Zach Britton is Too Filthy for the Pen

[scOtt]

Can anyone confirm this? I don't remember him having that kind of velocity.

My memory is ALWAYS suspect! But I think so. Like I said, when he was right.

[Can_of_corn]

My memory is ALWAYS suspect! But I think so. Like I said, when he was right.

I have seen him that high, but with the four seamer. I can't say with certainty I saw him hit that with the sinker.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I have seen him that high, but with the four seamer. I can say with certainty I saw him hit that with the sinker.

Yeah, he has hit that high but the average FB velocity is clearly a couple mph higher now according to Brooks Baseball.

[sandman0838]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

He could become a great RP for us, let's see him put up numbers this year then maybe stretch him out next season if needed.

[scOtt]

Yeah, he has hit that high but the average FB velocity is clearly a couple mph higher now according to Brooks Baseball.

So maybe pitching out of the pen HAS given him a boost.

[CA-ORIOLE]

So maybe pitching out of the pen HAS given him a boost.

That's usually the case.

[Frobby]

Can anyone confirm this? I don't remember him having that kind of velocity.

To my surprise' date=' Scott's memory is good. Here's pitch f/x datas from Zach's second start of 2011, in which his FB averaged 94 and touched 97: [url']http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?month=4&day=9&year=2011&game=gid_2011_04_09_texmlb_balmlb_1%2F&pitchSel=502154&prevGame=gid_2011_04_09_texmlb_balmlb_1%2F&prevDate=49&league=mlb[/url] I'm not saying he did that every game, but he was capable of dialing it up to 97 on occasion.

[BohKnowsBmore]

I figure it makes sense to post what I did at the end of the game-thread here:

Yeah, I mean I fully acknowledge that my desire to see him back in the rotation is based on a good deal of hope/baseless optimism and perhaps a small bit of reason.

On the other hand, his control wasn't a big problem in the minors, his BB/9 was usually average to slightly above average. It wasn't terrible in his rookie year either. I feel like with the confidence that his stuff is back--as it is--and that he can challenge hitters, + not having as fine a margin of error as you do when you're a reliever, that he could show good enough control to be successful. I just feel like he's got a lot of Tilly in him re: attitude/demeanor ("want-to" ) and that like with Tilly, his stuff is back to where it was when we got excited with him in the first place.

I dunno, I've always been a Zach believer. He convinced me in his (admittedly uneven) rookie season, and I think injuries derailed him from there. He's clearly healthy now, so I'd be disappointed not to see him get another shot; I think he's still got all the upside of that guy we had such high hopes for in his debut season.

But clearly there's little to be done now. You don't take Norris, Gonzalez, or Chen out of the rotation unless they really become seriously ineffective, and I don't see that happening. But injuries always can and will happen. If not, as I've said, I would like us to sell high one of those aforementioned three at the deadline (but when has this team ever sold high? HELLO, Jim Johnson!), not just for the sake of Britton but also for Gausman and Bundy.

Ugh, all that money on Jimenez looks worse every day...

I think you make some good points here. The only thing intake exception with is the end. Jimenez didn't pitch today. Why must we seemingly find a way to have a pity party or feel bad about the Os every time something good happens? Britton pitches well out of the pen, we lament the ubaldo signing three starts in. Flaherty looks good, we piss and moan that buck road Roberts (too much deference to vets!) when he was healthy last season. Steve clevenger makes a hit, we complain about Wieters or at least make comments about how replaceable he is. Anyone works a good at bat with 6,7 or more pitches and we scream "Adam, are you watching!?!?" Heck, if Adam has a good PA patience-wise it seems that all anyone wants to talk about is every other PA he's had in his career, exaggerated or otherwise. Sometimes, to quote one of my favorite lines from Breaking Bad, we need to learn to take yes for an answer.

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[BohKnowsBmore]

To the point of the OP, I like Britton where he is right now. That sentiment is partly that I don't want to mess with a good thing and partly that his role is incredibly valuable right now. As others have mentioned, he uses a lot of pitches per inning, but 1, 2, or 3 innings? He's awesome to have in a tight game, especially if the starter is having a laboring 20 pitches per inning type of day like Gonzo today. Will really help Buck avoid leaving a starter in the game for the proverbial "1 inning too many" we've talked about a fair amount around here.

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[FlaOs]

Here's a novel idea. How about we wait another month or two. Then see how he and others are pitching before you make a determination on where he should be pitching. I realize this requires some patience, which seems to be lacking around here.

Agree with this. Why mess with what's working? That said, I'd like to see someone bump Norris from the rotation at some point. Hopefully Gausman, but whoever it is, it has to happen.

[Can_of_corn]

Agree with this. Why mess with what's working? That said, I'd like to see someone bump Norris from the rotation at some point. Hopefully Gausman, but whoever it is, it has to happen.

Have had a decent start from everyone except the 50 million dollar man so I don't expect to see anyone get bumped for a bit.

[MrOrange82]

Have had a decent start from everyone except the 50 million dollar man so I don't expect to see anyone get bumped for a bit.

I still say Ubaldo's first start was decent. He made one, true, boneheaded mistake to Napoli that was crushed. Apart from that, Papi's HR spelled the difference between a "very good" and a "meh" start, and very, very few people could have turned on a well-inside, running fastball like Ortiz did.

Regardless, Ubaldo started out exactly the same way last year. I like that he's totally unafraid to mix his pitches. I think his velocity will rebound slightly as the months wear on (it has the last two years), and we won't be worried about him at all once the season's winding down.

[Frobby]

Regardless, Ubaldo started out exactly the same way last year.

Which is why he'll get an incredibly long leash this year. That and the $50 mm we are paying him. That said, although I have not studied his mechanics in prior years (I know they are infamously erratic), he does not look very comfortable with his delivery right now. I get the feeling that he'll struggle until he finds a comfort zone, and it could take a while.

Back to Britton -- I think the real question is, what do the O's do if someone in the rotation gets injured? Right now I'd guess McFarland would get the call and they'd leave Britton in the pen. But I could argue that Britton should start in that scenario and they can bring in another reliever. As a reminder, Patton is eligible to come off suspension on April 30.

[Can_of_corn]

Which is why he'll get an incredibly long leash this year. That and the $50 mm we are paying him. That said, although I have not studied his mechanics in prior years (I know they are infamously erratic), he does not look very comfortable with his delivery right now. I get the feeling that he'll struggle until he finds a comfort zone, and it could take a while.

Back to Britton -- I think the real question is, what do the O's do if someone in the rotation gets injured? Right now I'd guess McFarland would get the call and they'd leave Britton in the pen. But I could argue that Britton should start in that scenario and they can bring in another reliever. As a reminder, Patton is eligible to come off suspension on April 30.

Just run Tillman out there twice as often.

[Frobby]

Just run Tillman out there twice as often.

Kind've like the Dodgers used to do with Koufax. (Not literally, but he did start 9 of the Dodgers' last 30 games in 1965, and picked up a save in relief, posting a 1.51 ERA in that stretch. I wonder why he was spent at age 30?)