Wade LeBlanc, Really?

[Beef Supreme]

14 minutes ago, wildcard said:

If LeBlanc makes the team they will be weighing LeBlanc's ST performance over his last two years of performance.   I thought you were against that.

You can't prove that. Sheer speculation.

[Moose Milligan]

4 minutes ago, Beef Supreme said:

You can't prove that. Sheer speculation.

I thought you've been on this board for awhile.

[wildcard]

42 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

If they are worried about performance, why are we discussing keeping Lopez?

 

Because, like Matt Harvey,  I am hoping that Holt can fix Lopez.  Lopez has good stuff.  Just hasn't been able to get it to work for him.  I don't think there is a lot Holt can do with a 36 year old soft tosser.   That is why I don't think there is much hope for Felix.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Because, like Matt Harvey,  I am hoping that Holt can fix Lopez.  Lopez has good stuff.  Just hasn't been able to get it to work for him.  I don't think there is a lot Holt can do with a 36 year old soft tosser.   That is why I don't think there is much hope for Felix.

Oh right...I forgot about Holt’s magic pixie dust and how it only works on certain guys.  My mistake.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

If LeBlanc makes the team they will be weighing LeBlanc's ST performance over his last two years of performance.   I thought you were against that.

I think his ST performance has little to do with the decision. IF the Orioles want more length in their bullpen, LeBlanc is a natural fit because he's done that job in the past, his changeup first approach is another look compared to the starters, and he's a guy you can DFA if it doesn't work without concerns of losing him. 

The only thing they are looking for in his spring training work is whether his stuff is on par with the past. If it is, then it's safe to assume he will be similar. Now last year he was not very good overall, but he was effective the 1st time through batting order where batters hit .205/.265/.455/.720 against him last year. That to me bodes well for a guy out of the pen who can get you through the lineup one time effectively and keep a game in check.

I wasn't sure the Orioles had room for him on the 40-man but with Goudeau gone, they now do.
 

[Sports Guy]

Stop worrying about the OD roster!

[Tony-OH]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

Stop worrying about the OD roster!

Eh, this is an Orioles message board. I don't have an issue with anyone discussing the OD roster or anything else. While the OD lineup is not important to the long term goals for this organization, it's where we're at right now. If it doesn't interest you, you can always mve on to the next thread.

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Eh, this is an Orioles message board. I don't have an issue with anyone discussing the OD roster or anything else. While the OD lineup is not important to the long term goals for this organization, it's where we're at right now. If it doesn't interest you, you can always mve on to the next thread.

It’s not that...I get why you discuss it but to get all up in arms about it doesn’t make sense.

If LeBlanc keeps Zimmerman out of the rotation, that’s an issue.   But if LeBlanc is in the pen, who is he here over that we are upset about?

WC always likes to say he listens to Hyde..well Hyde has been very clear about saying we need a lot of guys that can pitch a lot of innings.  He has even floated the idea of a 6 man rotation.  LeBlanc fits that.  They can run him into the ground if they have to.  Who cares?  
 

 

[Tony-OH]

25 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

 Hyde has been very clear about saying we need a lot of guys that can pitch a lot of innings.  He has even floated the idea of a 6 man rotation.  LeBlanc fits that.  They can run him into the ground if they have to.  Who cares?  
 

 

A six man rotation should be the only possibility that LeBlanc is in the rotation without an injury occurring. But yes, LeBlanc can provide length out of the pen and if he doesn't work out, you have guys like Eshelman or waiver wire guys similar to take that role.

[interloper]

Has he even pitched at all recently?

[HowAboutThat]

3 hours ago, wildcard said:

I am reading these reports where LeBlanc makes the O's opening day roster. Some even saying he could make the rotation.   What the heck?    Leblanc had a 5.71 ERA in 2019 and an 8.06 ERA in 2020.   He is 36 years old.  He does not project as part of the O's next contending team.   So why should be make the roster?

