[lex24]

What I like about the Jordan Hicks deal:

1) He can throw 105 and is throwing more four seam fastballs.
2) He really, really, really wants to start.
3) His two key pitches are a sinker and a slider, both around 99 mph.
4) He has added a curve, which he only throws 6% of the time, and late last season added a sweeper. After adding the curve and the sweeper, his ERA dropped from 3.93 to 2.48.
5) He's only 27.
6) He was fully healthy all of last year.
7) The MLB reliever-to-starter transition is not all that rare and includes pitchers like Seth Lugo, Michael Lorenzen, Zack Wheeler, Jeffrey Springs, Derek Lowe, Chris Sale, Jeff Samardzija, Johan Santana, Adam Wainwright and C.J. Wilson.

I'm very optimistic about it. Couple that with the fact that Webb, Beck and Harrison are considered to be in the Top 30 in MLB rankings, and they'll have Cobb in June and Ray in July, plus potential from Whisenhunt and Winn...the Giants should have pitching if nothing else. Oh yeah, and Ross Stripling...

https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/jordan-h...nd-answers
https://www.mlb.com/news/jordan-hicks-is...t-reliever

I think you need to rethink No.7. It is rare.  And several you listed - Wheeler, Sale Wainwright for example were not relievers turned into starters after several MLB years,  They may have done some bullpen work - Wainwright certainly did his rookie year.  But they were ticketed as starters.

[lex24]

What I like about the Jordan Hicks deal:

1) He can throw 105 and is throwing more four seam fastballs.
2) He really, really, really wants to start.
3) His two key pitches are a sinker and a slider, both around 99 mph.
4) He has added a curve, which he only throws 6% of the time, and late last season added a sweeper. After adding the curve and the sweeper, his ERA dropped from 3.93 to 2.48.
5) He's only 27.
6) He was fully healthy all of last year.
7) The MLB reliever-to-starter transition is not all that rare and includes pitchers like Seth Lugo, Michael Lorenzen, Zack Wheeler, Jeffrey Springs, Derek Lowe, Chris Sale, Jeff Samardzija, Johan Santana, Adam Wainwright and C.J. Wilson.

I'm very optimistic about it. Couple that with the fact that Webb, Beck and Harrison are considered to be in the Top 30 in MLB rankings, and they'll have Cobb in June and Ray in July, plus potential from Whisenhunt and Winn...the Giants should have pitching if nothing else. Oh yeah, and Ross Stripling...

https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/jordan-h...nd-answers
https://www.mlb.com/news/jordan-hicks-is...t-reliever

I think you need to rethink No.7. It is rare.  And several you listed - Wheeler, Sale Wainwright for example were not relievers turned into starters after several MLB years,  They may have done some bullpen work - Wainwright certainly did his rookie year.  But they were ticketed as starters.