Would you consider putting Britton in the rotation at the start of 2016?

[Frobby]

There's no question that Zach Britton is a dominant reliever, and in that role he's able to thrive using one dominant pitch 90% of the time. As a starter, he wouldn't be able to use that approach.

I'm still a bit tempted to try him as a starter at the beginning of 2016, however. If you look back on is career, he had a pretty nice debut season as a starter, but had shoulder issues in the second half that detracted from his final stats. Those problems persisted the next year, and the following year he had command issues and didn't show any consistency. He worked out with the weighted balls in the winter of 2013-14, and before it was known what his role would be, Brady Anderson predicted we'd see a different Britton in 2014 due to his conditioning. He worked on his command issues with Wallace and Chiti that spring, got put in the bullpen, and the rest is history.

For me, it's not as simple as saying Britton has succeeded because he was moved to the bullpen. He got healthy, he found a workout routine that worked for him, and he learned to command his sinker. He also matured and gained confidence. So, am I sure that he could be an effective starter? No, not really. But I think it might be a good thing to find out. I never joined those folks who wanted to try Jim Johnson as a starter, but I'm much more interested in seeing what Britton could do. Especially with our one lefty starter likely to leave in free agency this winter.

What say you?

[theobird]

There's no question that Zach Britton is a dominant reliever, and in that role he's able to thrive using one dominant pitch 90% of the time. As a starter, he wouldn't be able to use that approach.

I'm still a bit tempted to try him as a starter at the beginning of 2016, however. If you look back on is career, he had a pretty nice debut season as a starter, but had shoulder issues in the second half that detracted from his final stats. Those problems persisted the next year, and the following year he had command issues and didn't show any consistency. He worked out with the weighted balls in the winter of 2013-14, and before it was known what his role would be, Brady Anderson predicted we'd see a different Britton in 2014 due to his conditioning. He worked on his command issues with Wallace and Chiti that spring, got put in the bullpen, and the rest is history.

For me, it's not as simple as saying Britton has succeeded because he was moved to the bullpen. He got healthy, he found a workout routine that worked for him, and he learned to command his sinker. He also matured and gained confidence. So, am I sure that he could be an effective starter? No, not really. But I think it might be a good thing to find out. I never joined those folks who wanted to try Jim Johnson as a starter, but I'm much more interested in seeing what Britton could do. Especially with our one lefty starter likely to leave in free agency this winter.

What say you?

I agree, and I have said it several times on here. It usually is not met by a whole lot of enthusiasm on the board, but I see no reason that Britton could not be a very solid starter. And next year, with Chen likely gone, I think it would be a smart thing to do to at least give Britton a look at the rotation.

[Can_of_corn]

You can't build the team around the idea of him being in the rotation and you can't send him to the minors if he needs additional time to make the transition.

I also would not want to put that much strain on his shoulder.

[Old#5fan]

There's no question that Zach Britton is a dominant reliever, and in that role he's able to thrive using one dominant pitch 90% of the time. As a starter, he wouldn't be able to use that approach.

I'm still a bit tempted to try him as a starter at the beginning of 2016, however. If you look back on is career, he had a pretty nice debut season as a starter, had shoulder issues in the second half that detracted from his final stats. Those problems persisted the next year, and the following year he had command issues and didn't show any consistency. He worked out with the weighted balls in the winter of 2013-14, and before it was known what his role would be, Brady Anderson predicted we'd see a different Britton in 2014 due to his conditioning. He worked on his command issues with Wallace and Chiti that spring, got put in the bullpen, and the rest is history.

For me, it's not as simple as saying Britton has succeeded because he was moved to the bullpen. He got healthy, he found a workout routine that worked for him, and he learned to command his sinker. He also matured and gained confidence. So, am I sure that he could be an effective starter? No, not really. But I think it might be a good thing to find out. I never joined those folks who wanted to try Jim Johnson as a starter, but I'm much more interested in seeing what Britton could do. Especially with our one lefty starter likely to leave in free agency this winter.

