T.J McFarland

[ChuckS]

With 5 righthanded starters lefty McFarland probably fits the long man role better then anyone else the O's have. Especially the way he pitched tonight.

Worley is safe because of his 2.6m contract. Wright, Wilson and Givens are the other pitchers with options. Wright probably starts on Sunday. Wilson has pitched well. Givens has had his problems so far this season. I can see him being the one optioned.

I think Givens needs a longer leash and the team needs to show him the confidence to stick with him. He could potentially be one of our top three relievers this year. I do not think the same could be said for the other guys.

Will be interesting to see how things shake out when both Matusz and Gausman return.

[Three Run Homer]

We need long men in the bullpen this time of year while the starters are building up pitch counts. So option Givens for now, let him dominate at Norfolk for a month and then bring him back when we don't need as many long men any more.

[Sessh]

His performance tonight probably means he stays on Sunday when Matusz is activated. Givens is probably optioned.

I agree. Givens has some work to do. He's not ready just yet to be in the majors. He needs secondary pitches and he needs to learn how to control them. TJ looked better than I've ever seen him and I think he did earn

himself a spot on the roster for now.

[ChuckS]

I agree. Givens has some work to do. He's not ready just yet to be in the majors. He needs secondary pitches and he needs to learn how to control them. TJ looked better than I've ever seen him and I think he did earn

himself a spot on the roster for now.

So I guess the two innings he's thrown in 2016 mean more than the 30 he threw here in 2015? A reliever does not need secondary pitches (plural). Most relievers get by on two pitches.

There is no reason to be so quick to pull the hook on a guy that could be a valuable piece of the back end of our bullpen this year.

[Sessh]

So I guess the two innings he's thrown in 2016 mean more than the 30 he threw here in 2015? A reliever does not need secondary pitches (plural). Most relievers get by on two pitches.

There is no reason to be so quick to pull the hook on a guy that could be a valuable piece of the back end of our bullpen this year.

I agree, he could be, but you're putting a whole lot of weight on 30 innings of work last year. That was the first 30 innings the league saw of him. Second, sure two pitches could work, but not when you can't control

one of them. Givens does not have adequate control of his slider. O'Day uses two pitches, but he has control over both of them. Givens has control over one of his. He needs to improve that and 30 great innings last

season does not make a major league reliever. Givens has a ton of upside, but he's not there yet. No one is "pulling the plug" on him, but he needs to work on his slider.

[Rene88]

I don't think Givens is going anywhere personally. We will see.

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[JLee2027]

Maybe cold weather affected him? My vote is Wilson goes down, as Worley got the start nod.

[Aristotelian]

I am guessing the 3 innings is a sign that there is no plan to use TJ again any time soon. Keep Wilson, then send bring TJ back up after Wilson pitches, etc.

[wildcard]

So rain looks less likely for tonight's game. So if Wright gets his start the way he pitches could affect his ability to stay on the roster. I think either Wright or Givens go down if Wright has a poor night.

I don't think Buck and Dan would look at sending any one with options to Norfolk as a big demotion. They are a phone call away and players on the shuttle will be moved frequently this season. Increase Drake and Despaigne in that shuttle group.

[Rene88]

Nats game postponed already.

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[BoltonBob]

Great game, T.J.

I hope that you have more like them for the Orioles this season.

I Met TJ's family and travel team coach (Southside of Chicago clan),:2yay-thumb::2yay-thumb: drinking w/them in Sarasota last Spring. They shared that TJ McFarland was the Indians? fourth-round pick in the 2007 amateur draft right out of high school, before being scooped up in 2013, by the O's in the Rule 5 draft. Just prior to the signing, TJ's Illinois (Chicago's) Sparks "travel team" reached the 2008 NATIONAL WWBA final four. The Sharks came back from 4 runs down, in the final inning of the semi-finals, fo tie it, brought in TJ to pitch, then went ahead in extra innings , giving him the win. He also got the save in the championship game to give them the tittle.

After selecting TJ, a 6-foot-3, 209-pound sinkerballer, Dan Duquette said. ?If you look at his record, over the course of his career, he?s won [48] games and lost [31], which is very rare for a young pitcher, very rare to find a young pitcher with that type of winning record. So we know he has a knack for winning games and hopefully that knack will transfer to the major leagues.?

Originally a starter, he went 16-8 with a 4.03 ERA in 27 combined starts at Double-A and Triple A in 2012. He was 8-6 with a 4.82 ERA in 17 starts for AAA Columbus in his first taste at the highest level in the minor leagues, before being a Rule 5 pick of the O's.

I hope he gets an opportunity to start in the not to distant future.

[backwardsk]

Looks like Matusz isn't going to come back until mid to late next week. He's expected to pitch 2-3 innings on Monday and then come up after that. Sounds a little odd that they are stretching him out.

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[OFFNY]

o

9 OUTS: 7 Groundouts, 1 Strikeout, 1 Lineout

TIMOTHY JOHN McFARLAND O(vs. D-RAYS, 4/08)

IP:. 3

H:;; 1 ll(1 Single)

R:l) 0

BB: 0

SO: 1

Pitches: 42 (30 Strikes, 12 Balls)

2016 ERA: 0.00

PITCHES BY INNING

****************

23 (16 Strikes, 7 Balls)

11 (81 Strikes, 3 Balls)

81 (61 Strikes, 2 Balls)

(vs. RED SOX, 4/11)

0.67 Inninngs

1 Hit (Single)

1 Run

1 Walk

12 Pitches (7 Strikes, 5 Balls)

2016 ERA: 2.45

[OFFNY]

o

4 OUTS: 2 Groundouts (Including 1 Double Play), 1 Flyout

TIMOTHY JOHN McFARLAND O (vs. RED SOX, 4/12)

IP:. 1.33 *

H:;; 1 ll(1 Single)

R:l) 0

BB: 0

SO: 0

Pitches: 11 (7 Strikes, 4 Balls)

2016 ERA: 1.80

* McFarland entered the game with a runner on 2nd base, and 1 out.

PITCHES BY INNING

****************

6 (3 Strikes, 3 Balls) **

5 (4 Strikes, 1 Balls) ***

** McFarland recorded 2 outs in the 8th inning.

*** McFarland recorded 2 outs in the 9th inning before departing.

[OFFNY]

o

3 OUTS: 1 Strikeout, 1 Groundout, 1 Flyout

TIMOTHY JOHN McFARLAND O (vs. RANGERS, 4/14)

IP:. 1

H:;; 0 ll

R:l) 0

BB: 1

SO: 1

Pitches: 14 (8 Strikes, 6 Balls)

2016 ERA: 1.50

PITCHES BY INNING

****************

14 (8 Strikes, 6 Balls)