Tillman ready for promotion; but has to wait

[wildcard]

It's mostly about Arrieta this weekend. I don't think he needs to be spectacular to keep his job, but he does need to be decent.

Personally, I'd prefer to keep Eveland and Gonzalez in their current roles.

I agree on Jake. He only needs a decent start to stay. New speculation by Roch that Hunter will get Saturday's start. That would probably means Gonzalez gets optioned.

[Lucky Jim]

What's tillmans fb topping out at?

In his 8 inning start, 96. He was sitting 93-95.

[Lucky Jim]

He said that Peterson knows more and that it would be foolish to bring him up now. That isn't contradictory unless Peterson is advocating bringing Tillman up now.

It's contradictory if the foolishness is "absolute." That implies that any decision to bring him up would be foolish, even if it's Peterson's call.

He clarified:

OK, it would be absolutely foolish/knee-jerk based on recent stats only to call him up. If other mechanics are up to par, then that's Peterson's call. But fool me once, shame on you.

[Lucky Jim]

OK, it would be absolutely foolish/knee-jerk based on recent stats only to call him up. If other mechanics are up to par, then that's Peterson's call. But fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 6 times over, shame on.... well we're the Orioles. This is what Tillman has been in his time. A few great starts, tease you, make you think he's turning a corner.... get the call up... do well for a game or two and then fall apart. While looking great statistically in those stretches, he also tends to look great mechanically (we hear this everytime he's doing well) and we also hear about how he's finally putting it all together. Then the Scotch tape holding his mechanics together gives way and he falls apart again.

Personally, I want to see a longer stetch of success out of Tillman before we call him up. If the Os call him up, it would be a mistake. He needs to be statistically and mechanically sound time in and time out for more than a couple games. If the call up is based on him being mechanically sound for a much longer period and the stats just now showing it, then it wouldn't be as foolish of a move.

Either way, at least right now, the point is moot because it looks like Hunter got the call.

I don't really disagree with any of this. If they do call him up, it's my guess that it would be...

If the call up is based on him being mechanically sound for a much longer period and the stats just now showing it, then it wouldn't be as foolish of a move.

Results sometimes lag changes.

[HokieOs]

He said that Peterson knows more and that it would be foolish to bring him up now. That isn't contradictory unless Peterson is advocating bringing Tillman up now.

Ha Ha... yeah, that was more the point I was conveying. Though I'm not doing a very good job with wording largely because I'm mixing work and OH and usually typing each post in 3-4 spurts as I get distracted with employment related matters.

[Lucky Jim]

Ha Ha... yeah, that was more the point I was conveying. Though I'm not doing a very good job with wording largely because I'm mixing work and OH and usually typing each post in 3-4 spurts as I get distracted with employment related matters.

For all of our disagreement ( ), we're pretty much on the exact same page.

[Lucky Jim]

That sounds great. I've never seen that from Tillman, anywhere. I remember watching him the Futures Game before he ever came to the majors. He was throwing 89-90 and I was wondering what was going on. I think a couple of more starts like the last two and we'll be seeing him soon.

Eh. He was only 89-92 for much of his most recent start (according to the announcers, by the stadium gun). He gained velo as the start went on, though - and was 93 and 94 for his 7th K in the 6th. Be nice to get a report to know for sure. I don't expect Tillman to be a mid-90s guy, but if he can sit 92-94 that would be solid.

Watching the game, Tillman doesn't look filthy, but he's getting a decent number of swings and misses. He threw his change-up more, and his arm action was good on it (he generated swings and misses, including going back-to-back changes for a K on Florimon), but it didn't have a ton of fade. He used the big curve more than his other breaking pitches - he generated two swings and misses with it before giving up a HR to Ramirez on a slider/cutter that wasn't terribly located, but caught a bit too much of the outside part of the plate. He's throwing it for strikes at times, and burying it, too.

In both starts, it looks like batters are having trouble getting a good look at what he's throwing. His wind-up has been simplified- he's starting from almost a stretch position, and goes straight to it (though he still cocks the ball behind his back). The HR in the 6th was the only hard hit ball in the start.

Of note, before giving up the HR in the sixth, Tillman had thrown 11 perfect innings between his last two starts.

[Bohs&O's]

Consistently 93-95, he will be up in no time as long as he can locate.

[Easternshoreguy2]

I am going to Thursdays game and was trying to figure out who might be pitching but with Buck you never know.

[Moose Milligan]

Next time LJ attacks someone of a small sample size or clinging to 3 starts in a row on any level, refer him back to this thread. Throw out everything about Tillman, the last three starts are all you need to know about!

Personally, I think Tillman doesn't have what it takes, but I'm willing to give him another shot if he's hitting the mid 90's with his fastball now. IMO, he needs to attack the zone with his stuff.

[Lucky Jim]

Next time LJ attacks someone of a small sample size or clinging to 3 starts in a row on any level, refer him back to this thread. Throw out everything about Tillman, the last three starts are all you need to know about!

Read better.*

*I mean, seriously. I didn't say anything resembling that, Moose. Sheesh.

[wompfump]

Is Tillman's velocity up at all?

[Lucky Jim]

Is Tillman's velocity up at all?

Definitely in his last start. 93-95, as noted above. This start, he had a few around 89 and seemed to sit in the low-90s for a bit, but by the 7th inning appears to have been 93-94. (Also noted above.)