What say you?[/quote\]. Yeah and while we're at it move Jones to RF and let lough take CF and Manny to SS and Hardy to third.

[backwardsk]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/fantasy/fantasy-baseball/update/25241755/os-not-entertaining-moving-zach-britton-into-rotation-next-season

How much do we think he'll get in the arbitration process? If they decide they have to have a lefty in the rotation, I'd prefer him to McFarland, Matusz, or Berry. I'm not against it. Will we be able to afford him in the bullpen in 2017? I wouldn't be opposed to moving him this offseason, and I think the guy is outstanding.

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[Ruzious]

I'd consider it, and then wonder what the bleep I was thinking considering it. Relievers might be relatively cheap, but they're still vital. A great pen - as we saw last year - can hide the weaknesses of a very ordinary starting pitching staff.

Let me ask this - Would you be asking this question if the lightbulb hadn't gone on for Jake Arrieta? Remember that Jake is an exception to a ton of rules.

[TINSTAAPP]

Yes. It would be a great idea to put a one pitch pitcher who had all kinds of problems commanding his off-speed pitches in the rotation. Zach Britton is the perfect reminder that a pitching coach can make a difference. It took Dave Wallace two seconds to figure out what all of our previous pitching coaches couldn't. Ditch the changeup, cut down on the slider and pound the strike zone with your nasty sinking fastball. And what do you know, it worked. It makes a person wonder how much different Jake Arrieta's time with the Orioles would have gone if Dave Wallace had arrived a year or two sooner.

[DrungoHazewood]

We know Britton is a very good relief pitcher. We know that as a starter he threw 254 innings of a 4.77 ERA. We would be hoping that he would be better than that after two years of pitching exclusively in relief and changing how he pitches and prepares. I would leave him where he is.

[wildcard]

I am in the "If it ain't broke don't mess with it crowd". He is a shut down closer. That is very valuable. I would keep him there for at least next season. When his salary goes passed what the O's want to spend on a closer is a good time to consider him as a starter. That will not be 2016.

[backwardsk]

I am in the "If it ain't broke don't mess with it crowd". He is a shut down closer. That is very valuable. I would keep him there for at least next season. When his salary goes passed what the O's want to spend on a closer is a good time to consider him as a starter. That will not be 2016.

What is the max the Orioles want to spend on a closer? Won't Britton be the most expensive Orioles closer in 2016?

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[Tx Oriole]

There's no question that Zach Britton is a dominant reliever, and in that role he's able to thrive using one dominant pitch 90% of the time. As a starter, he wouldn't be able to use that approach.

I'm still a bit tempted to try him as a starter at the beginning of 2016, however. If you look back on is career, he had a pretty nice debut season as a starter, but had shoulder issues in the second half that detracted from his final stats. Those problems persisted the next year, and the following year he had command issues and didn't show any consistency. He worked out with the weighted balls in the winter of 2013-14, and before it was known what his role would be, Brady Anderson predicted we'd see a different Britton in 2014 due to his conditioning. He worked on his command issues with Wallace and Chiti that spring, got put in the bullpen, and the rest is history.

For me, it's not as simple as saying Britton has succeeded because he was moved to the bullpen. He got healthy, he found a workout routine that worked for him, and he learned to command his sinker. He also matured and gained confidence. So, am I sure that he could be an effective starter? No, not really. But I think it might be a good thing to find out. I never joined those folks who wanted to try Jim Johnson as a starter, but I'm much more interested in seeing what Britton could do. Especially with our one lefty starter likely to leave in free agency this winter.

What say you?

I would rather keep him where he is.

[mrbig1]

At this point I would consider anything.

[canonfaz]

Yeah. I would stretch him out in spring training and see how he looked.

[Enjoy Terror]

We went through this with Jim Johnson for the exact same reason. And for the exact same reason the O's didn't do it with Johnson, they won't with Britton.

[DrungoHazewood]

At this point I would consider anything.

Yes, it's really come to that, hasn't it. Disarray, chaos, rioting in the stree... wait a minute, that wasn't the Orioles fault to the best of my knowledge.