People caution about making too much of Spring Training.   Well, even his ST perform so far in not that helpful to his case. After pitching  two scoreless inning in his first outing, he allowed 2 runs in 3 innings in the next one which is a 6.00 ERA for the 2nd outing.  The hardest part of ST is yet to happen, so any reports on LeBlanc making the team are premature  any way.

I have no problem with the O's bringing LeBlanc to ST on a minor league contract.   He is organizational depth if other younger pitchers are not ready.   But the alternate site or the minors is where LeBlanc should stay if pitchers like Zimmermann, Akin and Lopez are ready. And the idea that they would add LeBlanc to the roster over keeping Tyler Wells does not seem right to me.

https://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2021/03/19/another-look-orioles-roster/

 

I agree completely, @Beef Supreme( or maybe @Jammer7)and I were discussing LeBlanc over Zimmermann, and I can’t imagine why they’d keep LeBlanc over Zimmermann, especially because they’d have to DFA someone to make room.

so whyyyy???

[HowAboutThat]

2 hours ago, eddie83 said:

For the life of me I just don’t get the concern over this issue. 

They have to get thru 162 games with as unproven a rotation as I can recall. Add to that what happened last year. This isn’t about blocking someone more worthy it’s about survival. 
 

Lowther was at the Bowie camp for one month. Baumann had arm issues, and Wells was overseas. Now we think these kids are going to be throwing how many big league innings coming off of that not to mention limited work in the minors to begin with?

Those three are not options right now. Hopefully by summer, but not now. 
 

You basically have 
Means 

Kremer 

Zimmerman

Akin

Lopez

Harvey 

Eshelman 

LeBlanc

They have to get to a point where they can use the above three if they are ready but that point isn’t now. It’s not remotely close to now. 
 

Keeping LeBlanc if they do blocks nobody from getting work on the Orioles this year. Nobody. It may delay someone’s arrival who wasn’t going to be on the team the whole year anyway. 

If they keep LeBlanc, they have to DFA someone, because he has to be added to the 40-man. It’s actually EASIER to keep Zimmermann. You risk losing whomever you DFA. I’m not losing sleep over Goudeau but the next guy dumped might be more meaningful.

 

[interloper]

9 minutes ago, Philip said:

I agree completely, @Beef Supreme( or maybe @Jammer7)and I were discussing LeBlanc over Zimmermann, and I can’t imagine why they’d keep LeBlanc over Zimmermann, especially because they’d have to DFA someone to make room.

so whyyyy???

I mean... they won't. Why is this even a topic of conversation? Who is saying LeBlanc made the team? The guy has 5 IP this spring...

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

I think his ST performance has little to do with the decision. IF the Orioles want more length in their bullpen, LeBlanc is a natural fit because he's done that job in the past, his changeup first approach is another look compared to the starters, and he's a guy you can DFA if it doesn't work without concerns of losing him. 

The only thing they are looking for in his spring training work is whether his stuff is on par with the past. If it is, then it's safe to assume he will be similar. Now last year he was not very good overall, but he was effective the 1st time through batting order where batters hit .205/.265/.455/.720 against him last year. That to me bodes well for a guy out of the pen who can get you through the lineup one time effectively and keep a game in check.

I wasn't sure the Orioles had room for him on the 40-man but with Goudeau gone, they now do.
 

Baseball Reference says for 2020

1st inning    828 OPS

2nd inning   748 OPS

3rd Inning   899 OPS

[wildcard]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

It’s not that...I get why you discuss it but to get all up in arms about it doesn’t make sense.

If LeBlanc keeps Zimmerman out of the rotation, that’s an issue.   But if LeBlanc is in the pen, who is he here over that we are upset about?

WC always likes to say he listens to Hyde..well Hyde has been very clear about saying we need a lot of guys that can pitch a lot of innings.  He has even floated the idea of a 6 man rotation.  LeBlanc fits that.  They can run him into the ground if they have to.  Who cares?  
 

 

Holt says a 6 man rotation is not effective.   And Holt runs the pitching staff.