Bruce Zimmermann 2019

[orioles22]

Discouraging to see Zimmerman struggle today in AAA, but I think the other five guys at Bowie have a better shot to succeed.

[Luke-OH]

2 minutes ago, orioles22 said:

Discouraging to see Zimmerman struggle today in AAA, but I think the other five guys at Bowie have a better shot to succeed.

I watched it, didn't have his change or slider today. Maybe the different ball. But didn't really get hit hard, lots of dinks and dunks on weak contact. Didn't miss many bats though, he doesn't have a swing and miss fastball. 

[MurphDogg]

Zimmermann in line to pick up his first AAA win tonight after 7 strong innings against a first place Gwinnett team. Zimmermann allowed one run on 4 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 1 over 88 pitches.

[DirtyBird]

13 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Zimmermann in line to pick up his first AAA win tonight after 7 strong innings against a first place Gwinnett team. Zimmermann allowed one run on 4 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 1 over 88 pitches.

That’s good news

[ScGO's]

He could be a Sept call up.  Doesn't he need to be added to the 40 man?

[MurphDogg]

2 hours ago, ScGO's said:

He could be a Sept call up.  Doesn't he need to be added to the 40 man?

He does not need to be added to the 40-man this December, so I don't expect to see him until next year.

[TINSTAAPP]

Another nice start for Zimmerman. 5.2 IP with only one run allowed. His ERA is now down to 4.41. He still gives up too many baserunners allowed 53 in 32.2 IP but his overall numbers are very encouraging. He has a really nice strikeout rate of 8.5 K/9, allowed only two HRs, and has a strong groundball rate at Norfolk so far. I wouldn't mind seeing him make a few starts for the O's in September. 

[sportsfan8703]

On 8/21/2019 at 10:18 AM, MurphDogg said:

He does not need to be added to the 40-man this December, so I don't expect to see him until next year.

If he doesn’t have to be added then I don’t see them calling him up this September. Glad to see him doing well in AAA. 

[Frobby]

 

* Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann has appeared in 61 minor league games and only once came out of the bullpen, his lone relief appearance on July 17 with Bowie. He followed Nate Karns, who was on an injury rehab assignment, and allowed two earned runs and four total in four innings.

Does he stay a starter?

A scout from outside the organization watched Zimmermann before the Orioles promoted the lefty to Norfolk on July 28 and offered the opinion that he eventually should transition to a relief role.

“I see him moving to the ‘pen,” the scout said. “He can pitch multiple innings. He has enough fastball at 91-93 mph.”

Zimmermann, a Baltimore native and part of the return from the Braves in the Kevin Gausman/Darren O’Day trade, posted a 2.10 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and .188 average-against versus left-handed hitters in the Eastern League. He allowed two runs with 44 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings against Single-A left-handed hitters in 2018.

“He handles left-handed hitters extremely well with his slider and the angle of his pitches,” the scout said. “His changeup works well off his fastball.”

The top priority is to develop starters and Zimmermann figures to be in Norfolk’s rotation next April. We’ll find out later how the Orioles view him in the long term and whether they’d consider him in relief.

https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2019/10/this-that-and-the-other-190.html

[Just Regular]

Just as the 2019 Astros got through a year without an IBB and the 2019 Yankees got through a year without a reliever ever pitching three days in a row, I kind of want to guess the 2021 Orioles will get through a year without a pitcher ever facing more than 18 batters in a game.

By 2022 someone you could use in Game 1 is hopefully a consideration but there's like 3000 innings of blank slate between now and then.

[Frobby]

Holt on Zimmermann: “Man, where do I start? No. 1, his fastball got better. No. 2, his curveball got better. No. 3, his changeup got better. Four, his command and approach to attack hitters got better. He overall took everything that we would throw at him and put it to use to make it actionable on field. Just really proud of that guy for the work ethic and willingness to go out and work to improve all facets of his game. Certainly a guy who does fly below the radar. But certainly a guy who is capable of being an impact guy at the big league level at some point.”

After hearing Holt’s very positive comments on Zimmermann, I asked him if maybe this was the pitcher that came the farthest on the farm this year.

“He came over from the Braves, so largely what we had looked at prior to his arrival, he was throwing a lot of two-seam fastballs and changeups down and away,” Holt said. “Kind of indicative of a little more of a Braves/National League style. He basically was able to take more advantage of a four-seam fastball and his changeup, so it allowed him to use more on plate and use more of the plate up and down in the zone.

“As I said, his curveball got much better and his slider was very, very solid and so overall, yes, he made as much improvement as anyone in the organization. It was a testament to his willingness to go and do work and take accurate information and formulate a plan and put it to use.”

https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2019/11/checking-in-on-some-top-minor-league-arms-with-chris-holt.html

Credit to bobmc for quoting this in a thread on our prospects over in the major league forum.