Handling the Young Starters

Thursday, September 06 2007 @ 12:20 PM EDT

Contributed by: Thomas

When you add his 22 minor league innings to his 137.3 major league innings, one realizes that Dustin McGowan has pitched 159.3 innings this season. His career high is 153 in 2003. Since then he’s thrown 31 (2004), 101.3 (2005) and 111.3 (2006). The Jays management team currently is weighing the risk of overworking his arm and a potential injury against preparing McGowan for a full season in the rotation next year and, hopefully, a September pennant race.

Bauxites, how do you handle this talented young arm? Do you keep him in the rotation the rest of the season? Shut him down immediately? Is there an innings pitched threshold he’d need to reach after which point you’d remove him from the rotation?

Also, Shaun Marcum’s situation isn’t as alarming, as he’s thrown 146.7 innings, compared to 131.3 in 2006 and 157 in 2005. However, while we’re talking about McGowan, how do you handle Marcum? Is there any cause for caution there?

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