Morrow's better off starting, but not like this

Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's been a long, long time since Brandon Morrow had himself a decision. It's been even longer since that decision has been a victory

Morrow's season has been very much a strange one and while the Mariners are doing the right thing in making him a starter, they're doing it in all the wrong ways. They should have committed to Morrow as a starter at the end of last year and had him conditioning for the position during the offseason. Instead, even though he has constantly said he wants to be a starter, the Marriners made him their closer again this year. Then Morrow played the good teammate and said he was happy relieving. It was only after he struggled, went on the disabled list, came back, struggled again and ultimately lost his job to David Aardsma did the M's consider him for a starting spot when he went begging to them to allow him to start.

What should have happened is a prolonged trip to AAA Tacoma to build up arm strength. Instead, he spent a whole four days in AAA, then was brought up to the majors. He's been a mess since.

Going into today's game against the Red Sox, Morrow had had four starts, going 16.2 innings (an average of just over four per start), allowing nine runs. He's walked 11, while striking out 18. Not an incredible ratio.

Today's start was his most encouraging as he went six innings, allowing three runs in six innings. Most importantly, he walked only one. Still, is this the way you want to break a promising young pitcher into starting in the big leagues? Have him struggle through five or six innings per start for a team that can't promise to win a game for him? Seems more like a way to destroy a pitcher's confidence than anything to me.

Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of moving Morrow to the rotation. I am one who believes Jonathan Papelbon would be a sure-fire ace if the Red Sox had inserted him in the rotation as they had originally planned going into the 2007 season. There was a time when Papelbon was considered a superior starting pitching option than any the Red Sox had in their farm system, including Jon Lester. Sure, he's topped the Red Sox' saves list, but I am a firm believer that saves are a vastly overrated stat (Holds and range factor top the list of overrated stats).

Having one of your best pitchers pitching one inning in a game you hold a three-run lead in is just a waste if you ask me. There are a lot of guys who can protect a three-run lead for an inning.

It's too late for Papelbon. He's too firmly entrenched as the closer for the Red Sox. For Morrow, it's not too late, but the Mariners just aren't going about it the right way.