Dylan Bundy update

[Can_of_corn]

How is it any better for Bundy to be pitching in Bowie or Norfolk than Baltimore? I guess they don't care about winning, so they can goof around and put him in any role than want, even taking up a roster spot for one inning a week. But if he's healthy and getting results in the minors I don't see much that precludes him from pitching for the Orioles when he's medically cleared.

You could make the case that minor league innings are inherently less stressful then major league innings.

[DrungoHazewood]

You could make the case that minor league innings are inherently less stressful then major league innings.

I think that's a fact. But if he can go five or six innings in Norfolk he should be able to pitch relief in Baltimore.

[SpeaktoDamien]

The organization already decided he was ready to help the team in the most important stretch of games in 10+ years back in 2012. If he had not gotten injured, he would have started 2013 on the major league roster. So, the question now is not development, it is health and rehab. Once medically cleared, he is ready for Baltimore.

All that said, he is the prized prospect and he will be treated with kid gloves. My guess is he will get 3-4 rehab starts in Bowie/Norfolk, and if things go well, he will be in the bullpen in Baltimore by early July. And really, he could easily be the closer except Buck may not want to pitch him back-to-back nights. Most baseball writers thought he was the best starter on the team going into 2013 spring training.

[Can_of_corn]

I think that's a fact. But if he can go five or six innings in Norfolk he should be able to pitch relief in Baltimore.

I agree, I was just making a case for the other side.

[Can_of_corn]

The organization already decided he was ready to help the team in the most important stretch of games in 10+ years back in 2012. If he had not gotten injured, he would have started 2013 on the major league roster. So, the question now is not development, it is health and rehab. Once medically cleared, he is ready for Baltimore.

All that said, he is the prized prospect and he will be treated with kid gloves. My guess is he will get 3-4 rehab starts in Bowie/Norfolk, and if things go well, he will be in the bullpen in Baltimore by early July. And really, he could easily be the closer except Buck may not want to pitch him back-to-back nights. Most baseball writers thought he was the best starter on the team going into 2013 spring training.

I think the plan was what they are doing with Gausman this year. Letting him fine tune his game while keeping him where it is easier to manage his innings. I would have expected him up fairly early in 2013.

[calebelias]

I'm fully in agreement with speakstodamien. When healthy, Bundy is in B'more. Period. Actually very surprised that a number of well respected posters seem to think he wont pitch in the bigs until Sept. at best. Baffling. He will be in the pen no later than July 31st.

[Frobby]

The organization already decided he was ready to help the team in the most important stretch of games in 10+ years back in 2012. If he had not gotten injured, he would have started 2013 on the major league roster. So, the question now is not development, it is health and rehab. Once medically cleared, he is ready for Baltimore.

All that said, he is the prized prospect and he will be treated with kid gloves. My guess is he will get 3-4 rehab starts in Bowie/Norfolk, and if things go well, he will be in the bullpen in Baltimore by early July. And really, he could easily be the closer except Buck may not want to pitch him back-to-back nights. Most baseball writers thought he was the best starter on the team going into 2013 spring training.

I'm fully in agreement with speakstodamien. When healthy, Bundy is in B'more. Period. Actually very surprised that a number of well respected posters seem to think he wont pitch in the bigs until Sept. at best. Baffling. He will be in the pen no later than July 31st.

I don't see how you guys draw that conclusion. Rosters expanded to 40 players in September. Bundy was on the 40-man. The minor league season was over. He got called up and pitched 1.2 innings. From that you are concluding that he was in Baltimore to stay? I think that is a preposterous conclusion.

[SpeaktoDamien]

Buck was not playing 40 guys in close games just to give them a taste of the majors. He was brought up to help the team, and he was getting the ball ahead of guys who were in the pen all season. But sure, I see your point. I'm basing my take on that, but more the quotes and news the offseason before 2013 and Buck's quotes the last few months. He was more advanced than Gausman. He is better than Gausman. He is ready to help in Baltimore, and with the need for RHH bullpen, he can help in Baltimore that way, keep his innings down and still develop. Makes too much sense for it not to happen.

[Can_of_corn]

Buck was not playing 40 guys in close games just to give them a taste of the majors. He was brought up to help the team, and he was getting the ball ahead of guys who were in the pen all season. But sure, I see your point. I'm basing my take on that, but more the quotes and news the offseason before 2013 and Buck's quotes the last few months. He was more advanced than Gausman. He is better than Gausman. He is ready to help in Baltimore, and with the need for RHH bullpen, he can help in Baltimore that way, keep his innings down and still develop. Makes too much sense for it not to happen.

