Who are our top five pitchers below AAA?

[LookinUp]

I understand excluding the news guys, but when you add them and put on your orange colored glasses for the org as a whole, one could make the case that we don't even need a FA starter this offseason. Incredibly, after all of these years our org pitching strength still depends on the cavalry delivering.

ML - Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, Tillman, Hunter, Wada

AAAish - Matusz, Arrieta, Britton (hoping Peterson's offseason can help all turn the corner)

AA - Bundy (soon), Drake, Bundy

Others - Rodriguez, Gausman, Kline, Wilson, Wright, Schrader, Pomeranz, Egan, Rutledge, Price, Chalas

[glenn__davis]

I understand excluding the news guys, but when you add them and put on your orange colored glasses for the org as a whole, one could make the case that we don't even need a FA starter this offseason. Incredibly, after all of these years our org pitching strength still depends on the cavalry delivering.

ML - Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, Tillman, Hunter, Wada

AAAish - Matusz, Arrieta, Britton (hoping Peterson's offseason can help all turn the corner)

AA - Bundy (soon), Drake, Bundy

Others - Rodriguez, Gausman, Kline, Wilson, Wright, Schrader, Pomeranz, Egan, Rutledge, Price, Chalas

Need to sign at least one legitimate FA starter. Hammel and Chen have been revelations, but you can't count on either to repeat their success next year. If you could push those two back deeper into the rotation we just might finally have a legitimate starting staff.

[skanar]

Other possibilities not mentioned yet: Clay Schrader, Tim Berry (4.34 ERA, 21 at Frederick), and Zach Davies (3.75 ERA, 19 at Delmarva). Also, Ryan Berry has had an excellent stretch in relief for Frederick after getting off to a rocky start on his own injury recovery tour. Age and relief status probably preclude a higher ranking.

Before this season, Sickels had Bundy (#2 overall), Bundy (5), Klein (6), Bridwell (8), Schrader (12), and Rodriguez (13). Dan Klein went under the knife for labrum surgery; he probably has to be considered at about the level of Troy Patton when the O's traded for Patton. BBundy was ineffective and is now injured; hopefully the former is due to the latter. Bridwell has been terrible but those who scout still like his stuff. Schrader had another year preventing hits, allowing walks, and striking out everyone, but he needed to show control improvement to make progress, and he hasn't. All four could easily fall out of the top 5 O's pitchers.

Mike Wright has definitely come on strong, and he'll be in. Rodriguez has been solid, and will also be in. Dylan Bundy will be #1. That leaves two slots; I'd be inclined to go with Tim Berry as the fourth (his season this year is very similar to BBundy's last year), and flip a coin between BBundy, Dan Klein, and Zach Davies (whose right-handedness and lack of projection hold him back) as the fifth.

TL;DR: Bundy, Wright, Rodriguez, Tim Berry, and Zach Davies, but if you think either can come back from his injury, BBundy or Klein in the 5th spot.

[LookinUp]

Need to sign at least one legitimate FA starter. Hammel and Chen have been revelations, but you can't count on either to repeat their success next year. If you could push those two back deeper into the rotation we just might finally have a legitimate starting staff.

I completely agree, for what it's worth. Watch this be the year we spend $100m on a FA starter, he'll bust but Matusz turns into the next Glavine next year. Lol.

[xian4]

Matt Hobgood is back throwing

[Slappy]

Need to keep in mind also that DD was able to get Chen and Gonzalez in a short offseason. I want us to home grow some pitching too, but there are ML quality starters out there to go get.

[clapdiddy]

Matt Hobgood is back throwing

Where is he throwing?

[clapdiddy]

Need to keep in mind also that DD was able to get Chen and Gonzalez in a short offseason. I want us to home grow some pitching too, but there are ML quality starters out there to go get.

Hopefully Wada will fill a back of the rotation role next season. I don't think we can count on that, though.

[Tony-OH]

Other than Dylan Bundy and Rodriguez I'd love to know if Tony or anybody else that has some kind of scouting eye would bet on any other guy fitting the OP parameters making 5 career big league starts.

Excluding the 2012 draftees, Wright would be the only other guy although he's probably destined for the pen at some point. I got some interesting reports on Zach Davies as well in Delmarva, but the your point is well taken. There's not a ton of starting pitching candidates in the system. Let's hope Gausman and Kline can become additional viable options in the future.

[Lucky Jim]

He's been awful and I really don't want to hear what kind of stuff he has.

That's pretty silly.

[xian4]

Where is he throwing?

Starting throwing on July 28th in Sarasota - From his Twitter account

Tdano ‏@Kal_El3325

@MattHobgood How's the arm holding up? Are you rehabbing it now?

Matt Hobgood ‏@MattHobgood

@Kal_El3325 Good! Throwing now! Feeling good

[Oldorioles]

Here are the top seven I have ranked in order. Note: I didn't include Steve Johnson because, even though he's not a member of the cavalry, he is pitching at AAA. Otherwise, he would have made this list too.

1) Dylan Bundy

2) Eduardo Rodriguez

3) Zach Davies

4) Mike Wright

5) Tyler Wilson

6) Juan Guzman

7) Bennett Parry

[BigmanU]

Here are the top seven I have ranked in order. Note: I didn't include Steve Johnson because, even though he's not a member of the cavalry, he is pitching at AAA. Otherwise, he would have made this list too.

1) Dylan Bundy

2) Eduardo Rodriguez

3) Zach Davies

4) Mike Wright

5) Tyler Wilson

6) Juan Guzman

7) Bennett Parry

This is probably the best list I've seen posted. Well thought out.

[flaoriolesfan]

Juan Guzman is a pitcher I have been watching. 21 years old, ERA's of 2.60,1.09, and this year so far 1.76. Averages about a strikeout an inning. This year 41 IP, 29 Hits, 12 BB, and 47 SO.

[cutfastball]

What kind of stuff does Devin Jones have? Good results in relief at Delmarva, decent at Fred, except strikeouts way down. How hard does he throw?