Dylan Bundy missing his cutter

[xian4]

I wouldn't say he is unhappy, but he sure wants to dominate !

Good to see him throw 92 pitches and make the seventh inning for the first time. And Dan Duquette was there to see him deal.

Courtesy of MiLB.com

In watching the first inning of Dylan Bundy's start Wednesday, one might have thought he wouldn't last long. That would have been wrong.

The Orioles' No. 2 prospect fanned eight and allowed an unearned run on two hits over a career-high 6 2/3 innings as Class A Advanced Frederick defeated Lynchburg, 7-1.

Bundy endured a rocky first inning, allowing a double to Nick Ahmed, walking Chris Garcia and balking the runners over with two outs. A fielding error by second baseman Travis Adair allowed Ahmed to score, but Bundy ended the frame by getting Michael Spina to ground out.

"I had two walks in two innings and didn't really have a whole lot on my fastball. I wasn't commanding it very well," Bundy said. "Then after that I settled in and started throwing a lot of strikes with my fastball and getting my curveball over for strikes and bouncing it for strikeouts. Later in the game, I started using my changeup more."

Bundy settled in to retire 14 straight batters after walking Bobby Stevens to open the second. Garcia ended the streak with a leadoff double in the seventh. The 19-year-old right-hander left after striking out Edward Salcedo and Spina.

"I was pleased, I was a little frustrated not getting the last out of the seventh," MLB.com's No. 7 prospect said. "But pitch count is pitch count. Definitely not my best pro start. I've definitely had some more quality starts. I'm not a big fan of walks, let's just put it that way."

Bundy, who was eight short of his pitch count of 100, got a chance to pitch in front of Orioles general manager Jim Duquette. While most young players might be nervous, Bundy was calm on the mound.

"Not at all, he's just another guy in the stands," he said.

Since his May promotion to Frederick, Bundy had not gone more than five innings in a start. The Oklahoma native is 5-3 with a 2.57 ERA in 10 starts for the Keys, a strong season for any pitcher, but especially for one who is not allowed to use his best pitch. Baltimore asked Bundy to shelve his cutter in an attempt to get him to work on his other pitches.

"I lost my curveball a little bit for a month-and-a-half this year and I worked real hard to get back to it and get my arm speed up to it," Bundy said. "In my past three starts, my curveball has been there for me. I've been able to throw low strikes in the zone and throw some in the dirt for strikeouts. Other than fastball command low in the zone, I've been leaning on my curveball."

The decision to ask Bundy to do without his best pitch doesn't sit well with him, though the long-term effects remain to be seen.

"I wouldn't say it makes me a better pitcher at all," he said. "You want to be a good pitcher and you have four pitches and you're only using three of them them, how is that making you any better? I'm still a 19-year-old kid, I don't look too far ahead of myself and look what could be in the long term. I'm just focused on right now."

Eric Beaulac allowed a hit over 1 1/3 innings in relief of Bundy. Matt Bywater fanned the only batter he faced in the ninth and Oscar Melendez recorded the final two outs for the Keys.

Steve Bumbry scored three times and drove in two runs, while Michael Mosby was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Aaron Northcraft fell to 8-9 after allowing three unearned runs on three hits and fanned eight over six innings for the Hillcats.

[Flash- bd]

"I wouldn't say it makes me a better pitcher at all. You want to be a good pitcher and you have four pitches and you're only using three of them them, how is that making you any better? I'm still a 19-year-old kid, I don't look too far ahead of myself and look what could be in the long term. I'm just focused on right now."

He doesn't mince words.

[Frobby]

Nobody is suggesting that scrapping his cutter makes him a better pitcher now. The idea is to force him to hone his other pitches, and reading his own account of how he had to work through some problems with his curve ball, I'd say the idea of forcing him away from his cutter was a good one. He'll get to use the cutter soon enough.

[EagleOriole]

I wonder if he is allowed to use his cutter in side sessions? Can't you lose your feel for a pitch?

[waroriole]

I wonder if he is allowed to use his cutter in side sessions? Can't you lose your feel for a pitch?

Definitely. They just want him to pitch without it now, so he improves his other pitches without falling back on the cutter.

[Flash- bd]

I wonder if he is allowed to use his cutter in side sessions? Can't you lose your feel for a pitch?

I'd imagine/hope so.

I'm totally fine with taking away one of his best weapons for the sake of development in game action, but yeah, he shouldn't be permitted from working on it outside of a game situation to keep his feel for it.

[Tank]

I'd say once he's promoted to AA they'll "unleash the kraken" so to speak.

[RVAbird]

He's worked on the cutter in side sessions. He's been asked not to use it in games. He's not happy about. His dad's not happy about it. The world continues to turn.

I think the restrictions (pitch/inning count, arsenal, etc.) will be mostly off when he moves to Bowie. It will be fun to see him work at that point.

[Fired-Up]

So Bundy had a changeup that he threw once per game in high school. He has a curve that he lost the feel for. His fastball command is according to him wasn't his best. He's sumpremely talented, but needs to realize that not using the cutter is good for his development. If he thinks he's going to come to the Majors with a non existant change and a curve he can't find and a fastball he can't locate then he's got another thing coming. He will not come to the Major Leagues with 1 plus pitch (cutter) and get it done.

Bravo to Dan Duquette.

[Can_of_corn]

So Bundy had a changeup that he threw once per game in high school. He has a curve that he lost the feel for. His fastball command is according to him wasn't his best. He's sumpremely talented, but needs to realize that not using the cutter is good for his development. If he thinks he's going to come to the Majors with a non existant change and a curve he can't find and a fastball he can't locate then he's got another thing coming. He will not come to the Major Leagues with 1 plus pitch (cutter) and get it done.

Bravo to Dan Duquette.

Yep there is no precedent at all of someone having major league success with just a cutter.

(I do agree with taking the pitch away from him in A and A+)

[Icterus galbula]

Bundy, who was eight short of his pitch count of 100, got a chance to pitch in front of Orioles general manager Jim Duquette. While most young players might be nervous, Bundy was calm on the mound.

Tsk-tsk, MiLB.com.

[Fired-Up]

Yep there is no precedent at all of someone having major league success with just a cutter.

(I do agree with taking the pitch away from him in A and A+)

I don't put Bundy on a pedestal. I will absolutely not do it. You can take that to the bank. I learned my lesson from Brian Matusz and 15 years of developing one successful pitcher.

[MurphDogg]

Yep there is no precedent at all of someone having major league success with just a cutter.

(I do agree with taking the pitch away from him in A and A+)

As a starting pitcher. If the Orioles planned to make Bundy a closer he could have been in the MLB bullpen all season.

[Flosman]

So Bundy had a changeup that he threw once per game in high school. He has a curve that he lost the feel for. His fastball command is according to him wasn't his best. He's sumpremely talented, but needs to realize that not using the cutter is good for his development. If he thinks he's going to come to the Majors with a non existant change and a curve he can't find and a fastball he can't locate then he's got another thing coming. He will not come to the Major Leagues with 1 plus pitch (cutter) and get it done.

Bravo to Dan Duquette.

Well it is good that he has 4 plus pitches. The O's are just making him lean on his other pitches at this time. I still believe that he can get ML hitters out right now if the O's decided to give him innings in Baltimore.

[NCRaven]

Bundy and his father should shut their pie holes. I'm getting tired of thier b*tching. He's admitted that he needs to command his FB and off speed pitches better. And, last I looked, when your employer, especially one that is paying you $millions, tells you to do something, you shut up and do it. Preferably with a smile.