Derrick Turnbow

by South Side Rob

This time is now. Actually, its been time for some time now. I would have thought before the season began but what do I know (Don’t answer that).

Ned’s defense of Derrick Turnbow is that he’s an All-Star relief pitcher or that he was at one time in his career. Jose Hernandez made an All-Star team too. Does that mean he can’t be released? Ned does understand the rules of making the All-Star team doesn’t he? Every team has to be represented no matter how bad that team may be playing. It’s another subject but that’s why I feel it shouldn’t be considered an All-Star game because it just isn’t.

What bothers me most about Turnbow’s performance late last season and now this season is that nothing has changed. Nothing at all. The pitches he uses, his mechanics, nothing. He has made the decision going into this season that his performance and his skill is enough and there was no reason to work on his game or skill set.

I don’t know about you but I would have thought about working out a few of my own problems last off-season so that I made sure I had some value to the team I’m under contract with in the next season. Turnbow didn’t do that. He showed up with all the same problems and now, they have just gotten so bad that he is returning no value at all to the team.

The only value belongs to Turnbow and that is his salary (est. 3.2 million). If the Brewers could cut Vargas with money being owed to him and I think it was more, why can’t the Brewers cut the line and move in another direction leaving Turnbow out?

I said in the off-season that it’s hard to find hard-throwing pitchers which might be the only reason Turnbow is still employed. Now, every time he steps on the mound, he embarrasses himself even more. I’m starting to feel bad for him but in the same breath, a change is needed.

We’ve read what Ned has been saying of late regarding Turnbow and I even heard Doug Melvin this morning on the radio. The tone of his voice suggests that they will have no choice but to do what’s best for the Milwaukee Brewers. Shouldn’t that always be the case?