Take your pick

As frustrating as it is to lose games because of late-inning defensive lapses or rally-killing double plays, they are at least understandable as part of the game on the field. Players will screw up, sometimes at awful moments, but it's bearable because we know deep down it's simply unreasonable to expect every play to be executed flawlessly. What would be the fun in that?

However, I hardly think it's unreasonable to expect the team's management to make optimal use of the organization's talent, and put the best players on the field whenever possible.

In that spirit, I'd like to call attention to the performances of Kaz Ishii, Tom Glavine, Jae Seo and Aaron Heilman.

As you can see, they are listed in order of VORP (courtesy of BP), which is a cumulative/ playing-time-dependent measure of runs prevented. Strangely, the two pitchers who
have been most valuable have done so in markedly fewer innings than their somehow entrenched teammates.

The case of Ishii is especially dire. When the ERA exceeds the K-rate, and the BB-rate by only slightly more, that's a good indication that you're looking at a disastrous pitching line.

Omar, Willie, let's figure this little puzzle out in the 2nd half. It's not that difficult.

Player             IP    ERA    K/9    BB/9    VORP
Aaron Heilman    68.0   4.63   8.07    2.51     8.4
Jae Seo          18.0*  2.00   7.00    1.50     7.5
Tom Glavine     102.0   4.94   4.06    3.62     6.4
Kaz Ishii        74.3   5.57   5.69    4.36    -2.4

* At Norfolk: 104.3 IP, 3.19 ERA, 100 K, 26 BB.