Buck would not commit to Ubaldo getting another start.

[Frobby]

If Ubaldo was the worst pitcher in a five man starting rotation, that wouldn't be so terrible. But we have five guys who have clearly been doing better than him through 3/4 of a season, and at some point you have to do with the guys who are doing the best. I don't know if they'll move Ubaldo to another role right now, but he's on borrowed time.

I think we all need to understand that Ubaldo was a four year investment. Just because he's been disappointing this year doesn't mean he can't come back and be good next year. It happens all the time.

[MrOrange82]

If Ubaldo was the worst pitcher in a five man starting rotation, that wouldn't be so terrible. But we have five guys who have clearly been doing better than him through 3/4 of a season, and at some point you have to do with the guys who are doing the best. I don't know if they'll move Ubaldo to another role right now, but he's on borrowed time.

I think we all need to understand that Ubaldo was a four year investment. Just because he's been disappointing this year doesn't mean he can't come back and be good next year. It happens all the time.

Something I've said repeatedly over the last few months. The problem, of course, is that Ubaldo's bad first year happens to be coinciding with one of the O's best competitive opportunities in the last couple of decades. Well, that, and his "stuff" is substantially diminished from what it was a couple of years ago. We haven't been seeing even a 92-94 MPH FB from Jimenez this year. He's been living at around 90-91. Pair that with terrible command, and it doesn't provide much reason for hope going forward.

[Aristotelian]

Gonzo has outperformed Ubaldo for the year, and was outperforming him the last couple months. The problem is, Ubaldo has established a much higher ceiling. He has put up multiple years where he has been in the Cy Young conversation. He was a legitimate ace starter for the second half last year. He has earned the right to try to get his stuff back, especially while we have a substantial lead. If our lead gets down to 3-4 games, then we reconsider.

[weams]

Ubaldo or not, you don't win a game without scoring. We miss Manny.

[wildcard]

If Ubaldo was the worst pitcher in a five man starting rotation, that wouldn't be so terrible. But we have five guys who have clearly been doing better than him through 3/4 of a season, and at some point you have to do with the guys who are doing the best. I don't know if they'll move Ubaldo to another role right now, but he's on borrowed time.

I think we all need to understand that Ubaldo was a four year investment. Just because he's been disappointing this year doesn't mean he can't come back and be good next year. It happens all the time.

I agree but I will go one step further. Ubaldo is the O's 6th best starter. But the O's are one sore elbow, one pulled groin, or on bad blister away from needing Ubaldo in the rotation. Then fans will be glad he is on the team.

And yes, he pitches ugly. Too many pitches per inning. Too many walks. Only lasts an average of 5 2/3 innings. But in May and June he kept his ERA under 4.00. Then the injury happened.

To get the best that Ubaldo has to offer the O's need to pitch him every 5th day. That is not happening right now. So stash him in the pen, but realize what you have with him. A guy who can step in and start every fifth day and fill a void if someone goes down.

I don't know if Ubaldo is with the O's next year. Not only is he the 6th starter but the O's will have Tim Berry, Tyler Wilson and Zach Davies to ride the Norfolk shuttle at some point next year. They will also have Dylan Bundy at some point. So what that means to Ubaldo we will see.

[connja]

And I am not saying he's not 6th best right now but to say he's a disaster this whole season would be wrong and that he's been given a chance since coming of the DL is wrong as well.

This is a forum where people called for the scalp of Tillman when he had a few bad games in a row and saying Chen is useless after the 6th already this year. It happens, it's baseball. Ubaldo's issue is control, not his lack of ability to pitch and despite all his walks since May.. his ERA (before tonight) has been 3.80 despite giving up 46 walks.

Problem is there is only 6 weeks left in the season - time to put your best foot forward. Unfortunately Ubaldo hasn't earned it at this point. Hopefully he'll get it right in the bullpen, be able to focus for shorter periods of time and throw strikes.

[larrytt]

Gonzo has outperformed Ubaldo for the year, and was outperforming him the last couple months. The problem is, Ubaldo has established a much higher ceiling. He has put up multiple years where he has been in the Cy Young conversation. He was a legitimate ace starter for the second half last year. He has earned the right to try to get his stuff back, especially while we have a substantial lead. If our lead gets down to 3-4 games, then we reconsider.

Did you see Ubaldo's stats over the last four years from earlier in this thread, broken down by pre- and post-allstar? And compare them to Gonzalez's? One 13-start stretch doesn't make up for the other 102 poor ones since 2010. He's never been in the Cy Young conversation except for his 2010 season (back when he had the 97 MPH fastball he no longer has), the only year he was an all-star. Other than 2010, when he finished third, he hasn't received a single Cy Young vote in his entire career, not even last year, his only good season (or half season) since 2010.

[wildcard]

The only way Ubaldo is not an Oriole next year is if they trade him for someone else's problem (Edwin Jackson, Andre Ethier, ARod, etc.)

Something like that. DD is patient. He will find a deal that lessens the outstanding financial obligation. Maybe a leftfielder or a 2nd baseman that is over paid. Jim Johnson was a 10M salary dump. Ubaldo will be a 38.75M salary dump. It will be a little harder to do.

[o'sfansince1970]

He's got no place in the pen either. Send him down until next year.

[El Gordo]

He's got no place in the pen either. Send him down until next year.

Don't people realize that he can't be sent down? If he could be he'd be there now instead of Gonzo.

[ExileAngelos]

Ken Wyman discussing the situation right now on 105.7 I agree with him. He figures Ubaldo will get two or three more starts and then gets buried in the bullpen when rosters expand on Sept 1. I assume we'd probably leave him off the post season roster as well.

[SteveA]

Don't people realize that he can't be sent down? If he could be he'd be there now instead of Gonzo.

He can't be sent down without his permission.

If he decided to put the good of the team first, and go down to Norfolk and wokr on his problems in their rotation for a few weeks, he most certainly could do that.

If he chooses to put his selfish needs above the good of the team, and force the team to send a more deserving pitcher who has earned a right to be in the rotation and who can help the team win more, down to Norfolk... Ubaldo can do that as well.

Looks like he has chosen the latter path.

[O's84]

He can't be sent down without his permission.

If he decided to put the good of the team first, and go down to Norfolk and wokr on his problems in their rotation for a few weeks, he most certainly could do that.

If he chooses to put his selfish needs above the good of the team, and force the team to send a more deserving pitcher who has earned a right to be in the rotation and who can help the team win more, down to Norfolk... Ubaldo can do that as well.

Looks like he has chosen the latter path.

To be fair, almost no MLB player permits his team to send him down.

[Rene88]

If Ubaldo was the worst pitcher in a five man starting rotation, that wouldn't be so terrible. But we have five guys who have clearly been doing better than him through 3/4 of a season, and at some point you have to do with the guys who are doing the best. I don't know if they'll move Ubaldo to another role right now, but he's on borrowed time.

I think we all need to understand that Ubaldo was a four year investment. Just because he's been disappointing this year doesn't mean he can't come back and be good next year. It happens all the time.

Great post as usual. I am not ready to write Ubaldo off as a bad contract yet, but right now we don't have the luxury of waiting for him to work things out.

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[Rene88]

It sounds to me (compete speculation on my part) that the Os have asked him to go down and maybe he has refused. Perhaps this is why you see Buck a little tougher on him word wise in his comments. Just my guess. I wouldn't be shocked to see Ubaldo go down now though, he seems like a class act.

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