(Update) Orioles reach agreement w/ Taiwanese LHP Wei-Yin Chen

[SammyBirdland]

The signing is official.

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2012/01/orioles-make-chen-signing-official-dfa-hudson.html

Wow, Poitevint getting right to work. As of yesterday, his title hadn't even been announced yet.

[mikegallo]

Has anyone found anything on this signing besides Masn stuff...Would like some links to some good break dwons on this signing for us,,,

We got this guy for 3 years plus a club option....The more I hear about the move the more pumped I am, GOOD WORK DD.

[srock]

If Chen puts up anything close to Guthrie's numbers, this is a ridiculously good contract. He's got at least as good of a fastball as Bedard, just going off limited video. It'll all be up to his secondary pitches.

Bedard now or when Bedard was an Orioles? Methinks now...

Either way, this guy may be the best starting pitcher the Orioles have in 2011.

Guthrie

Chen

Wada

Britton

Matusz

Arrieta

Hunter

Bergesen

Tillman

Eveland

Simon

O'Day

11 starting pitchers. Only Guthrie projects to be a workhorse 200+ IP. 6 man rotation anybody?

[DrungoHazewood]

6 man rotation anybody?

As I said yesterday, the only way I even consider a six-man rotation is if the plan is for each starter to go 7+ innings and/or 120+ pitches a start. That's basically how it works in Japan. If not, and you're using a typical expectation of a 5+ inning start, you're either limited to a very short bench or a fairly minimal pen.

Or, I guess you could make the starters all available for long relief duty on their throw days and plan on all of them getting 27 starts and 10-15 relief appearances.

[clapdiddy]

As I said yesterday, the only way I even consider a six-man rotation is if the plan is for each starter to go 7+ innings and/or 120+ pitches a start. That's basically how it works in Japan. If not, and you're using a typical expectation of a 5+ inning start, you're either limited to a very short bench or a fairly minimal pen.

Or, I guess you could make the starters all available for long relief duty on their throw days and plan on all of them getting 27 starts and 10-15 relief appearances.

What a stupid idea this would be.

If DD was really innovative, he'd start looking into something like this. You could actually have those pitchers on pitch counts, then yank 'em when they are done.

[Capn Vivi]

A young lefty who can locate a low-90's fastball is always going to be valuable. The videos showcasing his "slurve" are impressive. I hope it can be a consistent pitch for him.

The biggest criticism I've heard regarding his possible transition into the ML is that he's only a two pitch pitcher and his Slurve isn't consistent enough to be rated more than average yet.

We shall see! I'm very excited, regardless.

[LookinUp]

A young lefty who can locate a low-90's fastball is always going to be valuable. The videos showcasing his "slurve" are impressive. I hope it can be a consistent pitch for him.

The biggest criticism I've heard regarding his possible transition into the ML is that he's only a two pitch pitcher and his Slurve isn't consistent enough to be rated more than average yet.

We shall see! I'm very excited, regardless.

In the videos I saw, the curve looks sharp, but not well-located. On the other hand, the hitters looked terrible against the fastball and the curve. That could mean that he has enough stuff to make hitters worry about different pitches. Or, it could mean that the hitters aren't very good.

[DrungoHazewood]

What a stupid idea this would be.

If DD was really innovative, he'd start looking into something like this. You could actually have those pitchers on pitch counts, then yank 'em when they are done.

Back when men were men and you could throw 80 mph BP fastballs all day long to the St. Louis Browns, and you'd have three off days between your 65 doubleheaders, starters almost always did something like this. Under Casey Stengel, Whitey Ford was probably the best pitcher in the AL and averaged 26 starts and 4-5 relief appearances a season. Carl Hubbell had 20 saves during 20-win seasons, including the 1934 season where he led the NL in both complete games and saves.

[Oriolidae85]

Enjoyed readying this part:

Duquette said the Orioles targeted Chen a few years ago because they knew he would become a free agent this winter.

"We spent a considerable amount of time following him in Japan the last couple of years," Duquette said. "Our scouts saw him and then we monitored his performance through stats and followed him on video. He has a compact, smooth, deceptive delivery and he has a good fastball and very good command of it.

[SilentJames]

Enjoyed readying this part:

So what you're saying is...this was an AM pick?

[Frobby]

So what you're saying is...this was an AM pick?

They definitely had Chen in their sights this offseason before DD arrived.

[Oriolidae85]

They definitely had Chen in their sights this offseason before DD arrived on November 8th.

adjusted that for ya....reminds me of AM signing Wieters, although less inherent.

[Catch 8]

A young lefty who can locate a low-90's fastball is always going to be valuable. The videos showcasing his "slurve" are impressive. I hope it can be a consistent pitch for him.

The biggest criticism I've heard regarding his possible transition into the ML is that he's only a two pitch pitcher and his Slurve isn't consistent enough to be rated more than average yet.

We shall see! I'm very excited, regardless.

Two pitches doesn't bother me if the fb can be commanded in and off the plate and the secondary offering is available in both get-me-over and put-away flavors. But how often is one's "slurve" a good pitch? Not enough bite or velocity to be a slider, but not tight enough to be a good curveball. It is a tweener, because one of the ends isn't good enough. The pitch also is an injury machine. How many guys can effectively get the ball to break in both planes, not as an accident? It is a flat pitch that usually suggests poor pitching mechanics. When I coached, I never wanted to hear that word.

[GoldGlove21]

Two pitches doesn't bother me if the fb can be commanded in and off the plate and the secondary offering is available in both get-me-over and put-away flavors. But how often is one's "slurve" a good pitch? Not enough bite or velocity to be a slider, but not tight enough to be a good curveball. It is a tweener, because one of the ends isn't good enough. The pitch also is an injury machine. How many guys can effectively get the ball to break in both planes, not as an accident? It is a flat pitch that usually suggests poor pitching mechanics. When I coached, I never wanted to hear that word.

Does the guy not have a change-up? I was always told that this is an important pitch in Asia. I think Chen will be fine as a starter. It is Wada that I am worried about.

[Roll Tide]

Does the guy not have a change-up? I was always told that this is an important pitch in Asia. I think Chen will be fine as a starter. It is Wada that I am worried about.

He does ... Somebody posted a pitch graph on Chen... Not sure who and where ...But I believe they were charting his change at 83-85. I'm not sure where it is.