The uptick in the starting pitching the last several days has me feeling calmer

[Frobby]

There's no real logic to it, considering some of the feeble lineups we've faced, but the decent starting pitching over the last four games or so has me feeling a lot better. It's great that our two opening pitchers finished on a pretty high note. Bring it on!

[Dark Helmet]

I think the SP will be good enough. Tillman fell a little behind with his muscle injury and Gallardo got a later start. Jimenez will always be on and off. I still think they add another SP.

[Rene88]

Gallardo's start today made me feel about 30% better about life in general.. lol.

Agreed but was kinda hoping we would get another starter like Shields honestly. Not a lot of confidence in Wright as a 4th but pulling for him.

[El Gordo]

Once Gausman is back I think we'll see a tandom of Wright for 4 and Wilson for three.

[Frobby]

Wilson out pitched Wright this spring..and interestingly, Drake out pitched BOTH of them.

It's a simple matter of needing starting pitchers more than we need relievers. But Drake will get substantial time in the majors this year, I'll bet. It's just a matter of which veteran reliever falters or gets hurt.

Wilson outpitched Wright statistically, but Buck and his staff clearly liked something they saw out of Wright a little better. We have a lot riding on the performance of both those guys.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

There's no real logic to it, considering some of the feeble lineups we've faced, but the decent starting pitching over the last four games or so has me feeling a lot better. It's great that our two opening pitchers finished on a pretty high note. Bring it on!

If our starting pitching is decent, I think we are certainly in the mix.

I will say Tillman's stuff has been pretty impressive in the couple games we have seen of him. He is throwing hard, touching 94-95 at least a few times a game (though I sense the Ed Smith gun may be a touch fast, which, if so, is even more telling as we watched Miggy throw), his curve looked very good while seeming to locate it a bit more consistently, and his change was effective as well. Don't want to get caught up in the "great stuff but little in terms of results" kind of thing, but I definitely noticed that his pitches looked crisp. Thankfully even Gallardo threw well yesterday, too, as has been mentioned.

Big question is how long Gausman is out, and if we can get passable results from Wright and #5 (assuming it's Wilson). Those are admittedly giant, giant question marks.

[Babypowder]

Gallardo's start today made me feel about 30% better about life in general.. lol.

Against the Braves B lineup with a comically large strike zone and still managing just 2 Ks in 5 innings?

Yeah, takes more than that for me to feel better about him.

[Going Underground]

I think the race is wide open in the East. Any team can finish first to last. Pitching and injuries will play a big part. No real dominate team.

[waroriole]

Wilson out pitched Wright this spring..and interestingly, Drake out pitched BOTH of them.

About 20 innings, right?

[backwardsk]

Against the Braves B lineup with a comically large strike zone and still managing just 2 Ks in 5 innings?

Yeah, takes more than that for me to feel better about him.

Nick was really the only bat that was missing from their lineup.

Garcia, Freeman, Olivera, Inciarte, Aybar are all starters.

Second base is up in the air and Beckham could win that. Okay, they had their back up catcher in.

If you don't want to give him credit for facing the minimum over five innings under 50 pitches, that's fine. But this wasn't their "B" lineup.

[bluedog]

Against the Braves B lineup with a comically large strike zone and still managing just 2 Ks in 5 innings?

Yeah, takes more than that for me to feel better about him.

From my friend who attended the game, Gallardo was pitching to contact. Notice the incredibly efficient pitch count and the fact that he faced the minimum. My friend said there were maybe 2 balls hit hard off of him - no one was squaring up on his pitches. Lots of movement leading to weak ground balls and lazy fly balls. When was the last time an O's starter had to do extra work in the pen to get their pitch count up? Sign me up for 36 more starts just like this one.

[TouchemAll]

Wilson out pitched Wright this spring..and interestingly, Drake out pitched BOTH of them.

Has there been any discussion, and would it be worth stretching Drake out to try as a starter?

Just asking I have no idea.

[Redskins Rick]

Against the Braves B lineup with a comically large strike zone and still managing just 2 Ks in 5 innings?

Yeah, takes more than that for me to feel better about him.

What would have made you happy, 10 Ks and a no hitter?

[Babypowder]

What would have made you happy, 10 Ks and a no hitter?

Anything to show he still has the ability to miss a reasonable number of bats. He can't fall much further in that regard than he already has and 5 Ks and 5 BBs in 13 spring innings doesn't exactly inspire.

[bluedog]

Has there been any discussion, and would it be worth stretching Drake out to try as a starter?

Just asking I have no idea.

With the exception of a 13 game stint in 2011 where Oliver jumped down a level from Bowie to start for Delmarva, Oliver hasn't been effective as a starter. Over 57 starts at three levels he had an ERA north of 4.50, a Whip in the 1.40 range and averaged well over a hit an inning.

Once he transitioned into a full time reliever in 2012, over 150 IP at AA / AAA he's had a 2.00ish ERA, a WHIP under 1.00 and held batters to .65 hits per inning.

He seems to be one of those guys that can be dominant out of the pen, but doesn't have the repertoire / endurance to maintain that as a starter.