It could work. Matt Cain having a good 2017 season is more likely than Ryan Vogelsong having a good 2011 season. Cain having a good 2017 season is also about as likely as Tim Lincecum having a good 2015 season, but focus on the first one. Baseball’s a funny thing, and Cain started an All-Star Game once. Putting him in the rotation isn’t the move that I would make, but, well, being gloomy takes extra effort. It could work.
It’s probably not going to work. Cain is saying the right things, of course. He’s making progress. He’s happy with where he is.