Tillman

[weams]

If a pitcher struggles with fastball command, what hope do you have of him being able to command his secondary offerings?

His control/command issues appear mostly behind him. I am sure that in 100 degree temps that he had a bit too much moisture on the ball yesterday. This has not been an ongoing proplem since he got stronger. The walks yesterday were less a trend and more a fluke. Big Game walked a few as well.

[Moose Milligan]

Yeah, I hear ya. I'm not saying he will or even can fix his command, just that if he were to fix it somehow, he'd be pretty filthy. Fortunately for Chris, it's not like he's completely wild. He just has that tendency to leave pitches up, like Hunter. Capable of pitching great games, but inconsistent in his ability to do that. Arrieta, Matusz, Britton, Tillman, Hunter all share that trait - they'll spin you a gem one night and implode the next.

Agreed, it's infuriating.

His control/command issues appear mostly behind him. I am sure that in 100 degree temps that he had a bit too much moisture on the ball yesterday. This has not been an ongoing proplem since he got stronger. The walks yesterday were less a trend and more a fluke. Big Game walked a few as well.

I'm not so sure they're mostly behind him. He had a great first game back, the second game he walked two and struck out one and couldn't get out of the inning. Reynolds error aside, he was already at an elevated pitch count when that play happened. The Cleveland game was good but yesterday didn't look so good. Chalk it up to moisture or umpiring or whatever you want, but he still walked almost as many as he struck out.

There's a lot to like about what he's done so far but small sample size and all that. We've seen pitchers have good stretches before...I think I'm going to wait before saying Tillman's control issues are mostly behind him.

[crissfan172]

His control/command issues appear mostly behind him. I am sure that in 100 degree temps that he had a bit too much moisture on the ball yesterday. This has not been an ongoing proplem since he got stronger. The walks yesterday were less a trend and more a fluke. Big Game walked a few as well.

Yeah...he was wild in the first two innings, but really seemed to settle in after that. I don't know if moisture was a problem, but I thought his mechanics were a little inconsistent early on.

[EagleOriole]

Lets not forget that he seemingly pitched with an illness (flu like symptoms) in what felt like 105 degrees. Forget the walks for a minute, he pitched really, really well. Betemit should have made that play on the double down the line (then he sulked and didn't hustle to go get it) and Davis should have caught that ball that hit on the warning track.

[Daddy-O's]

For what it's worth Shields gave up 5 walks in 6 innings.

[Flash- bd]

He was getting a lot of outs on his changeup up in the zone. I'm not sure that will fly against teams with better lineups. That said, when his changeup is thrown low, it's naaaasty.

It's not easy to time an 83 MPH changeup after seeing 94 MPH heat, especially when the arm action is solid. You have to really be sitting on that pitch to do anything with it.

[VeveJones007]

It drives me absolutely nuts when people say "Well, if he can fix his control issues..." And dan-O I don't mean to single you out but I feel like I've read this phrase or a variation of it about 20 times in this thread.

I've asked it before, I'll ask it again:

If a pitcher struggles with fastball command, what hope do you have of him being able to command his secondary offerings?

Whoa there, killer. The response was to "what is Tillman's ceiling".

Any response to that question has to include a comment about "fixing his control issues".

[atom_25]

If a pitcher struggles with fastball command, what hope do you have of him being able to command his secondary offerings?

Mussina used to do it all the time. Struggle with his fastball but have good command with his knuckle-curve and he would be able to work his way through a start. I see your point in general, but I do think it is possible. I remember one start in particular against the Oakland A's where his fastball got rocked early on and he settled down and barreled through like 6-7 innings throwing alot of junk and hung in there.

[Moose Milligan]

Mussina used to do it all the time. Struggle with his fastball but have good command with his knuckle-curve and he would be able to work his way through a start. I see your point in general, but I do think it is possible. I remember one start in particular against the Oakland A's where his fastball got rocked early on and he settled down and barreled through like 6-7 innings throwing alot of junk and hung in there.

Well that's why he's a Orioles Hall of Famer

[Il BuonO]

Mussina used to do it all the time. Struggle with his fastball but have good command with his knuckle-curve and he would be able to work his way through a start. I see your point in general, but I do think it is possible. I remember one start in particular against the Oakland A's where his fastball got rocked early on and he settled down and barreled through like 6-7 innings throwing alot of junk and hung in there.

Great points here which I highlighted in my analysis after the game. He basically lacked good FB and CB command and the CU allowed him to keep hitters off balance and get him back into the game where he did settle in with FB eventually.

Being able to command one of his key secondaries and adding the slider at key moments got him back on track when he didn't have his best command.

[Il BuonO]

Lets not forget that he seemingly pitched with an illness (flu like symptoms) in what felt like 105 degrees. Forget the walks for a minute, he pitched really, really well. Betemit should have made that play on the double down the line (then he sulked and didn't hustle to go get it) and Davis should have caught that ball that hit on the warning track.

Good points, must spread rep.

[Can_of_corn]

Good points, must spread rep.

I picked him up for you.

[Il BuonO]

So consistency is always the biggest issue but his command isn't spotty or poor? Why does he need to get a handle on his command if it's not spotty or poor?

I thought we covered this in previous posts. I believe his command issues are behind him. You don't. You group in the other day with all his ML starts from previous years. I believe it's more accurate to look at more recent work because it's indicative of who he is as a pitcher going forward based on the mechanical changes he's made in his delivery with RP.

If you discount that, so be it.

[OFFNY]

Lets not forget that he seemingly pitched with an illness (flu like symptoms) in what felt like 105 degrees. Forget the walks for a minute, he pitched really, really well. Betemit should have made that play on the double down the line (then he sulked and didn't hustle to go get it) and Davis should have caught that ball that hit on the warning track.

Good points, must spread rep.

I picked him up for you.

OOO Me too.

[Il BuonO]

I picked him up for you.

Good looking out. Curious as to your thoughts on CT.