Back in 2006, a game thread was posted at Fire Brand (link doesn’t work, sorry) in which Julian Tavarez gave up a game-winning grand slam to Jason Kubel. Former Fire Brander Andrew Lipsett wanted Delcarmen in the game; I defended Taveras. Lipsett’s point:
MDC hasn’t proven he can because he hasn’t gotten the chance to. Tavarez hasn’t proven he can handle it because he’s been given many chances, and has shown himself to be grossly incompetent. In that scenario, you try the guy who hasn’t proven he can, rather than the one who’s rather spectacularly proven that he CAN’T.
Put it this way: You’re trying to get to the other side of a large brick wall. The method you’ve been trying involves running at it really fast and seeing if it breaks. Every time, you just wind up with a headache. Then someone hands you a trampoline; you don’t know that it’ll get the job done, but you also don’t know that it won’t. Would you rather keep running at the wall, or give jumping a try?
An entire post was born, and MDC became known as the ‘Trampoline’ around these parts.
The point of that post, and the point of me bringing it up now, is to mention that nothing seems to have changed. The 2006 Delcarmen is the 2009 Delcarmen. Every year, Delcarmen seems to improve, but then a bad streak derails his season and his confidence in big spots is questioned.
Take for example, some splits on Delcarmen:
- The last 14 days have an ERA of 31.50 attached, MDC having worked two innings and giving up seven runs
- Delcarmen is a liability on the road. His road numbers posit a 2.055 WHIP and 5.55 ERA. Home? 1.29, 3.41.
- Since the All-Star Game, the Trampoline has posted a 7.25 ERA in 22.1 innings; 16 walks and 18 strikeouts.
Delcarmen is mired in what could be termed the worst streak of his professional career. Nothing he is doing is working. The mechanical issue has been identified, but it’s going to take time to correct it.
Manny, time is running out.
It’s gotten to the point where there is a legitimate question as to whether Manny belongs on a postseason roster. Should Delcarmen make the roster ahead of players such as Takashi Saito, Tim Wakefield, Paul Byrd, Michael Bowden? You could make a better or just-as-good case for these players over MDC.
Delcarmen is 27 years old and many view him as a potential closer in the NL. Maybe that’s where he needs to go, because in the American League he’s developed a reputation for being unclutch, a basket case and constantly digging his way out of trouble.
Right now, MDC is on pace to post his highest WHIP in the league sans the 2003 season, comprised of nine innings. Barring a hot streak, his WHIP will end the season with that dubious award.
It’s a shame, because last year saw MDC take the proverbial step forward: 3.27 ERA in 74.1 innings with a 1.12 WHIP. His fastball was the highest velocity ever at 95.5. That’s sank to 94.0 MPH on the year, and he’s using his changeup significantly more. With a downtick in velocity off the fastball, your change will be less imposing. When you use it more (Trampoline favored the curve in 2008)… batters will sit on it.
Delcarmen looked to be an amazing relief pitcher prior to the All-Star game. He’s been a completely different player since, and it’s gotten to the point where there is a serious question towards if he should be pitching in October.