Zach Britton = Mariano Rivera?

[DrungoHazewood]

Again, no. He threw a fastball and a cut fastball. That was it. If you want to split hairs and say the fastball is not the cut fastball, ok, but he threw the cutter over 90 percent of the time.

Ok... I'll quite arguing the point and let you have this one. So you have a sample of one. Name another pitcher who threw one pitch 100% of the time and was any good. Not even knuckleballers do that.

[atomic]

In Weaver On Strategy Earl makes a big deal about Sammy Stewart hitting 92 on the radar gun. Guys just didn't throw as hard back then.

Anyway, yea, Zack throws pretty hard even by current reliever standards and no they shouldn't more him out of the bullpen.

Pitchers pitched a lot more innings back then. Even relievers pitched a ton of innings. That was the days of 8 man pitching staffs.

[atomic]

Also I don't get threads like this and the one anointing Gausman the best starter. Haven't you seen enough baseball to know that other players adjust and short periods of success for young players is pretty meaningless predictor of future success.

[DrungoHazewood]

Also I don't get threads like this and the one anointing Gausman the best starter. Haven't you seen enough baseball to know that other players adjust and short periods of success for young players is pretty meaningless predictor of future success.

Yea, scouting and long-term records are better predictors than SSS bits. Which is fine because Gausman, Britton, and Machado all do quite well in most or all of those marks.

[Can_of_corn]

Pitchers pitched a lot more innings back then. Even relievers pitched a ton of innings. That was the days of 8 man pitching staffs.

Yes I know.

[Norfolk orioles]

He might not even be the best closer in the AL right now.

Sean Doolittle's 48-1 k ratio is almost unreal at this point.

Probably a tossup between Britton and Doolittle for me.

[Aristotelian]

Also I don't get threads like this and the one anointing Gausman the best starter. Haven't you seen enough baseball to know that other players adjust and short periods of success for young players is pretty meaningless predictor of future success.

As I said in the post, I was just being provocative. Obviously Britton has a long way to go before he can be seriously compared to Mariano. I am just exaggerating to make the point that Britton has done an amazing job so far, and I have no desire to see him become a starter in the forseeable future.

[weams]

As I said in the post, I was just being provocative. Obviously Britton has a long way to go before he can be seriously compared to Mariano. I am just exaggerating to make the point that Britton has done an amazing job so far, and I have no desire to see him become a starter in the forseeable future.

I had desire to have Mariano be turned back into a lousy starter. They never did it.

[atomic]

As I said in the post, I was just being provocative. Obviously Britton has a long way to go before he can be seriously compared to Mariano. I am just exaggerating to make the point that Britton has done an amazing job so far, and I have no desire to see him become a starter in the forseeable future.

Yeah I agree about keeping him a closer but even veterans who become closers who have great success one season end up being destroyed the next season.

[atomic]

Yea, scouting and long-term records are better predictors than SSS bits. Which is fine because Gausman, Britton, and Machado all do quite well in most or all of those marks.

None of those guys have had long term success. They will have to make adjustments all the time to make in the bigs. I don't understand why you guys overreact so much to short term streaks whether good or bad.

It is the same with the team. If the lose 4 in a row the season is over. If they win 4 in a row print the playoff tickets.

[Can_of_corn]

He might not even be the best closer in the AL right now.

Sean Doolittle's 48-1 k ratio is almost unreal at this point.

Probably a tossup between Britton and Doolittle for me.

And neither started the season at closer. :scratchchinhmm:

[crawjo]

Credit to the opening post, because I was having a similar thought watching Britton pitch today. Britton has found his role. It's nice to see a young talented pitcher find a way to be a good player at the Major League level. I definitely would keep him in the bullpen role now.

[Norfolk orioles]

Just for arguments sake.....you don't see very many braves fans arguing that they should convert kimbrel to a starter.

Don't mess with success.

[25 Nuggets]

And neither started the season at closer. :scratchchinhmm:

Nor did Koji last year.

BTW Uehara 2014: 0.57 ERA, 0.663 WHIP, 4.8 H/9, 42 K to 4 BB.

[Hank Scorpio]

It's not often you see so many swings and misses at a 95 mph fastball due to movement.

Britton hasn't lost any sink with added velocity and a LOT of guys completely miss the sinker. It's pretty amazing, really. He looks like he's found his calling.