Pedro Strop is one of those pitchers you either love or you hate. I love him.
Maybe it’s because I got to know him last season when I was on the tarp crew. We actually became pretty good buds. On Opening Day, he thought my long hair made me look like Tim Lincecum, and from that day forward, Pedro would call me “Teem Leenceecoom” with his heavy accent every time he saw me. I’m not sure he even knows my real name. I’m getting off topic, but my point is, I got to know him as a person and I really like him because of that.
On the mound, he’s the type of pitcher who keeps you on the edge of your seat. He has a tendency to put a lot of guys on base. Last season, however, he still managed to post a very respectable 2.44 ERA in his first full MLB season.
Pedro has gotten off to a rough 2013 thus far. He’s allowed six earned runs in six appearances (three runs apiece in two of his outings) giving him a 10.80 ERA on the young season. Many fans are hastily calling for his demotion or release. Here’s why I’m not worried:
Strop surrendered a total of 18 earned runs in 2012 through 66.1 innings. One third (six, for all you mathematically challenged fans out there) of these runs came within a stretch of six appearances in late August and early September during which he pitched a total of three innings. Take this rough patch out and Pedro would have given up 12 runs through 63.1 innings. This translates into a 1.71 ERA for the remainder of the season.
All pitchers go through slumps. It will happen to Darren O’Day at some point too. Hard to believe, I know. But it happens.
Pedro will be just fine. He’ll regroup and return to the form he was in for most of last season. He does not need to be sent down to AAA and he most certainly should not be released.
Just make sure he doesn’t start wearing his cap backwards.
image c/o John Mann
