You Make The Call: Jon Rauch

[Ceetar]

We gotta start cranking these out. Jon Rauch is next if we're going alphabetically right?

Rauch had a 4.85 ERA with Toronto last year, across 52 IP. 11 saves (of 16 tries)

2010 he had a nice year with the Twins, 3.12 ERA across 57.2 innings. 21 saves. He also struck out 7.2 per 9, compared to 6.2 last year. (career average is 7.2)

His career ERA is 3.82.

He seems to be being pegged as a 'closer type' despite not really having established himself there roughly ever.

Seems to me like he's a prime candidate to be Aaron Heilman'd. He's probably ahead of Ramirez in the depth chart, but shouldn't be.

I'm going with 3.9 ERA, 55 IP, 8 saves. Mediocre, has some good stretches and bad stretches, but doesn't become or hold the closers job. I'd love to see him pitch innings after Daniel Herrera, just because it'd be funny in contrast.

[MFS62]

4.12 ERA, 51 G, 2-4, 16 holds, 8 saves.

When he's not pitching, 5.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 0.6 APG in the Ruckers.

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I wonder about Rauch. One time I watched a Cubs-Nats game just a few rows back alongside the visiting "bullpen" and was absolutely stunned at the size of him. I mean, he's fucking big. Often, you see guys grow up as large as he is all embarrassed of their size, and I wondered then as now if his douchy tattos (well, everyone's douchy tatts, sorry) aren't so much a matter of showing off but of hiding. He had many fewer then by the way.

On the other hand he's Mr. Outgoing Chatterbox on Twitter, so I dunno.

At any rate, I would imagine being so cartoonishly huge, he'll encounter stretches of mechanical kablooeyness. I worry about his HR rate and falling K-rate, not to mention that fact he's been hammered twice already this spring. But I'll go with the baseball card on him and predict career averages of 6-4, 3.82, 8 saves in 66 games/74 IP. Maybe remaining teammates with Fransisco helps them in some way.

Fun Fact #1: Jon Rauch's given name is just Jon Erich Rauch (no Jonathan Eric or John Erik). His folks spelled both his names funny, but they're from Kentucky.

Fun Fact #2: Rauch has one career home run -- off Roger F. Clemens.

[Edgy MD]

Joins Shawn Estes in the "Pitchers Who Jacked Clemens" club.

[Benjamin Grimm]

ERA over 5. Forgotten by mid July.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Actually I'd like to revise my earlier prediction and say that he was acquired mainly to load the chamber for July 31 discharge.

So, 32 games, 37 IP, 3-2, 4 saves, 3.82 ERA, traded.

[Fman99]

Continues to serve on the Millenium Falcon as copilot.

[TransMonk]

I think JCL's most recent prediction for Rauch looks about right.

[smg58]

One key to the success of this coming season will be how quickly the Mets figure out that they have pitchers at AAA who are better than Rauch is at this point in his career.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

TransMonk wrote: I think JCL's most recent prediction for Rauch looks about right.

What he said.

37 games, 38 2/3 IP, 2-3, 4 saves, 3.38 ERA, K/9 back up near 8, traded.