Gausman Wasn't Ready, Now What?

[Lester Freamon]

The pitch to Moore was either a hanging changeup or (more likely) a hanging slider. One of the worst I've seen. Some questionable pitch calling by Wieters. 2-0 fastball to LaRoche when the changeup is a good pitch for the kid. Calls for the slider (looked like), the kid's 3rd best pitch against Moore. Gausman had a really nice 3rd inning by getting the changeup over and keeping the fastball down. After watching two games, it looks like even at 95-97 he can't get away with the fastball up in the zone over the plate. I'm not sure if he should get another start or not but since we don't really have any other options, unless you want to go with McFarland, he probably will.

One thing to keep in mind is that Gausman has not shaken off Wieters yet since he has been up. I don't know nearly enough about pitching if this was more about poor pitch calling or just poor pitch placement by Gausman. Maybe a little of both?

[FanSince88]

His AAA outings haven't been good by any stretch but I would still bring Wada up and see what he has to offer. Those were technically "rehab" outings in Norfolk. Wada should be a bit more experienced than Gausman. I'm sure he's not going to set the world on fire but it's better than demoralizing a young prospect before he's ready for prime time.

Plus, what do you have to lose, you're paying Wada 8.5 million, might as well see if he can give you your money's worth in the big leagues. Would hate to see all that money go to waste and never even be tested in the MLB. Use him or lose him.

[Spy Fox]

Personally, I would give him another start or two. But I won't be surprised or upset if they send him back down and give Britton or Jurrjens a few turns with the O's.

[Malike]

Definitely poor location by Gausman. No doubt about that. However, you have LaRoche at the plate in the 1st with a 2-0 count, sitting fastball. Gausman has a good change and can throw it for strikes. That's when you should call it.

As for Moore. I think it was a 1-2 count. A fastball on the outside corner would have been the pitch but who knows if Gausman would have executed it. He had good fastball location in the 3rd. It seemed like Wieters just decided to start calling for sliders in the 4th, which is probably the pitch Gausman is most likely to make a mistake with. Too many pitches down the middle by Gausman. You would figure that at 95-97 he'd get away with a few mistake fastballs but he didn't tonight.

It doesn't help that his fastball lacks movement as shown by that awesome thread charting all of his pitches.

[wildcard]

That would be a mistake. Britton isn't ready either.

Agree that Brittoon is not ready but he is the most ready of the pitchers to pick from. At least he is stretched out. McFarland goes 2 again to night. If Buck wanted to put McFarland in line for the next start he would have let him in longer. Johnson will be lucky if he can help in the pen. He is not pitching as good as last year yet.

I doubt the O's want to continue to send Gausman out there to get beat up again. He is too important to the O's future for that.

[Spy Fox]

Personally, I would give him another start or two. But I won't be surprised or upset if they send him back down and give Britton or Jurrjens a few turns with the O's.

Actually, I'd like to amend this. Thinking about it more, if they don't keep Gausman in the bigs I'd like to see McFarland get a few starts and Arrieta called up to work out of the pen. McFarland has been consistently good and should be able to pitch 5 or 6, and it'd be interesting to try the Arrieta-as-a-reliever experiment for more than a couple of games.

[Frobby]

Gausman isn't missing any bats. How many swinging strikes did he get tonight, and how many were on fastballs? His fastball doesn't seem to move much, IMO.

[wildcard]

I don't know what the O's will do. Maybe they will recall Britton. Stretched or not stretched, I think it's about time for McFarland to get his chance.

One thing for sure I don't want to see Gausman against the best offense in the AL. Odds are it would not be pretty vs the Tigers.

[Bradysburns]

I had a bad feeling about this - Gausman's numbers (WHIP, in particular) were pretty stellar at Bowie. BUT... they made this move out of desperation. That's never a good reason or excuse to accelerate the schedule of your top prospect - especially not a pitcher, IMO.

I think with Manny last year, they really just needed someone who could catch a grounder cleanly at third. THey weren't looking for offense, at least at first. But a pitcher, of course, cannot hide behind good defense.

I'm hoping they make a move of some kind - would prefer to see Kevin go to the bullpen, or to Norfolk, but not back to Bowie. They've got an interesting situation on their hands now.

Personally, I think it's time for Matusz to get another shot at the rotation.

[crawjo]

I don't think this was a desperation move. They had other options they could have gone to. Jurrjens hadn't pitched so badly as to disqualify him from another start. I think they made the move because they thought Gausman was ready.

I don't know what I'd do now. Part of me thinks this should just be part of the growing curve, and he should be given the chance to improve. The other part thinks that he should have nothing to do with facing the Detroit Tigers right now.

[murph]

The Moore HR was most definitely not a fastball. It was a hanging slider.

The pitch to Moore was either a hanging changeup or (more likely) a hanging slider. One of the worst I've seen. Some questionable pitch calling by Wieters. 2-0 fastball to LaRoche when the changeup is a good pitch for the kid. Calls for the slider (looked like), the kid's 3rd best pitch against Moore. Gausman had a really nice 3rd inning by getting the changeup over and keeping the fastball down. After watching two games, it looks like even at 95-97 he can't get away with the fastball up in the zone over the plate. I'm not sure if he should get another start or not but since we don't really have any other options, unless you want to go with McFarland, he probably will.

PitchFx agrees, it was a slider and it looks like he threw two sliders against Moore. As other's have said about the pitch calling, why not that devastating change up at least once if not both times?

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?s_type=2&sp_type=1&batterX=32&inning1=y&inning2=y&inning3=y&inning4=y&inning5=y&inning6=y&inning7=y&inning8=y&inning9=y&month=05&day=28&game=gid_2013_05_28_balmlb_wasmlb_1%2F&year=2013&pitchSel=592332&prevGame=gid_2013_05_28_balmlb_wasmlb_1%2F

[murph]

Boston lost again tonight, NY is looking like they will probably win, but still I think we are in it enough that one more start is warranted. Three bad starts (if it goes that way) should not leave the kid so rattled he can never get it back. And if he can figure it out, become the 5th stater we need, it would be a great boost for him and the team.

[Lester Freamon]

Boston lost again tonight, NY is looking like they will probably win, but still I think we are in it enough that one more start is warranted. Three bad starts (if it goes that way) should not leave the kid so rattled he can never get it back. And if he can figure it out, become the 5th stater we need, it would be a great boost for him and the team.

Rivera just blew a save! Not over yet. TB did win though.

[Lester Freamon]

Rivera just blew a save! Not over yet. TB did win though.

Mets win!

[murph]

Rivera just blew a save! Not over yet. TB did win though.

Mets win!

Had to happen eventually.

Both teams are struggling a bit right now, it's early May, we have won 3 out of our last 4, I hope Gausman does get another shot.

TB is worrisome too of course, but this is the AL east.