Is Johnson the new Captain Chaos?

[eddie83]

Nobody else with 17+ saves has more than 3 blown saves. He has more saves because he has more opportunities. The three closers right behind him in saves only have 1 blown save. Also, out of the top 30 pitchers in saves, he is 21st in WAR.

I'm not trying to bash JJ. I do not care who is blowing these saves. It's not a personal thing. But it is a real problem. The O's should be the top team in the AL but they are instead 3.5 back because their closer has 6 losses, 5 blown saves, and goes out there and throws a "stinker" way too often for a closer. It's costing them valuable games and ultimately could cost them a playoff berth.

What should they do, get rid of him? O'Day has let up HR's in his last 2 outings and Hunter let up a 2 run shot Friday to a guy with zero HR's in his career to tie the game The whole pen in the last week can share the blame.

[LAOSfan]

JJ hasn't had good command, and/or been able to keep his pitches down since the beginning of the playoffs last year.

This simply isn't true. JJ was pretty dominant the first month and a half of the season.

[WalkingDead]

What should they do, get rid of him? O'Day has let up HR's in his last 2 outings and Hunter let up a 2 run shot Friday to a guy with zero HR's in his career to tie the game The whole pen in the last week can share the blame.

Nothing they can do this year but next year don't offer him Arbitration. http://baseballplayersalaries.com/players/116_Jim_Johnson wow this is sad.

[CA-ORIOLE]

He walked the first batter by not being close to the strike zone. The double was hit off the wall (i.e., hard...regardless of whether a tremendous defensive play maybe, possibly, could have snared it). And if you, as a closer, have to rely on the double play to get yourself out of a jam that you created...then, yes, you're having a pretty terrible night.

Well, he is what he is though. When he's on, he's a GB pitcher that doesn't K a lot of guys and puts balls in plays. Getting the DP is a strength. I agree that the leadoff walk was horrible, but it's not like he has a high BB rate.

[Mondo Trasho]

There are time when Jim Johnson looks absolutely filthy. But, when it rains, it tends to pour with him.

I don't know how you correct that or if it can be corrected. He is what he is at this point: more often than not he gets the job done, but he's doesn't have the stuff of legend.

[Orioles2012]

Well, he is what he is though. When he's on, he's a GB pitcher that doesn't K a lot of guys and puts balls in plays. Getting the DP is a strength. I agree that the leadoff walk was horrible, but it's not like he has a high BB rate.

The problem with the double play is that you have to put guys on in order to get it. I would much rather have 3 pop-outs than relying on a DP.

[Frobby]

JJ hasn't had good command, and/or been able to keep his pitches down since the beginning of the playoffs last year.

You're wrong. In his first 19 appearances this year Johnson had a 0.95 ERA and a WHIP under 1.00. In his last 14 appearances before today, JJ had an ERA of 0.68 and a WHIP under 1.00. He had excellent command for most of that time.

But you are a chronically negative poster so go on putting the worst negative spin every time things don't go the Orioles' way.

[WalkingDead]

Most closer when they get 1st and 3rd 1 out can Strikeout a hitter. Jim just cant do this and leads to blown saves.

[Mondo Trasho]

Most closer when they get 1st and 3rd 1 out can Strikeout a hitter. Jim just cant do this and leads to blown saves.

He can strike guys out. He just can't do it consistently. He can't control it.

He'll just be going along and randomly he'll make some hitter look silly, and then go back on his way getting ground ball outs.

[OriolesFaithful]

Then why as the inning went on did he get 2 groundballs when his arm should of been more tired?

Yes, he got two groundball outs but he had absolutely no control in the rest of the ABs.

When he's on, he's great but something was obviously amiss here tonight and its all the symptoms of a tired arm.

If there was no such thing as a closer or a save, then Tommy Hunter comes in the game bc Buck would have said, 'Gee, I can't use the pitcher who threw 50 pitches in back-to-back games'.

[simplysupreme]

The Orioles are now tied for the league lead in blown saves, with 15. That's not gonna cut it, whoever screws up. That'll be the ticket out of the playoffs if they don't clean it up.

How many more save situations do we have in comparison to the league? Know we at least lead the league in save situations and that we have the least amount of 6+ innings starts. That's a lot of pressure on our bullpen.

[bradyrocks]

You're wrong. In his first 19 appearances this year Johnson had a 0.95 ERA and a WHIP under 1.00. In his last 14 appearances before today, JJ had an ERA of 0.68 and a WHIP under 1.00. He had excellent command for most of that time.

But you are a chronically negative poster so go on putting the worst negative spin every time things don't go the Orioles' way.

If you watched those last 14 games, youd see he DID NOT regain that control. Just because his ERA and WHIP were down, doesnt mean he cured his problems that lead to that horrid stretch. Instead it just looked like he didnt get as unlucky, used the curve a little more, and got more generous bad swings. Jim really has not looked the same for a while now. Its just the numbers on a one inning a night pitcher really arent going to show you any real substance, just watch the pitch locations

[Jonesy10]

You're wrong. In his first 19 appearances this year Johnson had a 0.95 ERA and a WHIP under 1.00. In his last 14 appearances before today, JJ had an ERA of 0.68 and a WHIP under 1.00. He had excellent command for most of that time.

But you are a chronically negative poster so go on putting the worst negative spin every time things don't go the Orioles' way.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but pretty much in every game thread when JJ gets a save, there are many posters commenting on how he is still leaving the ball up in the zone. IMO even when he has been good this year, he hasn't consistently been able to keep the ball down. He may be able to for one appearance, but he can never seem to consistently get it down for a number of appearances in a row.

[Norfolk orioles]

He had 5 days off prior to that. He isn't overworked.

That has absolutely nothing to do with the 50 pitches he threw in the last two games.

He's a sinkerballer, if he is tired and can't get the ball down, he's gonna get rocked. That's exactly what happened and pretty much everyone said as much too. Only buck and a few blind posters didnt see that inning coming.

[Norfolk orioles]

His K rate is significantly higher than the past two years when he was considered dominant.

And pretty much everyone said that was going to lead to regression.....which is exactly what we are seeing.