pitches his brains out. And I think he's got a drastically underrated repertoire.

Also, nobody is saying that the bad spot start is why Looper should get the job. The reference was to his minor league stint as a starter, not the bad spot start.

I just realize that there might be limitations on him. We have yet to see if he can maintain a SP role for anything more than half a season, and even that was at AA. What will it be like going through the grind of a MLB lineup 2-3 times a game?

More importantly, I don't understand why everyone's assuming that this is NOT a competition, nor do I understand why anyone wouldn't trust Dave Duncan on this matter.

JohtoVillage · Post by **JohtoVillage** » March 8 07, 4:56 pm

I recall a while back Duncan said it wasn't a competition and that LaRussa disagreed with him. I don't have the link but I specifically remember a disagreement between the two of them on how this was going to play out. But if it was a competition, wouldn't someone else besides Looper get a start? Why can't he pitch out of the bullpen behind Thompson or Cate? They did it last year with Reyes/Ponson and the like. So why not this year?

TGantz · Post by **TGantz** » March 8 07, 6:36 pm

I don't care which one it is.

Both would be pretty mediocre either way.

It's a #5 starter. I don't consider it as big of a deal as most people do.

I've read that with all of the breaks in the beginning of the season, they could probably do fine with 4 pitchers for awhile anyway.

If Looper really tanks as a starter, put Franklin, Thompson, or Narveson as a starter. I doubt they will keep Looper in the rotation if he has a bad spring from now on, or gets shelled when he starts in the real games.