Javier Vazquez is an Asshole

A bit harsh, but very true. The first half of the year, Javy sucked. His first 14 starts were a parade of people circling him around the bases. He posted a lofty 6.85 ERA. So of course after the team's abysmal month of June, where they went from ten games over .500 to ten below, he turns it around! Since that point he is Cy-worthy with a 9-4 record and a 1.84 ERA! Well, at least he can carry this turnaround into next year?

Nope. All reports indicate he will most likely retire at the end of this season. Doh!

All that is bad enough but last night was the final straw. With seven more shutout innings, Javy extended his scoreless innings streak to 25, besting the previous mark for a Marlins starting pitcher (24 2/3), held by none other than Pat Rapp.

Rapp is hero here at Marlins Diehards. He is one of the most Marlins players of all time. Just look at the picture. All teal hat. Generic face. A stereotypical no-name journeyman who patched together a few decent years for the Fish. We love him. And taking away probably his last claim to fame is not cool.

Javy, this aggression will not stand. Unless of course you do decide to come back and win 15+ games in 2012. Then we may forgive you.

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You may not get many more rides on the Leocoaster

Another NBCMiami piece today, this time on potential trade deals:

With a playoff appearance looking more and more remote, the Florida Marlins are reportedly considering trading a few of their pitchers before the July 31 trade deadline.

According to CBSSports.com, the Fish are amenable to dealing starter Javier Vazquez and relievers Leo Nunez and Randy Choate.

Nunez will get $5+ million in arbitration this winter, and that's a lot to pay for a middling closer. Ted and I are of the same opinion on closers: There are usually 2 or 3 in all of baseball worth their weight in gold (think Mariano Rivera or John Smoltz in his brief closer stint), and the rest are interchangeable (SCWS thinks so, too). The Marlins (wisely) won't pay for Leo next year, so they may as well try to get something for him now.

Vazquez is an interesting case due to his no-trade clause. But he's on a one-year deal, so it makes little sense to keep him if the Marlins can't make a run at the playoffs. Finding a taker for Vazquez could be difficult, but the Tigers once traded John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander, so anything is possible.

I think the Marlins should hold on to Choate, though. He is only due $1.5 million in 2012, and he has been quite effective against lefties this year (facing 57 left-handed hitters in 2011, he has allowed only 5 hits and 1 walk, striking out 23). Unless someone blows them away with an offer, it would be wise to keep him.

Only slightly-related, but interesting nonetheless: Choate and Vazquez were traded for each other in 2003 when the Yankees sent Choate, Nick Johnson and Juan Rivera to Montreal for Javy.

One other thing:

Starters Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez are off the table, though, as the Marlins want to "build around" the trio as they move into their new stadium next season.

I would not have been surprised if Sanchez were dealt this year, but apparently the team wants to pay for his services over the next few years. Considering his injury history though, the Marlins might be declining to sell Sanchez when his value is highest. Here's hoping that doesn't turn out to be a mistake.

Speaking of selling high, remember when everyone was mad about the Marlins trading Dan Uggla? As of July 17, he's slashing .189/.264/.366, good for an OPS+ of 72. And the Braves have him for four more years. At least he makes up for it with his -1.2 defensive WAR, amirite?

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Your Delta Tau Xi name is Pollyanna

via @LoMoDimples

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Javier Vazquez Diagnosed

From the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson:

Marlins pitcher Javier Vazquez's fastball is at the lowest average velocity in his career (88.2 mph, down from 91.1 two years ago, according to fangraphs.com). But one scout said the bigger issue is "his breaking ball is flat. There's no life." When batters swing at his pitches out of the strike zone, they are making contact 85.9 percent of the time this season, compared with 51.2 two years ago. Overall, Vasquez is getting swings and misses just 9.5 percent of all pitches swung at, compared with 26.7 two years ago.

I've given up on Vazquez miraculously turning things around (as I'm sure the rest of you already have). Unfortunately, there's no clear replacement waiting in the wings in the farm system. Sean West and Alex Sanabia are injured, and Elih Villanueva, another possible replacement, is struggling in Triple-A (with a 3.33 BB/9 and 5.33 FIP). We may be stuck with Vazquez for awhile.

 

On a lighter note, remember when newspaper writers thought it was preposterous to look at advanced statistics? Glad that's over.

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The Florida Marlins and Path Dependence

The Florida Marlins' offseason acquisition of Javier Vazquez was months in the making:

The Marlins have admired him for years. Vazquez was with the Montreal Expos during the two years Jeffrey Loria, now the Marlins owner, owned the club.

They have recognized his talent from the opposing dugout when Vazquez was with the Expos and Braves.

Knowing that Vazquez was struggling with the Yankees last season and would become a free agent, the Marlins sent scouts to New York late in the season to check him out.

"We kept an eye on him," Beinfest said. "We felt he was a guy who could come back here and do really well for us."

Okay, so it's not quite path dependence, but the Marlins seem to have made up their mind about Vazquez long before signing him. Hopefully the scouting confirmed their already-high opinion of Vazquez last year, and wasn't just a perfunctory green light from the scouting department.

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It's Official

The Marlins finalized their deal with Javier Vazquez: one year, $7 million, and a no-trade clause. It is almost the ideal Marlins contract.* The Marlins have called a press conference for 10:30 this morning to announce the signing. Much has been written about a possible Vazquez deal, and my sentiments echo Marlin Maniac, he's a medium-ranged bargain with high upside. I think he'll slot in nicely at the 2 or 3 slot in the rotation, behind Josh Johnson and ahead of Ricky Nolasco and/or Anibal Sanchez. Throw in Chris Volstad or Sean West for the number 5 (and LHP) slot, and this is your 2011 starting rotation.

*The ideal Marlins contract would be less money and minus the NTC.

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Marlins Finally Land Vazquez

In a move that has been weeks in the making, Javier Vazquez has signed a one-year deal with the Florida Marlins. Financial terms have not yet been disclosed. Vazquez is a valuable innings-eater who has posted 200+ IP in 9 of the past 11 seasons. He will join Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, and Anibal Sanchez on the starting rotation (5th starter TBD).

If the Marlins get the 2009 Vazquez (5.2 WAR), then this deal will be a rousing success. If they get the 2010 Vazquez (0.0 WAR), then the deal will be a bet that didn't pay off. Either way, I like this move. One would hope that moving from the AL East to the NL East would benefit a starting pitcher, and in general a move to the NL works well for pitchers. Vazquez is no ace, but can definitely be the middle-of-the-rotation starter the Marlins have so desperately needed the past few years to complement Johnson and Nolasco.

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