BY PUMPEDUPJAYS – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
What to do with Ricky Romero? That is a question on everyone’s mind once again and everyone seems to have an opinion! I wish we could put this issue under the rug, but alas it seems Ricky’s not done with his control problems this spring.
I stated last September that I thought that it was up to Ricky to sort out his troubles himself. The team wasn’t going anywhere, the Jays had few bodies to call up to replace Ricky, and quite frankly I feel Romero had to learn to cope with his struggles.
It’s been well documented that Romero scuttled for a few years in the minors which made everyone clamour “this top draft pick has left us with egg on our face”, and it’s true. He went through very poor years but then he turned the proverbial corner and propelled himself to the major leagues where he had THREE very good years at the front of the Blue Jays staff where he improved in each of these categories: ERA, WHIP, H/9, BB/9 and SO/BB ratio. So this is a guy who knows how to pitch.
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Let’s keep in mind it is spring training where pitchers are trying new things, focusing in on certain pitches, and just getting their arm speed back to where it needs to be. In no way should anyone be judging one’s performance too heavily in Grapefruit League games.
Now Sportsnet Blue Jays analyst Dirk Hayhurst raises the question in his latest piece for Sportsnet.ca as to whether Romero should head to the minors.
My side of the argument is that Jays management has to demonstrate some faith in Ricky which they’re doing this spring by stating that Romero will be in the starting five with Happ starting in Buffalo. If Gibbons and Anthopoulos sent Romero down due to spring performance, what kind of message will that be sending? Zero confidence. Zero.
Conversely, the tough love approach says send him down, let him deal with it – too bad for you, Ricky. Come back when you’re ready to help the club. I don’t think that will be constructive either. Confidence and positivity are huge in this game, and that’s what it appears Romero is learning.
Romero agrees that it’s just confidence he’s lacking and so far this spring, he’s maintained that he has a lot of it. Even with a 7.27 ERA this spring, Romero says he isn’t worried. After Friday’s outing vs. the Tigers, Romero said “if you look at it, it doesn’t mean anything until the season starts. I’ll be ready. I have my confidence.”
So that leaves me with some hope. And who’s to say that Romero won’t rebound in 2013 – he shouldn’t be facing the same pressure he did last year when he put the weight of leading the staff on his shoulders. He’s got guys like Dickey, Johnson and perhaps more importantly a fellow lefty like Mark Buehrle with him this year to help ease the burden.