Nice interview with Richard Bleier

[wildcard]

Really nice to listen to a guy that is sooo happy to be in the majors with the O's.    He says start me, relieve me.  for an inning or long man,  I really don't care. I will pitch every day if you want.   Just keep me here.   He has had good results.    Doesn't go for strikeouts.   Accepts that he is a ground ball pitcher.  Credits coming up with a cutter for making him a better pitcher.

http://www.wbal.com/article/286991/6/brett-chats-with-orioles-lhp-richard-bleier-from-mini-camp-in-florida

 

[Aristotelian]

Can anyone explain why he isn't being talked about as a rotation candidate? 

[MDtransplant757]

40 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Can anyone explain why he isn't being talked about as a rotation candidate? 

Stuff apparently wouldn't be optimal for multiple go rounds through a lineup

[Babypowder]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Can anyone explain why he isn't being talked about as a rotation candidate? 

He's 30 years old and despite a solid ERA in 60+ innings last year he had a 3.69 K/9. Most pitchers see their strikeout rates drop when they start vs relieve. Although his is so low, that may not even be an option. I'm not sure it can get any lower than that.

Here are all of the qualified starter campaigns in the last decade with strikeout rates at or lower than Bleiers' 2017:

Brad Penny 2011 5.30 ERA 181 innings 3.67 K/9

Livan Hernandez 2008 6.05 ERA 180 innings 3.35 K/9

Aaron Cook 2007 4.12 ERA 166 innings 3.31 K/9

Strikeouts matter, whether pitchers are "strikeout pitchers" or not. They have to get some, or they won't be successful for very long in this era.

[wildcard]

26 minutes ago, Babypowder said:

He's 30 years old and despite a solid ERA in 60+ innings last year he had a 3.69 K/9. Most pitchers see their strikeout rates drop when they start vs relieve. Although his is so low, that may not even be an option. I'm not sure it can get any lower than that.

Here are all of the qualified starter campaigns in the last decade with strikeout rates at or lower than Bleiers' 2017:

Brad Penny 2011 5.30 ERA 181 innings 3.67 K/9

Livan Hernandez 2008 6.05 ERA 180 innings 3.35 K/9

Aaron Cook 2007 4.12 ERA 166 innings 3.31 K/9

Strikeouts matter, whether pitchers are "strikeout pitchers" or not. They have to get some, or they won't be successful for very long in this era.

Did you listen to the interview.   He is not even trying to strike out batters.  He is concentrating on getting ground balls.

[Babypowder]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Did you listen to the interview.   He is not even trying to strike out batters.  He is concentrating on getting ground balls.

Yes, and so were/are a host of other pitchers in MLB in the last decade. If you don't get some strikeouts, even if that isn't your goal, you don't succeed.

Maybe Bleier is a unicorn. I don't like planning for unicorns.

[wildcard]

it appears too me that Dan is seeing  control pitchers as the current value commodity available on the market.   Dan is always trying to stay ahead of the market in finding value.

When everyone was going nuts over OBP Dan and Buck were saying that homers play in their park.   Now homers are a big deal.

Dan, since he joined the O's, has waited out the off season market looking to sign undervalued players.  This year many GMs are doing it.

Dan now seems to see value in control and ground ball pitchers just as strikeout pitchers are all the rage. 

[Aristotelian]

29 minutes ago, Babypowder said:

He's 30 years old and despite a solid ERA in 60+ innings last year he had a 3.69 K/9. Most pitchers see their strikeout rates drop when they start vs relieve. Although his is so low, that may not even be an option. I'm not sure it can get any lower than that.

Here are all of the qualified starter campaigns in the last decade with strikeout rates at or lower than Bleiers' 2017:

Brad Penny 2011 5.30 ERA 181 innings 3.67 K/9

Livan Hernandez 2008 6.05 ERA 180 innings 3.35 K/9

Aaron Cook 2007 4.12 ERA 166 innings 3.31 K/9

Strikeouts matter, whether pitchers are "strikeout pitchers" or not. They have to get some, or they won't be successful for very long in this era.

On the positive side, he throws strikes and likely to be less bad than Miley, Tyler Wilson, Mike Wright, Helickson etc. He can't be in the mix with Ynoa, Castro, etc?

I'm not saying he should be written into the rotation, but I think he earned a look. Maybe he bombs but it's not worth an experiment?

[Aristotelian]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

it appears too me that Dan is seeing  control pitchers as the current value commodity available on the market.   Dan is always trying to stay ahead of the market in finding value.

He just learned is lesson from Miley and Ubaldo hahaha.

[wildcard]

13 minutes ago, Babypowder said:

Yes, and so were/are a host of other pitchers in MLB in the last decade. If you don't get some strikeouts, even if that isn't your goal, you don't succeed.

Maybe Bleier is a unicorn. I don't like planning for unicorns.

Dan, Buck and Richard may not agree with your opinion.

[Babypowder]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Dan, Buck and Richard may not agree with your opinion.

Like I said, maybe he's a unicorn. A lot of data suggests that is extremely unlikely.

[wildcard]

3 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

He just learned is lesson from Miley and Ubaldo hahaha.

Ubaldo maybe.  Miley was a mid season trade.   Certainly neither worked out as planned with the O's.

[wildcard]

Just now, Babypowder said:

Like I said, maybe he's a unicorn. A lot of data suggests that is extremely unlikely.

That is how Dan sometimes finds value.  He goes against the current thinking.at times.

[interloper]

I like Bleier in his current role. He would get murdered trying to start.

[Frobby]

39 minutes ago, interloper said:

I like Bleier in his current role. He would get murdered trying to start.

I think this is likely as well.   Leave him where he has been successful, and hope it continues.