What's Wrong With Kevin Gausman?

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

Is it unreasonable to expect him to do about what he did last year, maybe slightly better?    Because that's what I expected.    And I don't feel that was unreasonable at all.    Our standards as fans have gotten so low because we haven't produced a consistently good starting pitcher out of our farm system in 25 years, that we've come to believe that's normal.   Well, it isn't.

Not unreasonable at all considering that his 2015 and 2016 were very similar in everything but IP and ERA.

[Sessh]

51 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Is it unreasonable to expect him to do about what he did last year, maybe slightly better?    Because that's what I expected.    And I don't feel that was unreasonable at all.    Our standards as fans have gotten so low because we haven't produced a consistently good starting pitcher out of our farm system in 25 years, that we've come to believe that's normal.   Well, it isn't.

Considering that his weakness was and has always been the lack of quality breaking pitches and has done nothing to improve that situation, yes, I'd say it is. What has he done to get better? His mental game is still an issue to me and I've never liked that part of his game. If he was anywhere else, he'd get that breaking ball and his other stuff would improve. Bundy is a guy that would be hard to mess up even for this organization as he already has a good arsenal of offspeed stuff. The only question I have with him is will his health hold up and is his fastball velocity still high enough to maintain the success he is having now. Gausman hasn't really gotten better with anything since he's been in the majors. Just having a major league curveball or slider would significantly improve his numbers, but why in all these years hasn't this happened?

Also, we developed Jake, but didn't have a clue what to do with him. Chicago did and I'm betting that the same could be true for KG as well. His arsenal should be better than it is at this point and his body language on the mound is still concerning for me. He gets rattled too easily too often out there. So far this year, he's not fooling anyone with anything.

[Flash- bd]

I've said it a few times and I'll say it again: why does a pitcher who was supposed to be a fastball/change-up guy primarily not use his change-up against the majority of hitters (RHs)? I'm not expert but for me that seems a serious problem that is easily corrected. Go back to the basics of what he was supposed to be...the slider is a more effective pitch now than it was when he first came up, so use predominantly the fastball and change mix and mix in the slider too, and I think you'd have a good pitcher. Would like to hear what more informed/knowledgeable people about pitching think about this. 

[Sessh]

1 hour ago, Flash- bd said:

I've said it a few times and I'll say it again: why does a pitcher who was supposed to be a fastball/change-up guy primarily not use his change-up against the majority of hitters (RHs)? I'm not expert but for me that seems a serious problem that is easily corrected. Go back to the basics of what he was supposed to be...the slider is a more effective pitch now than it was when he first came up...

No, it's really not. It was flat as a board when he came up and it's still flat as a board. It is no better at all in any way. He allows too many base runners and gives up too many home runs which is a recipe for the inconsistency we see from him. You're right about the change up. Why he's not using that pitch is baffling.

[Cumberbundy]

6 hours ago, Sessh said:

The biggest thing wrong with KG are the expectations put on him by fans. They are expecting too much, but if he ever leaves Baltimore, he'll turn into Jake Arrieta. He gave up 28 home runs last year and eight already this year.

That's just absurd. That makes as much sense as suggesting that his problem is Jim palmers underwear. 

[ArtVanDelay]

1 hour ago, Flash- bd said:

I've said it a few times and I'll say it again: why does a pitcher who was supposed to be a fastball/change-up guy primarily not use his change-up against the majority of hitters (RHs)? I'm not expert but for me that seems a serious problem that is easily corrected. Go back to the basics of what he was supposed to be...the slider is a more effective pitch now than it was when he first came up, so use predominantly the fastball and change mix and mix in the slider too, and I think you'd have a good pitcher. Would like to hear what more informed/knowledgeable people about pitching think about this. 

A changeup isn't as effective against same handed hitters.

[Flash- bd]

1 minute ago, ArtVanDelay said:

A changeup isn't as effective against same handed hitters.

I understand that. But that doesn't mean it isn't as effective as his rather ineffective slider. Or it doesn't mean that showing it occasionally to RHs wouldn't help the effectiveness of his FB.  

[Spy Fox]

He still doesn't look like he's really on, as evidenced by the high number of hits and low number of strikeouts. But that's two starts in a row with pretty good results in what matters most, IP and R. Hopefully he's building confidence and can get on a roll. 

[Frobby]

Decent game.    The two pitches that got hit for homers were cookies, and the choice of pitch on the first one was almost unfathomable.   Gausman allowed a few other hard hit balls in the first couple of innings and was a bit lucky that they were hit right where Kim and Smith were playing.  But it certainly was a solid outing, and I was particularly impressed that he battled out of a long third inning that was extended by a Schoop error.   It's a step in the right direction for Gausman. 

[Cumberbundy]

Cole Hamels 3 change ups in a row to Barry Bonds - most beautiful pitching I've ever seen that wasn't Bundy.

[Cumberbundy]

44 minutes ago, ArtVanDelay said:

A changeup isn't as effective against same handed hitters.

It doesn't need to be as effective against right-handers as it is v lefties, just more effective than what's causing him to allow a ridiculous .385 BA to righties with a .438 OBP 

 

 

[El Gordo]

2 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

Good enought to win tonight. Except it was in Houston where we sleepwalk and look lethargic and have for years.I think we'll get swept..and next  week isnt looking great either.

Thanks Roy I'm much more optimistic now.

[OFFNY]

8 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

 

Good enough to win tonight. Except it was in Houston, where we sleepwalk and look lethargic, and have for years. I think we'll get swept ... and next  week isn't looking great, either.

 

o

 

Roy, you have said this numerous times when the offense doesn't score and/or scores very little.

 

Any MLB offense is going to seem "lethargic" to the fans that are vehemently rooting for them when they struggle. Do you really believe that the players are less interested in scoring and/or winning when they play in Houston? Do you really believe that when they had the bases loaded and nobody out last night that the reason why they failed to score was listlessness and disinterest?

 

o

[thezeroes]

43 minutes ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

Roy, you have said this numerous times when the offense doesn't score and/or scores very little.

 

Any MLB offense is going to seem "lethargic" to the fans that are vehemently rooting for them when they struggle. Do you really believe that the players are less interested in scoring and/or winning when they play in Houston? Do you really believe that when they had the bases loaded and nobody out last night that the reason why they failed to score was listlessness and disinterest?

 

o

Doubt you get an answer.

[sportsfan8703]

13 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

Good enought to win tonight. Except it was in Houston where we sleepwalk and look lethargic and have for years.I think we'll get swept..and next  week isnt looking great either.

Roy's right.  Houston has been a house of horrors for us.  Last year I think we struck out 15+ times in every game.  I know there were extra innings but wow.  Luis Valbuenna killed us.  Our hitters must hate hitting there.  Seems like it's a mental thing there for our whole team.