To make room for Wandy Rodriguez's return from the disabled list yesterday, reliever Jeff Fulchino was sent down to Oklahoma City, with Aneury Rodriguez shifting back into the bullpen to take his place. Fulchino has not been very good at all this year, compiling a 4.88 ERA with 16 walks in 27 2/3rds innings pitched. He was also decidedly not good last year, when he had a 5.51 ERA and similar problems with walks and hard contact.
↵The fact that Astros fans are up in arms that Brandon Lyon managed to stay on the team rather than a mediocrity like Fulchino tells you all you need to know about the season he's been having. Lyon rehabbed a partially torn rotator cuff after a terrible start to the season, and has come back only to allow eight earned runs in two completed innings, walking two, with six hits and three homers allowed.
↵Yet the worst we hear from the manager is that:
↵↵↵"The big thing that struck me last night was locating those pitches, and I think he would probably say the same thing," Mills said. "When the catcher is setting up away and the pitch winds up over [the plate], something's different. That's not him."
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You're right, it's not. So stop using him. I admire Lyon for trying his best to pitch through his injuries instead of just shutting it down, but this isn't working out for anyone involved. Get him back on the DL and get him healthy, because this is just pathetic to watch right now.
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