Ricky Romero is a touchy subject.
I’ve already written on him so much this season that I almost feel like I’m trolling by bringing him up again. But hey, it’s a topic the people like to hear about and far be it from me not to give the people what they want.
As I’m inclined to do in all matters Ricky Romero, I offer my ‘Romero disclaimer’: my resistance to Romero returning to the big leagues is in no way a representation of my respect for him as a person. He’s a great dude and I’d love to see him back on the Toronto Blue Jays…when he’s earned it.
Yes, I said earned it. And no, I didn’t just say it to be a lightning rod when, after making the all-star team in 2011 and racking up more wins in the bigs than I have appearances, he’s obviously shown he can handle The Show.
But baseball is a job where what you have done lately is king. And lately, Romero has been a below-average triple-A starter.
Seriously, look at his season in Buffalo.
Forget about his history with the Blue Jays and look only at the numbers he’s put up. Can you tell me with a straight, confident face that he’s earned a call up to the big leagues?
Hint: he hasn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Romero believes he’s a big league pitcher, a belief he has maintained in numerous interviews throughout this season. And he is…err…was. What I mean to say is he can always point to his spot on Baseball Reference and say, “See here, those are the years I pitched in the majors.”
But if you ask any player in baseball, any player with a shred of self confidence, they’ll tell you whether they’ve been to the big leagues or not, they believe they’re big league players.
It’s not a game based on what a player believes, it’s a game based on what a player does. Romero has not done enough to warrant a return to the majors.
So why is there this favouritism for Romero to return to MLB? Why is it a tough subject for the Jays’ management, coaching or fan base to wrestle with when the facts are what they are?
Okay, okay, I admit it’s unfair to ask you to forget Romero’s history (or his paycheque). But if we’re going to be honest, it’s the only reason he’s even in the September call-up conversation at all.
It’s also his last card to play concerning unique, irreplaceable value to the Jays organization. If he plays it now and loses the hand, getting into another call-up conversation will be exponentially harder.
Think about it, if the Jays call up Romero this September when rosters expand, what happens if he gets his ass kicked again like at the beginning of the year?
He’ll get buried, that’s what.
The last taste the Jays had of Romero was one of pity-laced failure. Other players that have seasons like Romero did this year never come back up baring they absolutely light the world on fire in triple-A, are in an organization decimated by injury or are prospects that have been rushed up before they’re done baking in the minor league oven.
Right now, Romero has a valuable commodity that, though depreciating rapidly, is still worth leveraging: an excuse.
There are still those who say, “Look at all he’s done for us, all he’s been through and what we’re paying him. Let’s give him another chance.” But if you give him that chance on the big stage when he’s not ready and he pitches badly — and his numbers and outings this season in triple-A plus the big leagues seem to point to this happening — you’ve done more harm than good. You’ve burnt his excuse and he’ll be relegated to ‘lost cause’ stature.
Players get branded. Being called up when you’re not ready – even being called up when you are ready but don’t have the talent to survive – earns you a reputation for not being able to hack it in the big leagues.
Since everything is about your ability to contribute at the major league level, proving you can’t is a great way to expedite your departure from the game permanently.
It’s undeniable that Romero has pitched like a roster-filler this year. Hell, I had better numbers than him my last year in triple-A and I didn’t have half the success he did in his career.
So why call him up and risk using the only lifeline he has left when all signs point to it being a bad idea? If you really want to help Romero out, don’t start his exit clock by putting him in a situation he’s not ready for. Forget the nostalgia and the feel-good narrative, look at the facts.
Miracles do happen, and players that don’t belong in The Show sometimes make it there, find new strength and the rest is history. But those examples are few and far between.
Romero doesn’t have to test those odds. He can stay in the minors, keep working on reinventing or discovering himself – or whatever the hell it is he’s doing – and when he’s shown he’s really ready, let him take a serious shot at a return.