What to do about the bullpen?

[eddie83]

Which doesn't make sense. I would rather burn one guy and send him down for a fresh arm than burn the whole bullpen.

Hunter sucks right now and you have the Garcia issue. Brach is more of a bridge guy.

[Crazysilver03]

The Orioles need to call up McFarland from Norfolk but I think he is stuck in Norfolk for awhile

because the Orioles view him as a 2016 starting pitcher candidate. Screw next year the

Orioles need to win now.

TJM just pitched 4.1 innings in Thursday and left the game after being hit by a line drive. He is not a candidate to be called up at the moment.

[eddie83]

TJM just pitched 4.1 innings in Thursday and left the game after being hit by a line drive. He is not a candidate to be called up at the moment.

I like TJ but I don't think he is the answer to our problems anyway. We need an arm that can get both righties and lefties out late.

[Crazysilver03]

I like TJ but I don't think he is the answer to our problems anyway. We need an arm that can get both righties and lefties out late.

I don't know who the answer is then. Maybe they give Drake a try since he is off on a tear to start the year.

[eddie83]

I don't know who the answer is then. Maybe they give Drake a try since he is off on a tear to start the year.

I don't either and that is the problem. Hunter and Gausman are really hurting this team right now. If we are counting on Matusz getting out good righties late it is going to be a long year.

[Three Run Homer]

You can't blame Hunter for tonight. He made a good pitch and got a bad result. He had some bad luck before giving up the grand slam to Drew as well. His luck will improve at some point.

Gausman has just been awful, though. Buck took him out of the game because he wanted to have a chance to win the game, and right now Gausman doesn't deserve to pitch in a close game unless you need a long man.

[Crazysilver03]

You can't blame Hunter for tonight. He made a good pitch and got a bad result. He had some bad luck before giving up the grand slam to Drew as well. His luck will improve at some point.

Gausman has just been awful, though. Buck took him out of the game because he wanted to have a chance to win the game, and right now Gausman doesn't deserve to pitch in a close game unless you need a long man.

Your last sentence is exactly what was needed tonight.

[25 Nuggets]

I'm not nearly as concerned about the bullpen as some of you guys are. We've got Brach (who settled down last outing), O'Day and Britton. Wesley Wright will be coming back. And it won't be long before we can talk McFarland, Mike Wright, etc.

Chen averaging five innings his first two starts... Norris averaging four... Tillman bounced in the third... and now the Jimenez ejection, that's the biggest problem right now IMO. We need more six inning efforts from the starters.

[eddie83]

I'm not nearly as concerned about the bullpen as some of you guys are. We've got Brach (who settled down last outing), O'Day and Britton. Wesley Wright will be coming back. And it won't be long before we can talk McFarland, Mike Wright, etc.

Chen averaging five innings his first two starts... Norris averaging four... Tillman bounced in the third... and now the Jimenez ejection, that's the biggest problem right now IMO. We need more six inning efforts from the starters.

No question the starters need to go deeper. I just think like most teams we do not have much margin for error. We have a solid, winning starting staff but not a dominate one.

At this moment we have Garcia who Buck does not want to use in a big spot and Hunter and Gausman who are struggling. Matusz is not someone to be trusted vs quality righties. That leaves Britton, O 'Day and Brach. We need Hunter to turn it around soon. Buck at some point might have no choice but to pitch Garcia in a tough spot.

[isestrex]

It tells me they didn't want to burn him for the rest of the series.

Which doesn't make sense. I would rather burn one guy and send him down for a fresh arm than burn the whole bullpen.

Exactly, Gausman is the long man. His entire job is to be a "one man burn" to save the rest of the bullpen.

[Rene88]

The Orioles need to call up McFarland from Norfolk but I think he is stuck in Norfolk for awhile

because the Orioles view him as a 2016 starting pitcher candidate. Screw next year the

Orioles need to win now.

He just got hit by a line drive in the knee last time. Plus he just pitched. Not an option.

Wright or Wilson.

[Il BuonO]

I wonder if the Yankees are far enough out of the picture by July they'd consider trading us Miller.

[gmelson26]

I did not think Matusz pitched poorly. His issue is that he can't get good RH hitters out. If he is used properly he will be fine.

I think because Buck doesn't trust any of the rest of the bullpen this is true. Matusz posted the lowest ERA of the bullpen the 2nd half of last year if used in his limited but potentially important role. Have him come in and face 2 lefties and out, or a lefty, righty (not a great one ), lefty. Gausman needs to spend 3 months developing in AAA or so. Hunter I think is the biggest problem at the moment.

[gmelson26]

No question the starters need to go deeper. I just think like most teams we do not have much margin for error. We have a solid, winning starting staff but not a dominate one.

At this moment we have Garcia who Buck does not want to use in a big spot and Hunter and Gausman who are struggling. Matusz is not someone to be trusted vs quality righties. That leaves Britton, O 'Day and Brach. We need Hunter to turn it around soon. Buck at some point might have no choice but to pitch Garcia in a tough spot.

Seems like every game is a close one concerning Garcia... I mentioned in real time during the game that Garcia should have been used in that one laugher rather than Hunter. I dunno.. I know Buck is the man who has forgotten more baseball than I've ever known, but a lot of bullpen use this year has been a head scratcher.

[Tx Oriole]

It is clear that Gausman doesn't want to be in the BP

He may not want to be but if he is a team player he will be where Buck wants

him to be. If its the BP so be it. IMO