I thought the callup of Steele was interesting. If there is concern with relievers who can't hit the target with their fastball, I'm not real confident that Steele will be much more accurate than Brothers?
The surprise to me, though, is Steele as opposed to Hultzen. Last year I thought that Hultzen looked pretty good, both his minor league results, the scouting reports, and his small sample with the Cubs. I know he's an intelligent guy. And I know he had arm issues galore and mechanical issues, too. I wonder if perhaps he hasn't really been "all in", so perhaps hasn't been fully committed to baseball amidst Covid? Perhaps he's too intelligent for that? So perhaps he wasn't doing as much throwing and coming to summer camp as tuned up as Steele? Or perhaps he's just not healthy, and isn't really 100%?
Or perhaps it's just about roster status? He's a non-roster guy, so if they call him up yesterday, then if they try to send him out when rosters need to get reduced, they lose control? Whereas Steele they could call him up, and then send him back down no problem? I assume that's perhaps the logic?
May also be that perhaps Steele has just been throwing it pretty well and hitting the target semi-often for South Bend? His stuff is plenty good. So *IF* nerves and adrenaline weren't making him extra wild, perhaps he'd be ready to function? He's never going to be a command artist, I don't imagine.