Jorge Lopez starting 3/21/21

[eddie83]

Lopez has thrown 11 innings. Akin is at 6.2. 
 

Means starts again Monday. Harvey is now a lock. Kremer has to be.  
 

Not sure who is lined up to follow tomorrow. Running out of time. 

[Jammer7]

All of the starter candidates have thrown on back fields and in B games as well. I am beginning to think that Means, Kremer, Harvey and Akin have spots locked down. Seems like the fifth spot will come down to Lopez and LeBlanc on the OD roster. That is unless Felix can somehow recover quickly enough, but I think it seems clear that Felix will go to Bowie to start the year if he is healthy enough to continue this year. 

[HowAboutThat]

You really don’t think Zimm gets a spot?

 

[SteveA]

Title should say 3/21/21

[Jammer7]

1 hour ago, Philip said:

You really don’t think Zimm gets a spot?

 

Not saying he has not earned it, just what I think they will start the season with. I can see the apprehension to start the year with three rookie starters. Zimm will start many games this year, but I think they will have him in the pen to give some length. 

[scOtt]

5 hours ago, Jammer7 said:

All of the starter candidates have thrown on back fields and in B games as well. I am beginning to think that Means, Kremer, Harvey and Akin have spots locked down. Seems like the fifth spot will come down to Lopez and LeBlanc on the OD roster. That is unless Felix can somehow recover quickly enough, but I think it seems clear that Felix will go to Bowie to start the year if he is healthy enough to continue this year. 

Not to mention that King F. has to pitch effectively enough also... he hasn't been bad... He himself, and Hyde have said his velocity in the high 80's isn't a big detriment as he is a wily pitcher who has been thru the wars. He knows how to pitch.

He has shown flashes of being effective, but nothing that guarantees him a rotation spot (and a million bucks...) Plus missing one or two or three starts NOW is going to set him back tremendously. I think he has ZERO chance of making opening day. Bowie seems almost a certainty at this point.

 

Zimm and Lopez pitching well seems to scream 6 man rotation to me. Even a rotating rotation. Kind of like the DH spot will be used this year. Spreads around the innings in a year where everyone from Elias on down have no idea how last year's short season will effect them all. Flip a coin and see Zimm and Lopez' finish to ST and one goes to the pen as a long man and the other is a 6th (spot-ey) starter. Or could be an opener/backup situation.

Whoda thunk it? We have too many viable starter options!

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, scOtt said:

Not to mention that King F. has to pitch effectively enough also... he hasn't been bad... He himself, and Hyde have said his velocity in the high 80's isn't a big detriment as he is a wily pitcher who has been thru the wars. He knows how to pitch.

He has shown flashes of being effective, but nothing that guarantees him a rotation spot (and a million bucks...) Plus missing one or two or three starts NOW is going to set him back tremendously. I think he has ZERO chance of making opening day.

The whole “wily pitcher” thing is overrated.    Some pitchers are able to adjust when their fastball loses steam, but most don’t.   Whether they can depends on three things: (1) exactly how many ticks have they lost, and how quickly, (2) how good are their secondaries, and are they as sharp as they used to be, and (3) how good is the pitcher’s command?   I look at a guy like Mussina, even when he had his 94 mph fastball he had several other really good pitches and fantastic command of them, and you never knew what pitch he’d throw in any count.   His fastball slowed, but it was a gradual thing and he just used his other pitches more.   And, he was able to slow down his changeup and maintain and even increase the differential with his fastball.   Looking at Felix’s repertoire and how he’s used it in recent years, it’s not at all clear to me he could adjust in a similar way.    Not saying he couldn’t, but few do.     

[wildcard]

3 hours ago, scOtt said:

Not to mention that King F. has to pitch effectively enough also... he hasn't been bad... He himself, and Hyde have said his velocity in the high 80's isn't a big detriment as he is a wily pitcher who has been thru the wars. He knows how to pitch.

He has shown flashes of being effective, but nothing that guarantees him a rotation spot (and a million bucks...) Plus missing one or two or three starts NOW is going to set him back tremendously. I think he has ZERO chance of making opening day. Bowie seems almost a certainty at this point.

 

Zimm and Lopez pitching well seems to scream 6 man rotation to me. Even a rotating rotation. Kind of like the DH spot will be used this year. Spreads around the innings in a year where everyone from Elias on down have no idea how last year's short season will effect them all. Flip a coin and see Zimm and Lopez' finish to ST and one goes to the pen as a long man and the other is a 6th (spot-ey) starter. Or could be an opener/backup situation.

Whoda thunk it? We have too many viable starter options!

I don't think Holt is in favor of the 6 man rotation.  I think we see a couple of the starters move to the pen and a couple of relievers like Lakins and Sulser begin the season in Bowie.

But we are not there yet.  The final games will be the hardest facing major leaguers in the a lineups instead of a bunch of minor leaguers and bench guys.

[eddie83]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

I don't think Holt is in favor of the 6 man rotation.  I think we see a couple of the starters move to the pen and a couple of relievers like Lakins and Sulser begin the season in Bowie.

But we are not there yet.  The final games will be the hardest facing major leaguers in the a lineups instead of a bunch of minor leaguers and bench guys.

I do agree with you on that. We will not have a 6 man rotation. Perhaps at some point. Not now.  

[wildcard]

Lopez needs to go 4 today to keep up with the others in the battle for the rotation.

[eddie83]

9 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Lopez needs to go 4 today to keep up with the others in the battle for the rotation.

Has Akin been getting work in B games lately ?  Hasn’t pitched in spring game since Monday. Not on list today. 

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Has Akin been getting work in B games lately ?  Hasn’t pitched in spring game since Monday. Not on list today. 

Good question.    

[bobmc]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

Has Akin been getting work in B games lately ?  Hasn’t pitched in spring game since Monday. Not on list today. 

From Roch:  @Frobby

More notes: Maikel Franco played third base and Richie Martin played shortstop in today’s (Saturday) intrasquad game. They’ll be in Sunday’s lineup, with Martin starting at second base.

Thomas Eshelman started and was stretched out. Keegan Akin tossed a couple of innings.

 

[eddie83]

1 hour ago, bobmc said:

From Roch:  @Frobby

More notes: Maikel Franco played third base and Richie Martin played shortstop in today’s (Saturday) intrasquad game. They’ll be in Sunday’s lineup, with Martin starting at second base.

Thomas Eshelman started and was stretched out. Keegan Akin tossed a couple of innings.

 

Thanks for this. 
 

Couple of innings. If they want him in the rotation out of the gate they sure aren’t pushing him.  

[Frobby]

26 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Thanks for this. 
 

Couple of innings. If they want him in the rotation out of the gate they sure aren’t pushing him.  

Agreed.   Sounds like they may put him in the bullpen.