Royals believe in Tomko

The KC Star's piece on Brett Tomko today really didn't make me feel any better about the signing. I'm going to quote a few paragraphs and then give my opinions. Quotes are in bold and my opinions are in italics.

Each phone call from general manager Dayton Moore, manager Trey Hillman and pitching coach Bob McClure — and there were many — reinforced that view. If it was a mere sales job, it was a good one.

This bothered me the first time I read it right after they signed him. It wasn't exactly Gil Meche they were going after, Tomko had a 5.55 era last season. Why all the calls?

“He’s always been an innings-eater,” Moore said. “(Former Dodgers manager) Grady Little told me, ‘He should win 15-16 games for you guys.’
The recommendation from Little jumps out because Tomko was abysmal last season for the Dodgers.

Ok he can eat some innings but so could Jose Lima and Mark Redman but that doesn't mean I want them or their high era's back.

“Our scouts saw Tomko when he was in San Diego,” Moore said, “and they were very encouraged by what they saw. He threw 27 1/3 innings and struck out 26 and walked six.”

So they are paying him 3 million because he had 26 strikeouts in 27.1 innings? That has to be it because he also had a 4.61 era and an 88 era+ in those 27.1 innings. Now if he can pitch 175+ innings with an era in the mid-4's I'll take and be happy with it. He's did it before but I just don't know if he can do it again. I guess if I could ignore the 104 innings he pitched before his 27.1 stint with the Padres I'd be more confident. I guess that's what DM has decided to do.

All those discussions revealed something else; Tomko believed he knew the reason for his inconsistency — an admitted inability to slow his own pace when necessary.

So he knew what the problem but just couldn't force himself to slow down? He has to be told to focus on the next pitch? You know if he was 24 I could understand but the guy is an 11 year veteran who should have enough discipline to stop doing that.

I'm just not sold on him, it's nice to have someone eat some innings but you want them to be quality innings. There was one little line in the story that made me feel a little better but I just hope they follow through with it.

The Royals made it clear they were offering a spot in their rotation — if Tomko could hold it. If not, only then would they shift him to the bullpen.