2018 Mike Wright

[Frobby]

Mike Wright comes into camp out of options, and a candidate for either one of the open rotation spots or a place in the bullpen.   Here’s a look at his last four seasons, since he reached AAA.

2014.  After a solid season at Bowie in 2013, Wright pitched the full year in Norfolk and struggled: 4.61 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 10.0 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 6.5 K/9.    

2015.   Wright dominated at Norfolk the second time around, earned a promotion to the majors and started off with two sterling starts, but struggled thereafter, eventually being sent back down.   For the year at Norfolk, he made 14 starts, to a 2.22 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 6.6 H/9, 0.4 HR/9, 2.8 BB/9, 7.0 K/9.   In Baltimore, he made 9 starts and 3 relief appearances, pitching to a 6.04 ERA, 1.567 WHIP, 10.5 H/9, 1.8 HR/9, 3.6 BB/9, 5.2 K/9.   While he was disappointinog in Baltimore, his progress at Norfolk was promising.

2016.  Wright started the year in the Orioles rotation, but was inconsistent and lost his spot.    Back at Norfolk, he was somewhat  less effective than the year before: 13 starts, 3.07 ERA, 1.127 WHIP, 8.5 H/9, 0.9 HR/9, 1.9 BB/9, 5.7 K/9.    In Baltimore, he was just as inconsistent as in 2015: 12 starts and 6 relief appearances, 5.79 ERA,  1.43 WHIP, 9.8 H/9, 1.4 HR/9, 3.1 BB/9, 6.0 K/9.

2017.   Wright was used mostly as a starter in Norfolk, but exclusively in relief in Baltimore.   He seemed to go backwards as a starter in Norfolk: 16 starts, 3.69 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 8.8 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 2.8 BB/9, 7.7 K/9.     In Baltimore, he had some dominant relief outings, and maintained a high K rate, but gopher balls led to crooked numbers at times.    Overall, his results in relief weren’t much better than they’d been as a starter: 13 appearances, 5.76 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 9.4 H/9, 1.8 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 10.1 K/9.

Wright’s been a little bit of a ping-pong ball, getting called up 11 separate times in three years (including his stint on the OD roster in 2016, technically not a call-up).

So, what are we to make of this guy?    Should we have any hope that he’ll surprise us and find a lasting role on the big league club this year?    Do we make anything of the fact that he’s gotten a little worse at Norfolk each of the last two years?    Should his 10.1 K/9 in relief last year encourage us?    Understanding that OPACY is a hitter’s park and Harbor Park favors pitchers, what do we make of his very high HR rates in the majors (1.6 HR/9) compared to AAA (0.6 HR/9)?

My overall take is that while Wright’s fastball has good velocity and decent movement, especially in relief, his secondary stuff is mediocre.   He has OK control but it doesn’t translate to good command, and he makes too many mistakes that big league hitters can pound.     Plus, he seems prone to letting things snowball and seems easily rattled.

Yet, I can’t escape the feeling that with the right coaching, he might make a tweak here and there, mature, and be a useful big league pitcher.    I’m just not sure it will happen with us in 2018.    

[theobird]

I still like Mike Wright. I grant you that he has struggled mightily at times, but his stuff will play in MLB. I am pulling for the guy, and it won't shock me if he lands a spot in the rotation and holds his own this year.

[Rene88]

I think myself and many have been saying for years his time was wasted in the rotation. His future is a bullpen piece. He certainly wasn't good last year, but we saw glimpses. Frobby is right, last chance.

My guess is if he is cut, he succeeds elsewhere like so many do once they get out of here.

[Redskins Rick]

I wonder if this is who he really is, a 4A pitcher, able to pitch in limited amounts at the big league level, when needed.

[interloper]

I can't find one single thing to like about Mike Wright the pitcher. I just don't get it.

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, Rene88 said:

I think myself and many have been saying for years his time was wasted in the rotation. His future is a bullpen piece. He certainly wasn't good last year, but we saw glimpses. Frobby is right, last chance.

My guess is if he is cut, he succeeds elsewhere like so many do once they get out of here.

The difference between Jake and Wright. Jake had great stuff at times here, but mostly, had trouble putting it all together.

Not sure, Wright has ever showed that type of hope here.

[bobmc]

With all of the relievers we have and prospects to audition, I can't help thinking he will be packaged in a deal for an asset lacking for 2018.  I look forward to Luke's assessment and Can's preaching.  Always love ECU Pirates, since my brother received his degree there!

[Rene88]

1 minute ago, Redskins Rick said:

The difference between Jake and Wright. Jake had great stuff at times here, but mostly, had trouble putting it all together.

Not sure, Wright has ever showed that type of hope here.