If you think back you will remember that Bundy got called up because even with the expanded roster the O's had managed to blow up the bullpen. He wasn't part of the original promotions.

He wasn't starting 2013 on the OD roster unless he had been completely dominant in ST (and probably not even then).

[Frobby]

Buck was not playing 40 guys in close games just to give them a taste of the majors. He was brought up to help the team, and he was getting the ball ahead of guys who were in the pen all season.

Not really. His first game was on September 23. He came in to a game the Orioles already were losing with one out in the 9th, 2-1. Patton, Ayala and Matusz already had pitched in that game, and the day before, the Orioles had played a 12 inning game in which Arrieta, Strop, and Hunter all had been used. Yes it was a tight game, but Buck didn't have a lot of options and they were behind.

His second game was on September 25, losing 4-0 in the 9th. Not exactly your key situation.

The Orioles played 7 games after that, with the race going down to the wire, and Bundy was never used again.

I really don't see that as an indication that the O's don't think Bundy needs more time in the minor leagues before he is a finished product. And I'm sure they didn't draft him to be a relief pitcher. They've already lost nearly 1.5 seasons of development time thanks to his TJ surgery and I seriously doubt they will want him spending time in the Orioles bullpen when he could be starting games at Bowie or Norfolk. If they need bullpen help in September when the minor league season is over, that's another story.

P.S. -- Let's see how he pitches in the minors this year. He may not be that dominant right away after rehabbing for 18 months. I'm not expecting him to be great right away this year, even at the AA/AAA level.

[Can_of_corn]

Not really. His first game was on September 23. He came in to a game the Orioles already were losing with one out in the 9th, 2-1. Patton, Ayala and Matusz already had pitched in that game, and the day before, the Orioles had played a 12 inning game in which Arrieta, Strop, and Hunter all had been used. Yes it was a tight game, but Buck didn't have a lot of options and they were behind.

His second game was on September 25, losing 4-0 in the 9th. Not exactly your key situation.

The Orioles played 7 games after that, with the race going down to the wire, and Bundy was never used again.

I really don't see that as an indication that the O's don't think Bundy needs more time in the minor leagues before he is a finished product. And I'm sure they didn't draft him to be a relief pitcher. They've already lost nearly 1.5 seasons of development time thanks to his TJ surgery and I seriously doubt they will want him spending time in the Orioles bullpen when he could be starting games at Bowie or Norfolk. If they need bullpen help in September when the minor league season is over, that's another story.

P.S. -- Let's see how he pitches in the minors this year. He may not be that dominant right away after rehabbing for 18 months. I'm not expecting him to be great right away this year, even at the AA/AAA level.

For the record, I am.

[Frobby]

For the record, I am.

Why? It's no commentary on Bundy's talents, but for me, I just don't think it is that easy to scrape off 18 months of rust. And remember, Bundy only had three starts in AA under his belt to begin with, and was good but not spectacular (3.24 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, 1.63 K/BB). I'd be surprised if he matched that in his first three AA starts this year (depending on how much time he spends at lower levels before he goes to AA; I don't know what their plan is).

[Can_of_corn]

Why? It's no commentary on Bundy's talents, but for me, I just don't think it is that easy to scrape off 18 months of rust. And remember, Bundy only had three starts in AA under his belt to begin with, and was good but not spectacular (3.24 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, 1.63 K/BB). I'd be surprised if he matched that in his first three AA starts this year (depending on how much time he spends at lower levels before he goes to AA; I don't know what their plan is).

I believe in his work ethic.

[Frobby]

I believe in his work ethic.

So do I. But there's no substitute for pitching to live hitters who have a certain level of skill. And, I try to keep my expectations modest since I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.

[B-more]

I agree that he is not coming up before September. Bundy has lost a lot of development time due to the injury and the team will want him to build his innings up and continue that development. They can manage his innings in the minors. Once the minor league season is over then they may decide to give him some additional innings in the majors in September.

Even assuming that Bundy no longer needs development and is considered major league ready when he is fully healthy, the team will want to build his innings up and the minors is the best place for that as it will take time before he will get his pitch count cap up to a reasonable amount since the team will likely be cautious with his recovery and pitching rehab. The O's have shown they adhere to gradually building up innings pitched from one year to another, as the pitch count limits on Gausman and Bundy's early career pitch count limits have shown. They will likely continue to do that so Bundy can potentially help as a starter for the O's in 2015. That means he will start in the minors to build his innings pitched for 2014 up and not pitch relief in the majors this year until the minor league season has ended, at the earliest.