2014 Zach Britton Today

[OFFNY]

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[Il BuonO]

Yeah, I'm completely confident in his abilities at this point. The AB with the runner on 2nd was just filthy. A 94-95 mph sinking FB is just really difficult to get the barrel on that well. Or, at all.

IP 0.1

H 0

R 0

BB 0

SO 0

2014 ERA 1.17 and a microscopic .98 WHIP

[OrangeJerseys]

Filthy McNasty.

[SurhoffRules]

I was thinking that Zach has been extra filth lately so I looked it up.

In his 6 appearances spanning 5.1 innings from April 26th to today.

Zach has not gived up a flyball or a line drive.

Zach has struck out 6 batters.

Zach has given up 1 hit and 2 walks.

Zach has lowered his ERA from 1.20 to 0.89.

Hope he stays on his roll. He's on pace to throw 92 innings this season.

[SurhoffRules]

As great as he's been, his command/control still makes me nervous.

Looking at his body of work in the minors and majors, I don't think he's ever going get his walk rate below 3 per 9. He's shown himself to be effective at that rate provided he's getting lots of ground balls and a decent number of strike outs. He's K/BB rate stands at 2.14 right now, which was actually his career MiLB rate as well. I think if he hovers around 2 and keeps them pounding it into the ground, he'll do just fine. He might have a bad outing here or there, but such is life.

Edit: Right now 82% of the balls in play have been on the ground off Zach. That probably won't last.

[higgybaby]

They need to find a way to stretch him out and make him a starter. Period.

[Il BuonO]

As great as he's been, his command/control still makes me nervous.

Really? I seem to remember you being down on him before the season started. You were a lot more forgiving of Wada than you are of Britton and almost everyone agrees he's been lights out. I understand the hesitancy coming in but what exactly is there not to like in his current role?

Looking at his body of work in the minors and majors, I don't think he's ever going get his walk rate below 3 per 9. He's shown himself to be effective at that rate provided he's getting lots of ground balls and a decent number of strike outs. He's K/BB rate stands at 2.14 right now, which was actually his career MiLB rate as well. I think if he hovers around 2 and keeps them pounding it into the ground, he'll do just fine. He might have a bad outing here or there, but such is life.

Edit: Right now 82% of the balls in play have been on the ground off Zach. That probably won't last.

Right and even if you say he's a one pitch pitcher, which I don't (he threw a beautiful CB for a SO last night), he's been effective with that. Just stay healthy.

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. BREWERS, 5/26)

A little shaky today when he allowed 2 baserunners (a single and a walk) with one out, and a one-run lead, BUT ......

(POSTED AFTER THE WALK)

.

This is a tough spot, but we still have the best sinkerball relief pitcher in baseball on the mound.

He closed the deal by inducing a game-ending, groundball double play.

[Il BuonO]

As great as he's been, his command/control still makes me nervous.

I felt a little bit this way watching him today. When he gets behind he has to elevate the sinker to throw a strike and it loses it's effectiveness. Have to work ahead. And he was hanging the CU, too. Of course when he needed it he got the GB.

The word of the day for Oriole pitchers is 'command'.

[Il BuonO]

Nothing to say here really. I just couldn't wait til tomorrow to change my avatar to the next starting pitcher.

Zach > Bud

[Bradysburns]

Britton is already a great closer. To cash that in and hope you get a TOR starter in the bargain equals very risky, IMO - especially when you have Gausman, Santana and a couple other good starters waiting in the wings. I hope they leave Zach exactly where he is for now.

[Il BuonO]

Britton is already a great closer. To cash that in and hope you get a TOR starter in the bargain equals very risky, IMO - especially when you have Gausman, Santana and a couple other good starters waiting in the wings. I hope they leave Zach exactly where he is for now.

Has someone alluded to him becoming a starter?

[orioles119]

Has someone alluded to him becoming a starter?

He is a starter... he starts the 9th inning.

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. D-RAYS, 6/18)

3 up, 3 down.

2 strikeouts.

12 pitches, 10 for strikes.

An 0.72 E.R.A. for the season.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=340618130&teams=baltimore-orioles-vs-tampa-bay-rays

[Il BuonO]

o

(vs. D-RAYS, 6/18)

3 up, 3 down.

2 strikeouts.

12 pitches, 10 for strikes.

An 0.72 E.R.A. for the season.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=340618130&teams=baltimore-orioles-vs-tampa-bay-rays

And he hit 97 mph a couple times. Makes me wonder if he's throwing the four seamer again because especially on the first SO he was up in the zone on strike three and the ball looked looked straighter to me but exploded out of his hand.

Yet, he was still getting swings and misses with the sinker.

Filthy McBritton