Tony-OH

So I've watched a few of his at bats and there is certainly miss in that swing. I can see why there were questions on whether he can overcome them. Now, saying that, he very well may be a guy that needs an offseason of professional tutelage in the Orioles system so I wouldn't get too caught up in the lack of numbers and strikeouts. Jud Fabian, who has huge whiff issues still, slashed .386/.481/.841/1.322 with an 8 BB to 9 K ratio in 52 PAs in Delmarva before getting moved to Aberdeen, but of course he did get his feet wet in the FCL. Either way, not a great start for the 1st round pick, but hopefully he's just rusty because he signed so late.

Those were two laser home runs and the second one was a no doubter as the RF did not even move. That second one 105 EV and 395 FT to RF and that may be off honestly. That was a 1st pitch curveball on the second one. The power is certainly not in question and the bat is certainly quick.

That's funny and I know why you said that. Saying that, he is the exact kind of guy you do keep running out as a starter/piggyback multi inning guy because he does have that upside and at 21, he still can improve. Is his most likely a reliever now, probably. But while frustrating to watch at times, there is still promise in there.

Those are good observations about his intensity on the mound. I've seen that at times as well.

This guy must've heard "Run Forrest run!" every time he hit 1st base in the minors!

Hell, even Palmer is like Hunter now. Nobody is willing to just call it like it is.

How was his start in last year's playoffs? Brewers had several others good starters last year so he probably didn't feel the pressure like he's doing with the Orioles. The guy just can't handle pressure. He's proving it every time he goes out there right now. The stuff can still be very good, but he makes way too many mistakes and holds runners like an A-ball pitcher.

Can't hold runners. Then overthrew his curveball because he was rushing. Nice job ACE!

Wow, the Orioles are lucky Otani hit that right at O'Hearn. He blistered Burnes' crap.

Lol.. Two strikes, Choke Burnes gives up a single. Wonder how many he's going to give up now that his offense scratch away another run to make it closer. But I'm sure a guy with a 6.12 ERA in the 5th inning will shut them down! lol

Maybe Trevor Bauer isn't the only choke artist pitcher? At the end of the day, What we know is that Burnes has been awful for six starts. that's not a bad start or two, that's 6!! Including multiple times where his team fought back for him only for him to choke it right back up. This is why you need to be able to develop your own starting pitching. I'd rather find hitters vs send away good players for a year of a starting pitcher who chokes in August during a pennant run.

The Orioles just scored, and watch them tie this back up. Then watch Burnes give up another 3-spot.

The velocity is there and the spin is there. He's just making bad pitches and has lost his changeup. Sometimes pitchers lose their changeup when they grip it too hard. Pressure and stress can do that to a pitcher.

For those saying he's "great" but not lately. No, great don't absolutely suck after the trade deadline. Great doesn't cough up leads his offense gives him. Great doesn't pitch to 8+ ERA over a 6 start stretch. Burnes was very good earlier in the year, but when the pressure started to rise, he's absolutely wilted. I can't say he doesn't have the heart, because I don't think it's that, It's just some guys don't pitch well under the pressure of having to be "the guy" or when a team is in a pennant race. No way I'm giving him the money he'll want after this stretch. True Ace's don't do this.

Ben, stop blowing smoke up our rears too. We can talk about him spinning the ball all we want. He's allowed 5 runs over 4 IP. There is no way to candy coat the amount of choke he's been to the team since they needed him most.

When you look back at his career, Burnes has only had one good playoff start under his belt. Watching him fold when the team needs him most, watching how he gives up leads when his offense battle back, is starting to tell me that the guy is missing that next gear. Not everyone can handle the pressure of being the guy. Burnes is starting to show he's not that guy. Someone is going to give him a lot of money and be sad about it because he's going to fold up like a chair when the pressure is on.

