You know why Nick loves those back-of-the-rotation starters so much? Because they're inning eaters. And they save bullpens. Cafardo is an inch-eater. He just types and types and types and types until his section of the paper is full.
It doesn't matter if his words say anything or if his sentences really mean anything, he just fills space. Which, I suppose is a skill. But it doesn't server his reader, it serves his boss. Again, that's fine, you want to make your employer happy but ugh.
I know that this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison due to the time limits afforded to each type of writer, but a person who is writing a book or a magazine article sometimes will fret over the appropriate word choice. They feel that each word has the ability to literally affect how their reader reacts to a piece. I have no doubt in my mind that Wilbur has ever had this conflict in his life. Noun-noun-verb-noun, end of sentence one. Maybe throw in an adverb or an adjective to let the people know that he's trying.
It's the same thing with truly great pitchers, they have a game plan that's been meticulously planned through preparation and study. They then execute that plan. But with these back of the rotation dudes, a lot of times it seems as if they're pitching as if their pants were on fire. They're throwing the kitchen sink to get dudes out, which results in a lot of walks, a bunch of hits, some runs -- it's an ugly game. Though sometime it can be effective.
What I'm saying is that Nick Cafardo is the John Burkett of sports writing.