Can we please release Mike Gonzalez?!?!?

[Guest IRemember70]

If the Oriole's want to be a winner, it's time to start acting like one. I don't think it should be common practice...however... If I have to pay this guy, I'd rather be paying him to stay as far away from Baltimore as possible. He'd be offered a chance in AA/AAA and if he refuses, he'd be placed on waivers. If he clears (he certainly would), I'd release him. I'm sick of seeing other teams give chances to young relievers (under 26) and they pitch a lot better than this overpaid mistake. Some on this board call it dilusional to want to release him and search for a young arm. They are dilusional, we got beat by a pitcher (one who would like to be a millionaire) making his debut last night.

We have no room in the bullpen for a millionaire who can't pitch. I don't know if his career is over or not, but he shouldn't be in Baltimore's bulpen.

Baltimore is a fairly young team with a good core. They need to take a page out of Tampa's book and give opportunities to young/cheap players. Build a team (and morale) and quit trying to buy one. Sure, some are going to bomb.........and some aren't. You can go thru a lot of players for, what, 6 milion? One or two well timed free agents is OK, but a good majority will be bust.

[crowmst3k!]

if the Jays could DFA a struggling, oft-injured BJ Ryan, the Orioles can DFA a struggling, oft-injured Michael Gonzalez.

By the way, one of the Orioles is going to get plunked tonight because of his shenanigans.

[JERSEYORIOLE]

if the Jays could DFA a struggling, oft-injured BJ Ryan, the Orioles can DFA a struggling, oft-injured Michael Gonzalez.

By the way, one of the Orioles is going to get plunked tonight because of his shenanigans.

You have to let it go. I do not in any way think it was intentional. As to your claim in another thread that he "crushed the guys eye socket", the ball never would have hit him if he wasn't unlucky enough to have it glance off the bill of his helmet. The ball was inside, but not way inside and the kid was leaning in. Gonzo is horrible, but he wasn't trying to hit the kid in the head.

[flashjordnk]

I've said this before, and I'll say it again...I think the issues is that Gonzo needs to be strictly a lefty specialist. There is a spot for that and a bit of a need on this team.

This year against Righties he's given up 5 walks and 7 extra base hits in 30 PA's. In 34 PA's against lefties he's yielded 2 XBH's and 1 HBP (no walks). He's got 9 K's against lefties, and only 5 against righties.

It does seem like he's run into some bad luck too though. The LD rate is up a bit, so you expect a jump in BABIP (allowed). But his IFFH rate is way up. And his FB/HR rate is also way up. I think there is some bad luck at play, he's clearly regressed some but I think he'd be fine when matched up against lefties specifically for a while.

[atom_25]

If the Oriole's want to be a winner, it's time to start acting like one. I don't think it should be common practice...however... If I have to pay this guy, I'd rather be paying him to stay as far away from Baltimore as possible. He'd be offered a chance in AA/AAA and if he refuses, he'd be placed on waivers. If he clears (he certainly would), I'd release him. I'm sick of seeing other teams give chances to young relievers (under 26) and they pitch a lot better than this overpaid mistake. Some on this board call it dilusional to want to release him and search for a young arm. They are dilusional, we got beat by a pitcher (one who would like to be a millionaire) making his debut last night.

We have no room in the bullpen for a millionaire who can't pitch. I don't know if his career is over or not, but he shouldn't be in Baltimore's bulpen.

Baltimore is a fairly young team with a good core. They need to take a page out of Tampa's book and give opportunities to young/cheap players. Build a team (and morale) and quit trying to buy one. Sure, some are going to bomb.........and some aren't. You can go thru a lot of players for, what, 6 milion? One or two well timed free agents is OK, but a good majority will be bust.

Yeah I am going to agree with you here. I pride myself on being patient and not making rash decisions based on emotional responses, but enough is enough. Gonzalez can not be trusted and at this point I would just as soon replace him and put Accardo on notice that unless he starts pitching better that he is next. I am going to add that I do not want Simon on this team.

[Slappy]

There are many reasons why relievers are volatile. What are they getting from the starters in front of them? What were they lacking to be in the bullpen anyway? What are their fellow relievers doing? Limited innings overall that can inflate (or overstate) era. Makes more sense to evaluate over a longer period of time... and what Gonzalez's numbers show is that he has racked up a lot of K's, with limited hits per ip, with mediocre to poor control.

Every season is different, but 12.2 innings will always be less important than 318.

Not when the 12.2 innings are the only ones that matter right now.

[Guest IRemember70]

I think what Gonzalez did over 24.2 innings last year has limited importance as well. Since the peripheral numbers were around his career averages, it carries more weight though.

You can use the 12.2 innings this year to grade his performance so far this year as failing. However, it is a poor leap of logic to think those poor 12.2 innings have great significance.

