Jake Arrieta going to be fifth starter surmises Roch (No Orioles Confirmation)

[Il BuonO]

2008- 13 starts at low A - 9-2 2.34 ERA (got promoted or would have had a big season in low A

2009- 16 starts at High A- 8-4 3.82 ERA (in the toughest pitchers league in the lower minors earning a promotion to AA)

2009- 9 starts in AA with an ERA well under 3.00

2010- Bad season at AA

2011- 10 starts at AA with a 2.16 ERA earning a promotion

2012- 14 starts at AAA with a 2.86 ERA

In review, since 2008, when he was 20 years old, Steve Johnson has earned a promotion at each level he has started out by pitching well, EVERY YEAR, except 2010. That's 4 out of 5 years but go ahead and try to tell us how he struggled in rookie ball at age 17 back in 2005 and he hasn't proven himself at every level. Wouldn't just be easier to say you were wrong sometimes?

So, help me out. Maybe I missed it. You put up the stats. What happened to the 2005 to 2007 seasons? And your choosing not to count the bad part of 2008? Ok.

[Il BuonO]

I'm not trying to make the argument that Johnson is as good as Matusz or Arrieta. You said Johnson hadn't prove himself at every level. That's wrong. You shouldn't have used it as part of your argument. That's not twisting your post. It's picking out something inaccurate and pointing it out. You don't seem to understand the difference.

And I admitted that in the above post. So, I do understand. Try not to be such an arrogant jerk and follow along.

[Crazysilver03]

So, help me out. Maybe I missed it. You put up the stats. What happened to the 2005 to 2007 seasons? And your choosing not to count the bad part of 2008? Ok.

Well your statement was that he didn't prove himself at each level, but RZ showed the stats that he did. Does it matter how many years it might have took him to prove it? You didn't specify years, you looked at levels.

[Il BuonO]

So, I should not have said nothing. I won't twist it but did you really look at the numbers? Other than last year at AAA what year specifically were you talking about? Because I count three, maybe four in his minor league career where he put up good numbers. If that's proving yourself at every level, then, yeah you got me.

That's an admission. Saavy? I can always do that. It was not my intention to say he hadn't done his work in the minors. Not sparkling numbers, ok? The intent of the post was that he is not as good as either Matusz or Arrieta. There was even a response to scOtt where I wished that Jake had his know-how when it actually came to pitching.

[Tony-OH]

Ok, let's chill out a bit fellas.

Steve Johnson has proven himself at every level, just not right away. His command has been better since last year and at the end of the day, he's pitched very well against major league hitters. I wonder if Arrieta is named the 5th starter and Matusz is put into the bullpen, will the Orioles move Hunter or Ayala to make room for Johnson?

[Crazysilver03]

Ok, let's chill out a bit fellas.

Steve Johnson has proven himself at every level, just not right away. His command has been better since last year and at the end of the day, he's pitched very well against major league hitters. I wonder if Arrieta is named the 5th starter and Matusz is put into the bullpen, will the Orioles move Hunter or Ayala to make room for Johnson?

If Arrieta is 5th starter, and Matusz is in bullpen, then Hunter or Ayala would have to go to keep McFarland.

[Il BuonO]

I must have had trouble with the double negative.

Now you're an English teacher? I'll remember that.

[Tony-OH]

JMO, but if someone gets dealt, its not to make room for Johnson but for McFarland.

Maybe, but clearly you are a bigger fan of McFarland than I am.

[Tony-OH]

I like Steve Johnson. However, it's not about what I think or you think, it's about what the Orioles think. Do they like this kid (McFarland) enough to want to keep him? Johnson has an option. McFarland can't be sent down. I need to see more of McFarland to see if I like him but his last 2-3 appearnces have been good, statistically speaking.

Hey wow, thanks man. All this time I thought they made moves on what I thought!

Regardless though, I'm not a fan of McFarland's stuff nor do I think his minor league numbers suggests he's good enough to hold a roster spot over Johnson or Hunter. Now I've only seen him twice on TV so maybe its gotten better, but when I saw him he just looks like he has average minor league AAA lefty stuff to me.

Saying that, I do like the fact he can get ground balls and he might not be the worse long reliever on this team, especially if they go with four right-handed starters. Obviously having a left-handed long reliever would be optimal since you assume most managers would stock their starting lineup with guys who hit righties well. So in this scenario, I could see them sending Johnson back down to remain a starter while either Hunter or Ayala is moved to make room for McFarland.

IF, the Orioles believe McFarland can hold that job down, then I think his chances of sticking become much greater. As you pointed out earlier in the thread, it will not be as a LOOGY since he doesn't get left-handers out particularly well.

[scOtt]

If Arrieta is 5th starter, and Matusz is in bullpen, then Hunter or Ayala would have to go to keep McFarland.

Rather keep Ayala. But whatever works...

[El Gordo]

Rather keep Ayala. But whatever works...

Well, they need a better option at third string C, so they could definitely get that with Ayala, and it would make room for McFarland, but Ayala was the spiritual leader of the pen last year, and I would worry about the loss of chemistry. He kept things loose and was very well liked.

[weams]

I think in the perfect world the Orioles wouldve preferred Matusz to have earned the job. I know for a fact that Duquette wants another lefty in the

rotation, but Jake has the better numbers and overall better ST performance...for NOW ..he will be the #5 guy..until things change..and they likely will

once the season starts .

I am sure you are right.

[scOtt]

Y'all make it sound like Jake in the 5th spot is a GOOD thing!

We'll all see just how well this works out! :rolleyestf:

[blid]

I think in the perfect world the Orioles wouldve preferred Matusz to have earned the job. I know for a fact that Duquette wants another lefty in the

rotation, but Jake has the better numbers and overall better ST performance...for NOW ..he will be the #5 guy..until things change..and they likely will

once the season starts .

This is nonsense. Matusz's numbers have been very good and if in a perfect world the Orioles want him, well they have him.

Brian Matusz

2/25: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K's

3/02: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K*

3/08: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's*

3/13: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K's*

3/19: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K's*