Felipe Paulino joins the rotation; Russ Ortiz goes to bullpen

Cecil Cooper has moved Russ Ortiz out of the rotation and Felipe Paulino into it, based on Ortiz’ four starts and Paulino’s three.

Ortiz hasn’t been very good, but he hasn’t had that much opportunity. He has walked too many guys, 20 in 21 innings. Cooper’s decision reminds me of his decision to bat Ivan Rodriguez second, which lasted two games. He announced a decision, it didn’t work immediately, and he made an adjustment rather than giving it a chance to work.

Paulino has never pitched more than 126 innings in a season, so it seems unlikely he would make it through the season as the fifth starter. Maybe Cooper ought to rotate them in that slot.