Chris Tillman = Batting Practice

[Stotle]

I just commented on your post, but it was really meant for the whole board who felt that Tillman's outing was good, it wasn't really directed at just you, perse (still getting used to the new board format). I suppose most of you guys would say it was a positive outing, not exactly a "good" outing.

I disagree with the fact that Major League hitters are Major league hitters and I am suprised you say this. All hitters are not created equal, and it was clear that these guys are well below average. At least the lineup that was out there tonight. I suppose over the course of the game, he showed flashes of good pitching. I thought there were more than enough mistake pitches that were thrown tonight that weren't taken advantage of given the lineup.

I am not looking forward to his next two starts and if he is even throwing the way he threw tonight, which I think we can all agree on was beter than the last two starts, it won't get him into the 6th inning.

I am just saying for me to feel better about Tillman going into these next two starts, he had to do better than what I saw tonight. That's all.

We see "bad" lineups hit good pitching all the time.

I wouldn't ask you to be optimistic for any of Tillman's future starts -- I think he has a long way to go to win over a large portion of the fan base. But I personally see positive signs and am encouraged by some of the adjustments he seems to be making.

[ccbird]

He looked better tonight. I agree with the poster who said he he looked better than he did in his first game against TB. Tillman looked like he attacked the zone and challenged the hitters more than he has in any other starts this year, but I think the Twins relatively weak lineup may have had something to do with that too. I just think confidence is a problem with Tillman. When he faces a good lineup he feels like he has to nibble and be perfect to be successful and to be honest he's right to think that. He's a guy who is aware he doesn't have great ML stuff.

[Frobby]

As I have said earlier in the thread, Tillman's big issue is consistency from one start to the next. I'm encouraged by his start last night, and I disagree with the Tillman-bashers who always try to minimize anything good that he does. But the issue is, what will he do next time, and the time after that? He literally hasn't strung together two good starts in a row at the major league level since 2009, and when he is off his game, he often leaves the game very early. He needs to work on being able to minimize the damage when things aren't going too well, and on bringing at least his C game a lot more consistently.