Chris Tillman

[Can_of_corn]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-best-news-for-the-orioles-out-of-opening-day/

There are questions everywhere in the Orioles? rotation, and their Monday starter faced just six batters before rain forced him out, but Chris Tillman showed something before his appearance was over. He whiffed five of the six batters, but even more importantly, there?s significance in what he was pitching.

Tillman, yesterday, threw 47% of his fastballs at least 94 miles per hour. Last season, he finished at 3%. The season before that, 3%. The season before that, 6%. And before that, 17%. To look at it another way, we can look at every single Tillman game captured by PITCHf/x. Again, Tillman just threw 47% of his fastballs at least 94 miles per hour. That ranks in third place, behind his first two big-league appearances of 2012. Then you get a game from 2009, then you get another game from 2012. The high point in 2014 was 29%, achieved once. The high point in 2015 was 14%, achieved once. Tillman just threw seven fastballs at 94+, in two innings. In all of last season, he threw 56.

[Sessh]

The big question is: what's he doing differently? He was carrying this velocity basically all spring.

I think it's mechanics related and that he figured something out in the spring. His body really whips around faster now and he seems to have increased arm speed. The only question is will it last or fade away like it has

every other time?

[Redskins Rick]

The big question is: what's he doing differently? He was carrying this velocity basically all spring.

He dropped off some the extra weight that Brady had been building him up to and affected him last season

[Ohfan67]

I am quite angry they started that game when they did. I mean does no one look at a radar? To start for 2 innings and then go to an hour and a half delay is moronic and caused both teams to go to their bullpens when they wouldn't otherwise have done so. Didn't make sense. It's a real shame because Tillman looked real good.

They wanted to get the game in and there's an off day today...neither team really cared if they used a lot of bp arms (or rather they would rather finish the game and not worry about bp because of the off day).

[crissfan172]

The cutter he had yesterday was nasty as well. It looked like a legitimate out pitch more than it ever has.

[accinfo]

I think it's mechanics related and that he figured something out in the spring. His body really whips around faster now and he seems to have increased arm speed. The only question is will it last or fade away like it has

every other time?

Yes it could be and we will see if how long he will carry this through. I just think many people here are always expecting the worse with any of our players especially the pitchers. Maybe some of it is justified. However I looked at Tillman in 2014 and he made 29 out of 34 starts where he gave up 3 ER's or less. That to me is a TOR pitcher. He is 28. Maybe his career goes the way of Jake Arrieta but this time he does it for the Orioles. I know at least yesterday for 2 innings his stuff looked like it was possible.

[Frobby]

I was also pleasantly surprised with Tillman. Maybe last year he was dealing with some discomfort - maybe multiple guys were. That's why I never really got too low during ST. I'll take the regular season as it comes. Good first day.

With that being said, how happy should we be with this performance? Someone else already made the comment about how inconsistent he can be from start to start. I'd like to see 2-3 more of these before I start getting too excited.

It's just good to know he's still capable of looking that good. We know he won't look that good every time.

[Can_of_corn]

The cutter he had yesterday was nasty as well. It looked like a legitimate out pitch more than it ever has.

So was he throwing sliders yesterday or was it the cutter?

[Sessh]

Yes it could be and we will see if how long he will carry this through. I just think many people here are always expecting the worse with any of our players especially the pitchers. Maybe some of it is justified. However I looked at Tillman in 2014 and he made 29 out of 34 starts where he gave up 3 ER's or less. That to me is a TOR pitcher. He is 28. Maybe his career goes the way of Jake Arrieta but this time he does it for the Orioles. I know at least yesterday for 2 innings his stuff looked like it was possible.

I agree about his 2014 season. He was a strong #2 at worst and he had like 20 straight starts of allowing three runs or less that year or something ridiculous like that.

[TGO]

So was he throwing sliders yesterday or was it the cutter?

Brooks Baseball (Pitch f/x) says cutter. He only threw 2 though.

[crissfan172]

So was he throwing sliders yesterday or was it the cutter?

I personally think it's a slider, but he always calls it a cutter, so I've just accepted it.

[Can_of_corn]

I personally think it's a slider, but he always calls it a cutter, so I've just accepted it.

So the "baby slider" variation of the cutter.

[weams]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-best-news-for-the-orioles-out-of-opening-day/

[DrungoHazewood]

Brooks Baseball (Pitch f/x) says cutter. He only threw 2 though.

Aren't they basically guessing by movement?

[Can_of_corn]

Aren't they basically guessing by movement?

Probably a combination of movement and velocity.