The Most Interesting Man In Jupiter Is Named Jaime

Jaime.

When you look him up on Baseball-Reference and scroll down to the always fun ‘similar pitchers’ feature, and see his top result, you can’t help but chuckle.

It’s Mark Prior, because, of course it is.

Remember – Baseball-Reference isn’t Sports Pickle or The Onion – they’re not trying to be funny. This is just a pure statistical analysis between thousands and thousands of pitchers over 100+ years. And their data is telling them that the most similar pitcher to Jaime Garcia is Mark Prior.

If you find comedy in that, then so be it.

+++++

Jamie.

He’s pitched in 99 innings over the past two seasons, but somehow that seems ridiculously high. He’s one of the highest paid Cardinals, but has faded into an afterthought.

He’s in Jupiter right now, fully healthy and working to join the starting rotation, but ask the Cardinal fan to your right if they think he’ll be an important part of the ’15 season and watch their pupils hit the back of their skull.

+++++

Jaime.

Right now he doesn’t seem to fit into the Cardinals rotation.

1. Wainwright
2. Lackey
3. Lynn
4. Wacha
5. Martinez
6. Gonzales

Plus the drumbeat for Cole Hamels seems to continue, even though the Cardinals say they’re fine where they’re at and the Phillies don’t seem to be willing to wheel and deal quite yet.

Where does Garcia fit in? The bullpen? Almost 10M for a long reliever?

+++++

Jaime.

The most interesting player in Cardinals camp. Yes, we’re all excited to see Heyward and what he’s about. But in terms of ‘anything’s on the board’ potential, it’s Garcia by a mile.

Some possibilities:

1. He gets hurt again and doesn’t play.
2. He gets hurt again, but comes back and plays after rehab.
3. He becomes the 3rd starter.
4. He becomes the 4th starter.
5. He becomes the 5th starter.
6. He becomes the 6th starter and gets spot starts.
7. He becomes a great long-reliever.
8. He becomes a crap long-reliever while also becoming discontented.
9. He’s traded.

I could come up with more. You get the point, though.

Garcia is in the the last (guaranteed) year of his contract and is motivated to prove he’s a viable MLB hurler.  A 28 year-old lefty who won 26 games his first 2 full seasons as a big league starter – that’s not nothing.

He’s also been infirmed the past two seasons putting pressure on the Cardinals MiLB system to come through sooner than anticipated.

+++++

Jaime.

Real wild cards don’t come around often in baseball. And we got one this year, friends. It’s all in front of us. It’s going to be the most fun part of the next 4 weeks.

Enjoy it.

Photo: Fox News