Zaaaaaaaach !!!

[OFFNY]

Did the YES feed have a gun? On the ESPN feed, it didn't have a gun on that pitch.

Yes, the YES feed had the radar gun. It said 96 MPH.

[AgentOrange]

Yes, the YES feed had the radar gun. It said 96 MPH.

That is some serious gas for a LHP with movement.

[Sports Guy]

That is some serious gas for a LHP with movement.

Assuming they don't have a fast gun.

[scOtt]

Not only that, but its not like we would be filling in those starts with a guy who would post a ERA of 5+ in that time period. Its either going to be Tillman or Duke. Both are more than capable.

Also, if AM was to bring Britton North, lose the year, he would be a laughingstock in baseball. I daresay not a single GM in baseball would do it.

[mofome]

What I don't understand... Why the people here that are highest on Britton, who want him in the rotation now now NOW. Why don't they understand the value of having him for an extra year? If he's that good, don't you want him on the team for as long as possible?

It makes my brain hurt.

Its amazing to think that anyone really thinks keeping him in the minors for a few more weeks gives us an extra year. hes going to be extended, if hes any good, before we reach that.

i assume the pain you're experiencing is mild at worst.

[Frobby]

Thanks for answering my question, Frobby. I was wondering about the service-time implications. We'd give up one full year of control of Britton for 3-4 starts? I can see why we wouldn't do that. But I would basically tell the #5 guy that he's warming the spot unless he friggin' kills it.

Or just tell the starting 5: whoever's doing the worst in five weeks will get replaced by Zach Britton.

To answer your question more directly, if a player is on the 40-man roster, he has to spend 20 days in the minors after he is optioned in order to not receive a full year of service time. So, Britton could be up as soon as April 21. As it happens, that would be the 5th starter's day to pitch, and it would only be the third time this season that the O's had needed a 5th starter. So, really he'd be missing only 2 starts, if you think of him as the 5th starter.

[mofome]

britton didnt throw a 96 mph pitch.

[OFFNY]

Assuming they don't have a fast gun.

When I saw Zach pitch two years ago in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the gun had him at 97. I thought that the gun might be off, but with the YES gun saying he was at 96 today ........... it's less likely that both guns were off.

[AgentOrange]

Assuming they don't have a fast gun.

Say its 3 MPH fast.

93 with movement from a LHP is still nasty.

[mofome]

To answer your question more directly, if a player is on the 40-man roster, he has to spend 20 days in the minors after he is optioned in order to not receive a full year of service time. So, Britton could be up as soon as April 21. As it happens, that would be the 5th starter's day to pitch, and it would only be the third time this season that the O's had needed a 5th starter. So, really he'd be missing only 2 starts, if you think of him as the 5th starter.

what if you think of bergesen as the 5th starter?

[scOtt]

Its amazing to think that anyone really thinks keeping him in the minors for a few more weeks gives us an extra year. hes going to be extended, if hes any good, before we reach that.

i assume the pain you're experiencing is mild at worst.

You can't ever assume an extension, especially since Boras is his agent now.

[mofome]

Say its 3 MPH fast.

93 with movement from a LHP is still nasty.

indeed.

:beerchug1:

[frankpembleton]

Pretty encouraging stuff.

Agreed with those saying that 3 or 4 starts at the beginning of the year aren't important in the grand scheme of things. That extra year down the line is obviously more valuable.

[AgentOrange]

Its amazing to think that anyone really thinks keeping him in the minors for a few more weeks gives us an extra year. hes going to be extended, if hes any good, before we reach that.

i assume the pain you're experiencing is mild at worst.

I don't think you understand the extra year thing. We could still extend him, but we would be able to do it a year later, saving more money in the process.

That is how baseball works.

The first couple years, the team dominates you in terms of salary and worth.

If you make it out alive and prove you are worth it, the player is in control.

[OFFNY]

And if the gun at Wake Forest Stadium AND the YES gun were both off ......... then it would be hard to take those guns very seriously.