New Rotation Order Tells First Half Story

Jun 13, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Esmil Rogers (32) throws a pitch in the sixth inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Blue Jays won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY SportsAt the start of the season the Toronto Blue Jays rotation order went Dickey, Morrow, Buehrle, Johnson and Happ.

Oh how times have changed!

For a bunch of different reasons rotation orders change all the time during the course of a season.

But when a team starts playing again after the all-star break they get all the say in how they want to line up the rotation.

But you wouldn’t know that from looking at the Jays new rotation order.

The Jays rotation after the all-star break is going Rogers, Buehrle, Dickey, Johnson and whoever the 5th starter is.

Hopefully it’s not Todd Redmond and the Jays will have traded for Cliff Lee by then. Hey being delusional never hurt anyone!

After the Jays loaded up with starting pitching in the offseason if you told the Jays fan base that Esmil Rogers would be starting the first game after the all-star break I think they all would have assumed all the Jays big league starters and minor league starters were injured.

The Rogers trade wasn’t looking that good at the start of the season when Yan Gomes and Mike Aviles started off nicely and Rogers was just a reliever but now it looks like a steal as he’s become the Jays staff ace.

Sadly the failed starter turned reliever turned starter again has been the most consistent Jays pitcher in his 8 starts which explains why the Jays are where they are. He’s the only one with an ERA under 4!

Rogers is now going to be counted on to face David Price tonight and probably all the other teams aces for at least a few weeks which will explain why the Jays are probably going to stay where they are.

Buehrle will start the 2nd game after the all-star break because he was the 2nd most consistent pitcher for the Jays in the first half. Buehrle was bad in April and looked like the most expensive 6th starter in the history of baseball. But since then he’s pitched well enough to keep the Jays in almost every game he’s pitched except for the odd start where he’ll get hit around like his last time out where he gave up 8 runs to the Orioles.

“Keeping you in the game” isn’t exactly what you usually ask from your 2nd starter but this is a 5th place team for a reason.

Dickey will start the 3rd game after the all-star break and asking him to keep the Jays in a game has been asking a lot this season. He’s given up at least 6 runs in a handful of starts and has an overall ERA of 4.69. Chances are the only reason he’s even the 3rd starter is because he’s had success in his career against the Rays. And if Morrow, Happ and Ricky were all available there’s a chance Dickey wouldn’t even be in the rotation!

You might be able to say the same thing about Josh Johnson. Johnson like Buehrle and Dickey has been great when he’s been on but has just been terrible when he’s not on.

You never know what you’re going to get from Johnson or Dickey so why not let Dickey face the team he’s had success against in his career.

If it’s a playoff series (HA!) against someone other than the Rays I’d personally feel more comfortable with Johnson ahead of Dickey on the depth chart because Johnson for the most part at least doesn’t give up 6 or more runs when he’s bad.

Yup, so going into the 2nd half Esmil Rogers is the staff ace, Buehrle the innings eater is the 2nd starter, 2 of the Jays “aces” Dickey and Johnson are pitching the 3rd and 4th game after the all-star break and the 5th starter is a question mark.

No matter what the Jays are going to have an interesting 2nd half but the rotation order to start it certainly tells you the story of the first half.