Grantland: Why Is One of Baltimore's Best Starting Pitchers Stuck in the Bullpen?

[BradyBunch]

Reports of Gausman's demise are premature. Haha. Folks are actually wondering if he'll be a starter one day? C'mon. He'll be a stud 1-3 starter in Baltimore within the next 2-3 seasons. How he gets there, who knows? But he'll get there. The guy was throwing 100-mph plus out of the pen. If anything, he appears to get more physically dominant with each passing day. When the mental and skill aspects catch up - and they will - he's going to be scary. Never fear!

Throwing 100 out of the pen is being a 93-95 starter who can touch 96-98 occasionally. If you don't have other pitches you become a bp guy no matter what. Ask Matsuz, Britton, Tommy Hunter. They never developed solid pitches outside of the two they threw. The mental and skill side needs to develop in AAA like they did for Tilly. A pitcher knows that's what the minors are for. MLB is not the place to learn a new pitch or even spring training. Bring up McFarland and send KG down for starts.

[AlbionHero]

Throwing 100 out of the pen is being a 93-95 starter who can touch 96-98 occasionally. If you don't have other pitches you become a bp guy no matter what. Ask Matsuz, Britton, Tommy Hunter. They never developed solid pitches outside of the two they threw. The mental and skill side needs to develop in AAA like they did for Tilly. A pitcher knows that's what the minors are for. MLB is not the place to learn a new pitch or even spring training. Bring up McFarland and send KG down for starts.

From the article:

Since 2008, according to Brooks Baseball’s Harry Pavlidis, only 24 starting pitchers have thrown at least one fastball that’s reached 100 mph — and Gausman has done it three times as a starter.

He can certainly do 100mph as a starter.

And his pitches are good enough for success if last year is any indicator. He was already our best pitcher in the advanced stats.. I just wish he'd be given a chance.

[crawjo]

I think sending Gausman down to AAA to start would be a great idea. I'd expect him to be back up in the Majors (and starting) by June.

[BradyBunch]

From the article:

He can certainly do 100mph as a starter.

And his pitches are good enough for success if last year is any indicator. He was already our best pitcher in the advanced stats.. I just wish he'd be given a chance.

He can't for 7ip. He'll rip one every so often but again limited starts last year. He avg little less then 6ip per start. So he could do it. But what happen when he goes 160 plus IP each season? Is he gonna be able to rip 100mph in the 6th in a jam in the middle of Sept? Odds are no. So he's gonna have to learn to actually pitch. Then on top of that his numbers were good last year As he was a guy in the league. Not a big scouting report. So he could pound fastballs, a weak splitter/change up. 2015 is different. He's known.

His advance stats from spring and so far is horrible. A FIP of 6.9 . KG has been exposed as a thrower and not a pitcher. Oh and his pitch speed is down. Baseball essential did an article on this issue based on current facts and not some half witted grant and article.

[BradyBunch]

And that is based on how many innings? I happen to agree that he's more of a thrower than a pitcher right now but I wouldn't base too much on his numbers from ST and a few innings so far.

8.1 IP in semi pressured situations. Basically not a bp pitcher. So AAA to learn how to pitch so he can be a starter in the future.

[DrungoHazewood]

8.1 IP in semi pressured situations. Basically not a bp pitcher. So AAA to learn how to pitch so he can be a starter in the future.

I'm very glad you're not making the decisions.

[atomic]

lol cute

Gausman wasn't drafted 4th overall to be put in the bullpen. Gausman clearly has the talent and upside to be in the rotation right now.

The team isn't paying Jiminez 12 million and Norris 8 million to pitch from the bullpen..

Also note we have a fourth overall and a fifth overall who both were drafted before Gausman pitching at Bowie. And we have another 4th overall as a lefty specialist. Draft position earns you nothing.

[Nevermore]

His fastball movement is ridiculous. If you want to see bad fastballs, watch Hunter or Scott Feldman pitch.

It basically boils down to the organization, for some reason, doesn't think anything of him and has no faith in him. Hard to perform well when you're getting vibes like that from your own people.

It has little or none to do with Os management having no faith in Gausman. There were 6 starting pitchers and only 5 spots in the rotation. I'm sure that it's disappointing to Kevn G that he's ended up being the odd man out in the bullplen. I was listing to The Fan today on my way home and the guy (forget his name) was suggesting that Kevin's mediocre pitching may be caused by his disappointment in not being in the starting rotation. I hope not; Kevin should be more mature than that.

The $64M question: if Kevin Gausman were to be moved to the starting rotation, then who comes out of the rotation to work out of the bullplen?

[weams]

Bud Norris may be faster than Jiminez and have better control, but he does not have better stuff.

Very, Very, Very True.

[weams]

The Fan today on my way home and the guy (forget his name) was suggesting that Kevin's mediocre pitching may be caused by his disappointment in not being in the starting rotation. I hope not; Kevin should be more mature than that.

Yeah, I have no idea who it was. But that's not a reasonable suggestion.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I respectfully disagree. Jimenez has been a below average pitcher with diminished velocity since 2010. The only significant stretch that his ERA has been below 4.00 in that same time frame was July-September of 2013 and that got him a payday from the Orioles.

The question wasn't about the better ERA between Norris and Jiminez the past couple years, or the better command or the better FB velocity, it was about who has the better "stuff". That is clearly Jiminez. If you really can't really see it, the difference in K rate alone should tell it to you.

[QBsILLEST1]

Well now that I am actually analyzing the situation, it almost feels like we are doing everything in our powers to keep Gausman from reaching his potential due to the "business" side of things. He has pitched well enough the last 2 years to be a rotation mainstay. However due to the business, we keep playing around with him. Minors, bullpen rotation (repeat). Yes perhaps this year he hasn't looked too good, but either has Norris and he is in the rotation working out the kinks. Like Norris, Gausman has earned a rotation spot (job security), however he hasn't been rewarded. All because we pay the other pitchers more or because he has options. I really feel that we are wasting his service time and not getting the value from him that he could presently provide, not to mention the value he could POTENTIALLY provide if he gets better.

[Bradysburns]

A two pitch pitcher is a disaster as a starter. Especially one who has no breaking pitch. Gausman should be in AAA work on a slider and developing a 4th pitch as well. If you want a 4th pick to be the stud... Got expect him to have 4 pitches. Tilly has 3 pitches and is our "ace". We need to aim higher here and not settle on what gausman has. Just a fastball and change up which every hitter can hit.

I thought Gausman was developing a change as well?

[CA-ORIOLE]

I thought Gausman was developing a change as well?

He has a great changeup (actually 2 types) . Not much of an issue there.

[Bradysburns]

And that is based on how many innings? I happen to agree that he's more of a thrower than a pitcher right now but I wouldn't base too much on his numbers from ST and a few innings so far.

Also, what do you base his velocity being down on? According to fangraphs he's touched 100 and has averaged 95.5 on his fastball.

I am not too fixated on him throwing 100mph... We all know it's more about location and movement, and having something to keep the hitters from simply timing that batting-cage fastball for home runs (Armando Benitez anyone?). Still... KG has the best arm in the organization already. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

To even be assessing him on spring training and the first handful of games seems almost pointless, with all due respect. I understand the idea that he could be down in AAA throwing a lot of innings (and a lot of sliders, or split-changes, or whatever he's trying to nail down for his secondary offerings).

At the same time, he might be talented enough to jump in at some point this season as an Orioles starter... get by on a great fastball and a solid secondary pitch... and just work on that third one during his starts.

I think if you have an upper-90s fastball, you should probably be throwing that about 80 percent of the time or more, if you can locate it, of course.