Why can't we pitch?

[Scrat1]

People are breaking out the crazy in this thread.

[centralpaosfan]

Seriously, what is the big deal here? Why do the Orioles somehow find a way to rank near dead last in ERA, K/9 and HR/9 almost every year?

They had a pitching coach with a "personal issue?"

[Hank Scorpio]

Makes people feel better I guess.

Hahaha yeah, call him "horribly unclutch" instead of bad.

He's not bad, just had a joke of a start in a relatively big game for the team.

[rO'sesrfree]

Yep, he certainly came up small in the ALDS last year.

Wait...

in all fairness I wouldn't call the post season..."down the stretch". Chen is a good pitcher but he seems to be coming up short when we need him the most, but "in all fairness", obviously you can't blame it on any one person

[Tx Oriole]

No signed through next year and a team option for 2015.

Okay. Thank you.

[ShaneDawg85]

Funny how when they lose all the one dot trolls come out the woodwork.

[WEAVERMAN]

Wei Yin will bounce back big time. He's a tough kid with a lot of heart, he'll be back in form next time out.

[CaptainRedbeard]

Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez and Norris all belong in a major league rotation. The problem is, collectively, with a normal number 5 they are not the rotation of a playoff team. Even with an awesome offensive and defensive team (which we will probably have), we are not getting to the playoffs without a solid fifth guy to go with them. Not necessarily an ace, but probably like a 3 WAR guy (which still may be the best of all five).

[Scrat1]

Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez and Norris all belong in a major league rotation. The problem is, collectively, with a normal number 5 they are not the rotation of a playoff team. Even with an awesome offensive and defensive team (which we will probably have), we are not getting to the playoffs without a solid fifth guy to go with them. Not necessarily an ace, but probably like a 3 WAR guy (which still may be the best of all five).

I don't agree with this. I think it's more an instance of too little, too late. If we'd started the season with Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman as our rotation, I bet we'd be neck and neck with Boston, or damn close to it. The problems are 1) we blew a ton of games early on with Hammel, Britton, Arrieta, Gausman and Garcia and 2) Jim Johnson.

Considering our offense and defense, a rotation of Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman would have been good enough to get the job done. The performance gap between Norris and Feldman and what our other 4/5 starters have done is enormous.

I'm not necessarily critiquing DD for failing to acquire another starter last offseason, because it made sense to see if Arrieta and Britton would stick and, of course, Hammel was lights out much of last year. It was a reasonable gamble to take, but pretty much no one panned out.

[WNY Orioles Fan]

I don't agree with this. I think it's more an instance of too little, too late. If we'd started the season with Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman as our rotation, I bet we'd be neck and neck with Boston, or damn close to it. The problems are 1) we blew a ton of games early on with Hammel, Britton, Arrieta, Gausman and Garcia and 2) Jim Johnson.

Considering our offense and defense, a rotation of Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman would have been good enough to get the job done. The performance gap between Norris and Feldman and what our other 4/5 starters have done is enormous.

I'm not necessarily critiquing DD for failing to acquire another starter last offseason, because it made sense to see if Arrieta and Britton would stick and, of course, Hammel was lights out much of last year. It was a reasonable gamble to take, but pretty much no one panned out.

No. If JJ would not have blew all those damn saves we'd be neck and neck with Boston.

[WNY Orioles Fan]

I don't agree with this. I think it's more an instance of too little, too late. If we'd started the season with Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman as our rotation, I bet we'd be neck and neck with Boston, or damn close to it. The problems are 1) we blew a ton of games early on with Hammel, Britton, Arrieta, Gausman and Garcia and 2) Jim Johnson.

Considering our offense and defense, a rotation of Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman would have been good enough to get the job done. The performance gap between Norris and Feldman and what our other 4/5 starters have done is enormous.

I'm not necessarily critiquing DD for failing to acquire another starter last offseason, because it made sense to see if Arrieta and Britton would stick and, of course, Hammel was lights out much of last year. It was a reasonable gamble to take, but pretty much no one panned out.

No. If JJ would not have blew all those damn saves we'd be neck and neck with Boston.

[Scrat1]

No. If JJ would not have blew all those damn saves we'd be neck and neck with Boston.

I mentioned Johnson in my post...

[CaptainRedbeard]

I don't agree with this. I think it's more an instance of too little, too late. If we'd started the season with Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman as our rotation, I bet we'd be neck and neck with Boston, or damn close to it. The problems are 1) we blew a ton of games early on with Hammel, Britton, Arrieta, Gausman and Garcia and 2) Jim Johnson.

Considering our offense and defense, a rotation of Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Norris and Feldman would have been good enough to get the job done. The performance gap between Norris and Feldman and what our other 4/5 starters have done is enormous.

I'm not necessarily critiquing DD for failing to acquire another starter last offseason, because it made sense to see if Arrieta and Britton would stick and, of course, Hammel was lights out much of last year. It was a reasonable gamble to take, but pretty much no one panned out.

Oh yeah, I agree. Sorry I wasn't clear, I was really talking about next season. I think DD did all he reasonable could have and should have on the starting pitching front in the offseason and the trade deadline. I don't think a Tillman/Chen/Gonzo/Norris/Feldman rotation all year would have gotten us into guaranteed playoff position, but would have gotten us close.

I liked the Feldman and Norris deals. We were really hurt badly by Hammel's awful season/injury, Bundy's injury, and the inability for Arrieta/Britton/Gausman to fill the 5th spot in the rotation. We had plenty of starting candidates at the start of the season and really burned through them.

Next year, I think we do need to step up and get a solid SP to go with Tillman/Chen/Gonzo/Norris. Gausman should have to force his way on the team and can be that crucial 6th starter depth, and he's the best of our in-house options. If we go into 2014 without a SP acquisition, it's going to be a tough road to the playoffs. Basically, we need to get somebody who is a clear upgrade over what Feldman is now.

[Camden_yardbird]

Next year the Orioles goal should be least RA in the AL East, and they should do anything possible to meet that goal.

[Scrat1]

Next year, I think we do need to step up and get a solid SP to go with Tillman/Chen/Gonzo/Norris. Gausman should have to force his way on the team and can be that crucial 6th starter depth, and he's the best of our in-house options. If we go into 2014 without a SP acquisition, it's going to be a tough road to the playoffs. Basically, we need to get somebody who is a clear upgrade over what Feldman is now.

I agree with all of this, though I'd be pretty happy if they brought Feldman or an equivalent pitcher back for the fifth spot. Fortunately there are a lot of good 3/4 guys available this offseason and I think DD won't have much trouble finding a solid guy for a one or two year deal. I'm mostly worried about whether or not the money will be there. Even with Roberts' money coming off the books, pretty much all of it is going to get chewed up in arbitration raises.