Ricky Romero’s fall from grace was complete Tuesday when hours after his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates the Blue Jays decided to option the left-hander to class-A Dunedin to work on his delivery.
The No. 1 pitcher in the Jays rotation the previous two seasons, Romero was dropped down to No. 5 entering spring training because of his miserable 2012 season — 9-14 in 32 starts with a 5.77 ERA and a season where he forged a 13-game losing streak — and the off-season acquisitions by general manager Alex Anthopoulos who acquired R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle in trades.
J.A. Happ, who has been impressive this spring — a 1.89 ERA in six appearances including five starts — will take over in Romero’s spot.
Anthopoulos said the decision was made following a four-way conversation with manager John Gibbons, pitching coach Pete Walker and assistant GM Tony LaCava.
In the past few weeks the Jays have tinkered with Romero’s mechanics, specifically his landing spot on the mound in an effort to have him in a straighter line to the plate and throw less across his body.
“After today’s game we sat down and talked for quite a while,” Anthopoulos said. “Ricky was better today and he’s making strides but he’s not there yet. Ultimately, the more we thought about it, could we have started with him — sure. If he’s not ready and as sharp as he needs to be, he needs more time.”
Romero will get all the time he needs with Dunedin as Anthopoulos said there is no timetable for his return.
Anthopoulos and company thought that Romero’s performance Tuesday was better than his previous start in a minor-league game against the Pirates class-A team. But it didn’t nearly offer enough progress.
“He’s making strides but like we told him we just ran out of time to get him where he needs to be,” Anthopoulos said. “That’s ultimately what it came down to.”
Not counting his disaster against the class-A Pirates five days ago, Romero has forged a 6.23 ERA in five spring starts. He has not looked sharp in any of them.
Anthopoulos said that Romero, 28, agreed with the decision that he needs more time to get back to the pitcher he was in 2011 when he went 15-11 with a 2.92 ERA.
“From his standpoint he understood. He’s a pro,” Anthopoulos said. “It’s always a tough conversation but he knows he’s not as sharp as he needs to be and it’s going to take a little more time.”
Anthopoulos said the tough thing they are asking of Romero is to change his delivery, his landing spot so close to the regular season. He can’t go out and work on things in the regular season when every game counts so he’ll have all the time and far less pressure to right the ship in Dunedin.
“It’s not the Ricky that we know that he can be,” Anthopoulos said. “When you’re at the big-league level it’s hard to continue to work on things so we’re going to take a little more time to get him back to where he can be.”
Anthopoulos added that the decision had nothing to do with Happ’s performance this spring.
“No and that’s not taking anything away from J.A.,” he said. “This was about Ricky. He’s been a horse for us and it’s about getting him right and getting him straight and obviously the sooner the better for us.”
Anthopoulos said they hadn’t been thinking about the move for a long time, that it came together after his start Tuesday and looking back at the others. It came out of the four-way discussion.
Anthopoulos said that with Dunedin they won’t be looking for results as much as how he adapts and performs.
“Ultimately with him it will come down to how does it look, how’s the command and how’s his balance going towards home plate,” Anthopoulos said.
The Jays have overhauled pitchers in the past, the most famous and most successful being Roy Halladay.
But Anthopoulos said what they are asking of Romero is not as drastic as the complete makeover they did with Halladay.
“I don’t think so at all, that was a total overhaul — arm slot, delivery — this is more lower half and is something we’ve done with him in the past,” Anthopoulos said.
After all the acquisitions, the Jays said they were going for it in 2013, that they would put the best 25 players they had on the field.
Romero wasn’t among that group and the Jays kept their promise.
It’s as simple as that.
The No. 1 pitcher in the Jays rotation the previous two seasons, Romero was dropped down to No. 5 entering spring training because of his miserable 2012 season — 9-14 in 32 starts with a 5.77 ERA and a season where he forged a 13-game losing streak — and the off-season acquisitions by general manager Alex Anthopoulos who acquired R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle in trades.
J.A. Happ, who has been impressive this spring — a 1.89 ERA in six appearances including five starts — will take over in Romero’s spot.
Anthopoulos said the decision was made following a four-way conversation with manager John Gibbons, pitching coach Pete Walker and assistant GM Tony LaCava.
In the past few weeks the Jays have tinkered with Romero’s mechanics, specifically his landing spot on the mound in an effort to have him in a straighter line to the plate and throw less across his body.
“After today’s game we sat down and talked for quite a while,” Anthopoulos said. “Ricky was better today and he’s making strides but he’s not there yet. Ultimately, the more we thought about it, could we have started with him — sure. If he’s not ready and as sharp as he needs to be, he needs more time.”
Romero will get all the time he needs with Dunedin as Anthopoulos said there is no timetable for his return.
Anthopoulos and company thought that Romero’s performance Tuesday was better than his previous start in a minor-league game against the Pirates class-A team. But it didn’t nearly offer enough progress.
“He’s making strides but like we told him we just ran out of time to get him where he needs to be,” Anthopoulos said. “That’s ultimately what it came down to.”
Not counting his disaster against the class-A Pirates five days ago, Romero has forged a 6.23 ERA in five spring starts. He has not looked sharp in any of them.
Anthopoulos said that Romero, 28, agreed with the decision that he needs more time to get back to the pitcher he was in 2011 when he went 15-11 with a 2.92 ERA.
“From his standpoint he understood. He’s a pro,” Anthopoulos said. “It’s always a tough conversation but he knows he’s not as sharp as he needs to be and it’s going to take a little more time.”
Anthopoulos said the tough thing they are asking of Romero is to change his delivery, his landing spot so close to the regular season. He can’t go out and work on things in the regular season when every game counts so he’ll have all the time and far less pressure to right the ship in Dunedin.
“It’s not the Ricky that we know that he can be,” Anthopoulos said. “When you’re at the big-league level it’s hard to continue to work on things so we’re going to take a little more time to get him back to where he can be.”
Anthopoulos added that the decision had nothing to do with Happ’s performance this spring.
“No and that’s not taking anything away from J.A.,” he said. “This was about Ricky. He’s been a horse for us and it’s about getting him right and getting him straight and obviously the sooner the better for us.”
Anthopoulos said they hadn’t been thinking about the move for a long time, that it came together after his start Tuesday and looking back at the others. It came out of the four-way discussion.
Anthopoulos said that with Dunedin they won’t be looking for results as much as how he adapts and performs.
“Ultimately with him it will come down to how does it look, how’s the command and how’s his balance going towards home plate,” Anthopoulos said.
The Jays have overhauled pitchers in the past, the most famous and most successful being Roy Halladay.
But Anthopoulos said what they are asking of Romero is not as drastic as the complete makeover they did with Halladay.
“I don’t think so at all, that was a total overhaul — arm slot, delivery — this is more lower half and is something we’ve done with him in the past,” Anthopoulos said.
After all the acquisitions, the Jays said they were going for it in 2013, that they would put the best 25 players they had on the field.
Romero wasn’t among that group and the Jays kept their promise.
It’s as simple as that.