12.2 innings for a reliever doesn't have great significance? That's normally 12 games. We are 40 games in, if he just blows in half his outings, that could be the difference between a 24-16 and 18-22 record. Gregg has 3 blown saves, that's 12 over a season, that's the difference between 78 and 90 wins. Almost every inning pitched is significant, unless it's a blow out.

I don't pay 6 million a year for someone to hang around for a blowout game. In fact, he can't be trusted for mop up duty and you have to have a good bullpen to even have a mop up guy. We don't have one.

[Dipper9]

You have to let it go. I do not in any way think it was intentional. As to your claim in another thread that he "crushed the guys eye socket", the ball never would have hit him if he wasn't unlucky enough to have it glance off the bill of his helmet. The ball was inside, but not way inside and the kid was leaning in. Gonzo is horrible, but he wasn't trying to hit the kid in the head.

The problem is that he wasn't trying to hit the kid in the head. THAT is the issue...he has no clue where his ball is going. Everything from his rocking windup, to his falling off the mound and being in NO position to field, to the fact that he zero control over his pitches, tells me the guy cannot be trusted and should not be on this club. Gregg is awful, but at least he has a plan. Gonzo just throws the ball and takes his chances on where it goes and how far the hitter smacks it.

[Nick The Stick]

Career averages really don't mean squat coming over to the AL East. He can't pitch in this division, honestly. His pitching for our team has been horrible.

[NewMarketSean]

What he did in the past is just that -- in the past. From what I have seen during his time here, he is a train-wreck. If he were a 23 year old who just came up that might be understandable, and his potential would be worth the headaches, since we have seen that he can pitch well for short spurts of time. But Mike Gonzalez is a 33-year old veteran making $6 million a year. We should even be having this discussion and the fact that we are having it proves to me that this guy is not worth keeping around any longer past yesterday. He's a free agent after this season meaning he has no part of this team long-term. He could be released tomorrow and I doubt anyone would bat an eyelash.

So why are we keeping him and his 1.97 WHIP???

[Wilshade]

Okay. The next question is . . . How much time do you give him?

[HokieOs]

You have to let it go. I do not in any way think it was intentional. As to your claim in another thread that he "crushed the guys eye socket", the ball never would have hit him if he wasn't unlucky enough to have it glance off the bill of his helmet. The ball was inside, but not way inside and the kid was leaning in. Gonzo is horrible, but he wasn't trying to hit the kid in the head.

I said that in the game thread last night. A lot of people seem to see that he hit the guy in the bill of his helmet.... but if you actually watch where the ball is in relation to the plate, the ball is "only" about 8-10 inches inside. The kid was leaning in towards the plate and never moved out of the way.... That isn't to say that it wasn't a poor pitch and I feel bad for the kid.... but it wasn't THAT bad of a pitch.

Last night's ump was a loose cannon and needs to be fired. But nothing will happen.

[Nick The Stick]

Because there are zero logical reasons to believe he can not replicate what he has previously done.

You really want to defend the player and believe that he will come around, that is fine. It is just not happening for our team. That has been what is wrong with our team for many years now. The belief in the can-happens rather than what is actually happening.

He is not helping US win and has not helped us win since he has been part of this team. Maybe a few innings here and there. But... Mike Gonzalez does not pitch well for our team. To be a short inning guy and perform like he has been... No place for it here for the Baltimore Orioles.

[NewMarketSean]

Because there are zero logical reasons to believe he can not replicate what he has previously done.

Yes there is!!! It's called "watching him pitch".

So what, he might be good for the next 5-6 innings he pitches, but the next meltdown is just around the corner. Like I said -- MG is not going to be here next year no matter how well he pitches for the rest of the season so why should we care if he can get back to his career averages? It won't make a difference one way or the other. Get someone else in here, someone who is a potential long-term solution. Because MG is not that. Clearly.

In other words, what if you had a car, that didn't start 3 out of the 5 times you tried to get to work? Would you hope that it would eventually get you to work more consistently or would you buy a new freaking car?

[HokieOs]

What he did in the past is just that -- in the past. From what I have seen during his time here, he is a train-wreck. If he were a 23 year old who just came up that might be understandable, and his potential would be worth the headaches, since we have seen that he can pitch well for short spurts of time. But Mike Gonzalez is a 33-year old veteran making $6 million a year. We should even be having this discussion and the fact that we are having it proves to me that this guy is not worth keeping around any longer past yesterday. He's a free agent after this season meaning he has no part of this team long-term. He could be released tomorrow and I doubt anyone would bat an eyelash.

So why are we keeping him and his 1.97 WHIP???

While the money to pay him is a sunk cost... we also need to at least make sure he doesn't work. How much would it suck to watch him go the Yankees, shut us down several times.... all while WE are the ones paying him his big payday?

It isn't time to cut ties yet (contrary to my ranting last night)... That said, another chance to show his stuff has been blown.