Oh...definitely not comparing those two:) Jake had terrific stuff and is why he glided through the minor leagues. I don't think Wright has that kinda stuff but he is above average stuff for a reliever ..and the right mindset for a reliever IMO.

 

P.S-I would love to see the Nats sign Jake, fingers crossed

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, Rene88 said:

Oh...definitely not comparing those two:) Jake had terrific stuff and is why he glided through the minor leagues. I don't think Wright has that kinda stuff but he is above average stuff for a reliever ..and the right mindset for a reliever IMO.

 

P.S-I would love to see the Nats sign Jake, fingers crossed

Jake also had periods here of terrible outings.

I think Jake has reached that point now, where his stuff is trending down.

 

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, Rene88 said:

Oh...definitely not comparing those two:) Jake had terrific stuff and is why he glided through the minor leagues. 

He didn’t always glide.   Like Wright, his first taste of AAA was a bit of a rude awakening: 3.93 ERA, 1.42 WHIP — not awful, but not great when you’re pitching at Norfolk.  He did dominate there in 2010 (1.85 ERA) and earned a promotion to the bigs, but didn’t do so well when demoted back down during parts of 2012 (4.02 ERA) or 2013 (4.41 ERA).

Overall, I’ve noticed that a lot of our pitchers don’t do as well at Norfolk once they’ve been sent back down from the majors, compared to how they did before being called up.    Maybe that’s because they’re being told to work on certain things they need to improve to succeed in the majors, rather than just doing the things that brought them prior success in the minors.    And whether that’s good advice, I don’t know.   

[wildcard]

Both Wright and Ynoa has never been outrighted.    If either or both do not have a good spring the O's can wait to the last day of ST and put them through waivers.  If they pass through they will have to accept the assignment Norfolk.   If they have good springs the O's will have to find a place for them on the roster or lose them on waivers or trade them.    Its up to them

[Luke-OH]

Will Wright ever figure it out, I don't know.

He showed that he is a different pitcher now though, and that inspires some hope. 

He now throws a sinker/2S fastball as much as or more than his 4S and more importantly he throws his slider differently.  I know it's a small sample size, but bear with me.

In his MLB appearances in 2015-2016 he threw his slider 17.8% of the time, it averaged 83.9mph. It generated swings and misses 9.2% of the time and resulted in a .260 BA and a .493 SLG against.

In 2017 in the majors, he threw his slider 31.9% of the time, it averaged 86.7mph and had a different movement profile. It generated swings and misses at 18.1% and results in a .258 BA and a .323 SLG against.

 

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Luke-OH said:

Will Wright ever figure it out, I don't know.

He showed that he is a different pitcher now though, and that inspires some hope. 

He now throws a sinker/2S fastball as much as or more than his 4S and more importantly he throws his slider differently.  I know it's a small sample size, but bear with me.

In his MLB appearances in 2015-2016 he threw his slider 17.8% of the time, it averaged 83.9mph. It generated swings and misses 9.2% of the time and resulted in a .260 BA and a .493 SLG against.

In 2017 in the majors, he threw his slider 31.9% of the time, it averaged 86.7mph and had a different movement profile. It generated swings and misses at 18.1% and results in a .258 BA and a .323 SLG against.

 

My problem is this new 2S fastball of his appeared to get hit just as hard as his old 4S. And his slider, while decent, isn't consistent or good enough to bail him out. He doesn't have a change up worth anything, nor a usable curve. He's a two pitch pitcher, and neither pitch is all that good. 

He doesn't throw upper 90s anymore so there's not a lot there that makes you think he can come in and overpower guys out of the bullpen.

So what's his role? I don't know, and neither do the Orioles. 

[Luke-OH]

6 minutes ago, interloper said:

My problem is this new 2S fastball of his appeared to get hit just as hard as his old 4S. And his slider, while decent, isn't consistent or good enough to bail him out. He doesn't have a change up worth anything, nor a usable curve. He's a two pitch pitcher, and neither pitch is all that good. 

He doesn't throw upper 90s anymore so there's not a lot there that makes you think he can come in and overpower guys out of the bullpen.

So what's his role? I don't know, and neither do the Orioles. 

I didn't say he was likely to be good. I just like to see guys who haven't had success mix it up and try new things. Better than doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

To be fair though, he touched 98 with both his 2S and 4S in 2017.

 

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, Luke-OH said:

I didn't say he was likely to be good. I just like to see guys who haven't had success mix it up and try new things. Better than doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

To be fair though, he touched 98 with both his 2S and 4S in 2017.

 

Just because he touched 98, mean much, unless he can put some movement on that thing.

We had a pitcher here several years ago, threw 100 MPH rock hard, with no movement and it was like batting practice, guys teeing up and yanking him deep.

Which is why Wright has the tendency to give up the HR ball. IMO

Movement or lack of.