If there was an award for most disappointing prospect this year, Deleon has to be among the candidates. His lack of command of any pitch this season, especially since he went to Aberdeen culminated in one of the most frustrating outings to watch tonight. After getting a quick out, he kept throwing the same pitch (fastball) in the same location (down and away) to the 2nd hitter until he stuck the bat out and singled into right. He then got the next hitter down 0-2, and the absolute, and utter wheels feel off. He ends up walking this guy with an assortment of uncompetitive pitches. The next guy gets up and he gets behind him 3-1 (with more uncompetitive pitches), before he takes too long and gets a pitch violation for ball four to load the bases. He then gets ahead of the next guy 0-2, misses twice, then throws a ball right down the middle and it gets hammered for a three-run double. He then gives up a walk and hit until the manager mercifully (Not for Deleon, but for the baseball fans and evaluators in general) takes him out of the game because he had reached 34 pitches (only 17 for strikes). After looking like he finally got his body under control in Delmarva this year, walking just 2.3/9, he's totally lost it with Aberdeen. He's totally lost the feel for his slider and even his changeup, which still gets some swings and misses is not a good offering because he's only getting chase with it. DeLeon is 21-years old. He's not 18-years old. This should have been year where he could have established himself as a legitimate prospect, but has done the opposite with his lack of command in Aberdeen. He's still got that bowling ball fastball and his slider and change have enough movement that is he ever figures out how to command them he could still be a starter, but right now he's taken a major step backwards and right now I can't even say he gives me reliever vibes based on his lack of command. I hope he's able to have someone works with his mechanics this offseason and he comes back a different guy but the guy I've seen at Aberdeen more times than not this season is only a prospect based on the radar gun and movement.

I'm guessing he's just outfield defense and speed depth that could be used in the playoffs vice keeping someone like Emmanuel Rivera on the roster. He's a good defender who covers 34 feet/sec in the outfield and has a solid outfield arm. His 89th percentile speed make him a guy that could be used late in playoff games where needing 9 relievers is not as important as having a specialized player. An outfield of Cowser in LF, Mullins (CF) and Wall in RF late in games would make a very good defensive outfield.

Even if he is a "75" runner vs a "65" runner, it really doesn't change the equation very much. I've always said speed rankings are pretty subjective even if you use the old school, time them home to first measure. Some guys run faster in the outfield while following baseball than others. That's how guys like Fabian, without elite speed, can be plus defensive center fielders.

They've hit on 0 out of what, 70+ guys that they've drafted or signed and brought into the system from the amateur ranks? I think we all understand that a starting pitcher has more value, but a SS has more value than a 1B, but you don't play Mountcastle there because he's not good enough to be one. All I'm saying is that at some point, whether it's by age or amount of innings, if a pitcher does not look like a viable option as a starting pitcher, you should try them in relief and see if it plays there. Of course you give them a shot initially to see if they can develop, but future big league starter's tend to stick out pretty early. I'm sure we can find some late bloomers, but I imagine they are the exception to the rule, and I'd wager some of the late bloomers were relievers in the majors and then given another shot were able to start. Now, if a guy is throwing 90-92 from the right side, there's not much upside in trying him in relief since we just don't see that anymore unless they are throwing from a weird low side-arm or submarine angle. Big guys who can touch the mid-90s as starters are guy that might be able to stick in a pen role if they fail as starter's. MIGHT of course being a the key word.

I've longed stop trying to figure out how the Orioles develop pitching and just try to follow them. My guess is they don't believe it is a skill to learn how to warm up quickly, not have a set routine, and pitch on less days rest or even back to back days. At this point, it's clear they have their thoughts on how to evaluate, draft, and develop pitching, and damned if a lack of results is going to get in the way of what the data tells them.

The floor is not a 6t inning guy, the floor is a AAA pitcher. At some point you have to make an analytical call based on the information at hand. When a pitcher is about to 26, with over 300 innings of professional ball, that seems like enough information to make a judgement call. They could always move him back if he suddenly develops something. One start should not reinforce anything.

I was surprised at how fast Cowser and Westburg were. Actually Kjerstad was faster too.

Ah, thanks. Thought that was since he was drafted. Didn't realize that was old informaiton.

Yeah, I'd say Overn strikes me as someone a bit faster than Hays. Overn can definitely play CF. Then again, Fabian can play CF too, but he's not a burner either.