O’s sign RHP Michael Kelly to big league deal

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Agreed.     I wonder what they see in him?

Maybe they think he can be reliever? We have a million 40 man spots and this guy won't be on the 40-man by the end of the offseason, IMO. I don't understand the fixation here.

[interloper]

4 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

You said Mike Wright dropped 5 miles off his fastball.   According to Fangraphs is velocity in 2105 was 94.8.   In 2016 it was 94.9.   In 2017 it was 94.1.    So, you were only off by 4.3 mph.   His two seamer last year was 93 mph.   So even if you say he ditched the 4 seamer (94.9 in 2016) for the two seamer (93.0 in 2017) it was only 2 mph.

Mike Wright was pitching in AAA when he was 24.   Michael Kelly was pitching in AA and then getting hammered in AAA at 24 years old.   Maybe he'll be better.   I don't see why we should expect it though.

Average fastball is average fastball, whatever. He used to throw 97 mph 4-seamers and he no longer does. Fact. Not that he was any good when he did that, either. Which is my point. He's bad no matter what they try. 

Also: I don't know how to look up player options, but I'm willing to bet Kelly has 3 while Wright has 0, which is probably a huge factor in acquiring Kelly. They need optionable guys.

[McLovin]

33 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Except this guy got lit up in AAA and Mike Wright actually has had some success down there.    We'll see.   The 40 man roster spot seems like a weird move for this guy.

Fair enough. I was comparing the roster body, not necessarily the ability. 

I don't know anything about Kelly. He looks to have really struggled in his career, but things *finally* clicked in AA this year. AAA numbers were really bad - but: PCL. *shrug*

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

That's not a fact.   He used to top out at 97, not sit at 97.   Show me where he topped out 92-93 last year (especially when he averaged 94.1!!!)  Show me some facts instead of your baseless opinion.

You finally got one WRIGHT on the player options.   You know who else has 3 player options.   100% of the non prospects in the minor leagues!!!!!!

That was just my quick perception of his velocity. He used to hit 95-97 with some regularity and barely did last year. I was a little off, my apologies. He stinks, though, and that's a fact. 

Regarding your second point, I don't disagree. But there's clearly something they like about the guy, and the fact that he was a 6-year FA means he was easy to acquire. And you don't often find young pitchers with 3 options out there who can be signed for cheap. It's a flyer, I dunno.  

[McLovin]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

You finally got one WRIGHT on the player options.   You know who else has 3 player options.   100% of the non prospects in the minor leagues!!!!!!

Also worth noting that the Padres are terrible, and all they had to do to keep him - a player that was a 1st Round investment - was add him to their roster.

[interloper]

1 minute ago, McLovin said:

Also worth noting that the Padres are terrible, and all they had to do to keep him - a player that was a 1st Round investment - was add him to their roster.

Ah, there we go. The answer to the puzzle. Dan loves 1st rounders.

[Number5]

El Paso is a hitter's paradise in a hitter's league.  Team OPS was .822 last year.  There is quite a difference between pitching there and pitching in Norfolk.  This guy did put up good numbers in AA at San Antonio, so he may be worth a look.  Scouts must have seen something in him.

[Luke-OH]

3 hours ago, interloper said:

Yeah, and I would remind you that Mike Wright's AAA career started way back in the year 2013. So I sure hope he can put up a sub-4 ERA with a middling WHIP last year. 

Meanwhile Kelly mostly skipped AA and has had limited time at AAA in 2016 and 2017.

Mike Wright struck out  25.7 % of the batters he faced and just walked 6.4 % in the majors last year.

I don't know much about Kelly, he does have some pedigree, and he might be interesting, but come on, Mike Wright has been on the Norfolk B'more shuttle, he pitched 140+ innings in AAA when he was Kelly's age.

 

[interloper]

Just now, phillyOs119 said:

Mike Wright struck out  25.7 % of the batters he faced and just walked 6.4 % in the majors last year.

I don't know much about Kelly, he does have some pedigree, and he might be interesting, but come on, Mike Wright has been on the Norfolk B'more shuttle, he pitched 140+ innings in AAA when he was Kelly's age.

 

He also gave up 1 home run for every 5 innings he pitched in the bigs last year and 9.4 hits per 9. You can spin the numbers any way you like, he's a mostly bad pitcher.

Fair point about the shuttle. I just don't see it, though I'm no scout like yourself. He's either going to strike you out or get clobbered, and you are hard pressed if you see any Wright outing without the latter. 

[Beef Supreme]

2 minutes ago, phillyOs119 said:

Mike Wright struck out  25.7 % of the batters he faced and just walked 6.4 % in the majors last year.

I don't know much about Kelly, he does have some pedigree, and he might be interesting, but come on, Mike Wright has been on the Norfolk B'more shuttle, he pitched 140+ innings in AAA when he was Kelly's age.

 

At 24 years old, you still have hope.

At 28, you are "holding out hope," or "hoping for a miracle."

I wouldn't be surprised if Wright starts the season in the rotation, I hate to say.

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, Beef Supreme said:

At 24 years old, you still have hope.

At 28, you are "holding out hope," or "hoping for a miracle."

I wouldn't be surprised if Wright starts the season in the rotation, I hate to say.

Yeah, this. The age must be mentioned. Sure, he could magically put it all together, but the Orioles have messed with an already-mediocre pitcher by rubberbanding him between starter and reliever and ML/AAA and he's already kind of a headcase as it is. Just... enough with Mike Wright. They gotta move on.

But this has nothing to do with Kelly, really.

[wildcard]

Micheal Kelly has more value to the O's than Mike Wright.  

Wright has a problem with control and  his head.  He is an emotional guy.   Has trouble with that on the mound.  He is out of options.  Has to make the O's  25 man roster out of  ST.  If not he gets waived and if he is not claimed he gets outrighted to to Norfolk.  28 is old for a guy that is not established in the majors.

Kelly is 9-4, 2.95 ERA 1.169 WHIP at AA  He is a  25  yr  old starter  with more than a strikeout per inning.at  AA,  He has not pitched well in the PCL.   A lot of guys don't  pitch well in the PCL.   He has an option for next year.     A lot more flexibility  than Wright.

[Beef Supreme]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Micheal Kelly has more value to the O's than Mike Wright.

Wright has a problem with control and  his head.  He is an emotional guy.   Has trouble with that on the mound.  He is out of options.  Has to make the O's  25 man roster out of  ST.  If not he gets waived and if he is not claimed he gets outrighted to to Norfolk.  28 is old for a guy that is not established in the majors.

Kelly is 9-4, 2.95 ERA 1.169 WHIP at AAA  He is a  25  yr  old starter  with more than a strikeout per inning.at  AA,  He has not pitched well in the PCL.   A lot of guys don't  pitch well in the PCL.   He has an option for next year.     A lot more flexibility  than Wright.

Kelly is 9-4, 2.95 ERA 1.169 WHIP at AA.

AAA numbers are not good.

[Frobby]

I don’t care that the O’s acquired this guy, I just don’t see how he got a major league contract and spot on our 40-man roster.    I’ll be really surprised if he contributes anything to the big league club.   But we’ll see.

[wildcard]

I have always wanted Wright to do well in the majors.   Its a shame he has not been able to put it together.