Tigers interested in Guthrie

[j.q. higgins]

do you think a guy like nate moreau is ultimately more useful as a reliever or is he just filler? or is the fact that he's a big-ish lefty mean they'll explore every way possible to keep him a starter and convert him as a last resort?

[ofahn]

Steve Johnson should do rather well in that role, but I understand keeping him as a starter for the Tide

If he could do something to keep hitters off of his straight fastball he could be a MLB #4 or 5 starter. Some teams have taught pitchers like him a cut fastball or have worked hard to develop a change up about ten miles an hour slower than the straight fastball but with the same motion.

He's only 24 (in August) but it seems to me that the organization should have started working on this with him last winter. This failure to be proactive is one of the reasons that we seem to be UNABLE to develop the full potential of our prospects.

He would have been much better off with the Dodgers in the bigger park. His curveball his solid though and I think he'd be a fine reliever with what he has now. Not a great one, but an average guy in the middle of a bullpen.

Do you think his tendency to occasional wildness would be more controllable as a middle guy?

[Jordan Tuwiner]

do you think a guy like nate moreau is ultimately more useful as a reliever or is he just filler? or is the fact that he's a big-ish lefty mean they'll explore every way possible to keep him a starter and convert him as a last resort?

Definitely more useful as a reliever; only way he has MLB potential. If he remains a starter he's probably an AAAA type player when all is said and done. But I definitely see some slight, big league potential if he's moved to the bullpen.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Do you think his tendency to occasional wildness would be more controllable as a middle guy?

For sure, there is always more tolerance for control as a reliever.

I have not seen him since last year at Bowie, but he flashed a solid 91-94 mph straight fastball with an above-average curveball. Maybe he sits 92-95 mph in the bullpen and that curve is an out pitch. That's enough for a big league job; though maybe not in Baltimore.