Ongoing Rotation Speculation

[CanadianOriole]

Since August 19th, the Rays are 12-14. That is against the following teams:

Texas (2-1)

Boston (3-4)

Houston (1-2)

Toronto (4-2)

Baltimore (1-2)

New York (1-3)

That is hardly sucking against some of the hottest teams in baseball (sans the collapsing Blue Jays) and if you have been following their games you would know that they are not an easy "W".

It's major league baseball - nobody is an easy win. But Tampa is 21 games under .500 and have the 2nd worst record in the AL. My point was they aren't successful enough to provide cover for Buck to make some announcement pulling Miley from that start because we don't like the matchup. The only way to pull him from that start is to fake an injury - which is a pretty good idea - or tacitly admit Miley is terrible. It's too embarrassing to admit Dan's big deadline acquistion is terrible - so he'll either come down with "mystery injury" or he'll make that start.

[Pheasants]

It's major league baseball - nobody is an easy win. But Tampa is 21 games under .500 and have the 2nd worst record in the AL. My point was they aren't successful enough to provide cover for Buck to make some announcement pulling Miley from that start because we don't like the matchup. The only way to pull him from that start is to fake an injury - which is a pretty good idea - or tacitly admit Miley is terrible. It's too embarrassing to admit Dan's big deadline acquistion is terrible - so he'll either come down with "mystery injury" or he'll make that start.

It's a pennant race; the last thing on Buck's mind should be embarrassment. To me the question is only are we sure Worley or Wilson or someone else is likely to be better. Worley has not been that good recently; Wilson hasn't seemed to figure out how to get the job done. Maybe we should plan it for a relievers day and have all the extra guys in the pen do 2-3 innings each.

[CanadianOriole]

The last thing on his mind should be embarrassment - no question. But these are still huge multi-million dollar corporations - they are going to behave in certain ways to minimize blowback on their top execs and they are going to consider PR as a factor in the things they do. I would be delighted to be wrong about this - but if there's no injury announcement - I expect Miley to take the ball Sunday.

[weams]

It's a pennant race; the last thing on Buck's mind should be embarrassment. To me the question is only are we sure Worley or Wilson or someone else is likely to be better. Worley has not been that good recently; Wilson hasn't seemed to figure out how to get the job done. Maybe we should plan it for a relievers day and have all the extra guys in the pen do 2-3 innings each.

Wilson is awful.

[CanadianOriole]

I'd also just add - Miley might well do fine. Miley is terrible - but nobody is as terrible as Miley has been as an Oriole so far. He is definitely better than he's shown so far - and Tampa is not very good. I might well hate the process that leads to him still getting that start on Sunday - but it doesn't mean I'll necessarily hate the result. The risk is if he does do ok, we're fooled into letting him start against Toronto in a couple weeks time - that definitely can not happen.

[foxfield]

Miley will start against Tampa. Too embarrassing to Dan and the FO to pull him out of the rotation in a pennant race - especially against a lightweight offense he's got good career numbers. If it was the Sox or some team he's been brutal against in his career - there'd be a way for Buck to spin it. But his career numbers are good vs TB - and they suck. It's a huge admission of failure by the FO for him not to make that start. He either comes down with a "mystery injury" between now and then to provide the necessary cover for removing him - or he takes the ball.

Miley has not been as hoped...yet. Failure? I can't go that far. He has taken the ball and allowed the O's to go to a 6 man rotation. The value of Miley can be seen in the strength of Gausman and Bundy. To me, with 17 games left it is critical that the Orioles continue to get strong SP while doing everything to preserve fuel. Tilly not hitting a wall, Bundy not running out of fuel or Gausman fading are the keys to this magical season. The fact that Miley hasn't taken his surprising turn ala Ubaldo of late does not in any way mean he is a failure. There is just a bigger picture and if either one of his final two starts are a lights out performance. Well, I won't say DD is a genius, but with every turn, these guys look smarter.

But that is just my opinion.

[Aristotelian]

I'd also just add - Miley might well do fine. Miley is terrible - but nobody is as terrible as Miley has been as an Oriole so far. He is definitely better than he's shown so far - and Tampa is not very good. I might well hate the process that leads to him still getting that start on Sunday - but it doesn't mean I'll necessarily hate the result. The risk is if he does do ok, we're fooled into letting him start against Toronto in a couple weeks time - that definitely can not happen.

The way the rotation is set with the off day on 9/26, Miley (or whomever we put in his slot) could start against TB and AZ and then get skipped vs TOR and NYY.

[isestrex]

With Bundy facing fatigue and Tillman needing a little coddling with the injury, a 6 man rotation makes a lot of sense.

But you all need to face your denial. Miley is definitely going to start 9/18 against Tampa.

[Cakes2Kakes]

Miley on Sunday is how I see it playing out as well, but with a short leash since there are so many bullpen options available! Miley is obviously not as bad as he has looked of late, and Buck is not one to over react!

[spiritof66]

The way the rotation is set with the off day on 9/26, Miley (or whomever we put in his slot) could start against TB and AZ and then get skipped vs TOR and NYY.

I don't know much about the D-Backs and have seen them play very little this year, but they have an .834 OPS against lefties, the highest in MLB by a pretty good margin and 101 points higher than against righthanders. Unless there are pretty strong factors that cut the other way, I would keep Miley away from them.

[DirtyBird]

I don't know much about the D-Backs and have seen them play very little this year, but they have an .834 OPS against lefties, the highest in MLB by a pretty good margin and 101 points higher than against righthanders. Unless there are pretty strong factors that cut the other way, I would keep Miley away from them.

Have they seen any lefties as good as Miley?

[Aristotelian]

I don't know much about the D-Backs and have seen them play very little this year, but they have an .834 OPS against lefties, the highest in MLB by a pretty good margin and 101 points higher than against righthanders. Unless there are pretty strong factors that cut the other way, I would keep Miley away from them.

I don't want Miley anywhere near the Jays, Sox, or Yankees. If we have to lose a game I prefer dropping one to the D-backs.

[webbrick2010]

One more observation about the rotation. As bad as Miley has been, he has given us the ability to go to effectively a 6-man rotation and everyone has been better as a result. It would be tough to pull off for a full season without expanded rosters, but I wonder if Buck and Dan consider something like this next year. If KG, Tillman, etc can consistently go 7 innings, we could potentially afford to go short in the bullpen.

he has ???

We could have stuck any number of minor leaguers in Miley's spot

We could have kept Miranda, and we'd be a game ahead of the Red Sox

There is no way to put a positive spin on Wade Miley

He probably cost us the division, hopefully he won't cost the wildcard

[DirtyBird]

he has ???

We could have stuck any number of minor leaguers in Miley's spot

We could have kept Miranda, and we'd be a game ahead of the Red Sox

There is no way to put a positive spin on Wade Miley

He probably cost us the division, hopefully he won't cost the wildcard

Miley has sucked, but how can you say we'd be 3 games better without him?

[Tx Oriole]

Any chance we can pluck a decent starter from another team for a few starts to continue to give Bundy extra rest? I know they wouldn't be available for the postseason, but I think it's probably something that Dan has considered.

Go with who brung you.