Pay attention to starters this week

[Tony-OH]

With Openings day 10 days away it makes sense for Hyde to get his starting rotation in order. John Means starts today which not surprisingly gives him his last spring start on Saturday 27 Mar and then on Openings day April 1st.

The Orioles are off April 2nd, so Cesar Valdez will start tomorrow in what Hyde describes as a "bullpen game." 

That could mean who ever starts on Wednesday should most likely be the "2nd" starter to aligned with the Orioles second game on the season on Saturday April 3rd. Same goes for Thursday and Fridays games. 

Dean Kremer started on the 19th which would make it his start on Wednesday. Wade LeBlanc also went 3IP as well.
Matt Harvey started Saturday (Mar 20th) which would make  (Mar 25th) Thursday his start. 
Jorge Lopez started Sunday which would put him on for Friday (Mar 26th). 

There are two wild cards here in that Bruce Zimmermann hasn't pitched in a spring game since March 14th.  This would have put his day to pitch on the 19th when Kremer started. Keegan Akin hasn't pitched in a spring game since March 15th, which would have made the 20th hs next day and the 25th (Thursday).

I think it will bare watching who pitches when this week on the 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th. 

One wrench in all of this is the Orioles are off on April 2nd and April 9th which in theory means they don't need a 5th starter until April 7th.

I think I've gone cross-eyed.


 

[Just Regular]

On the 20th we played the Yankees.    I have noticed Akin's light use this spring when I think he is safely in the Top 4 starters; that the Yankees were the 3/20 opponent gives me a little extra confidence he is safe.

Akin's a rookie we hope can get through as much season as possible, the Yankees lineup tilts heavily right - I get not giving those Bats a free look before six regular season series.    This situation bumps from 2/10 to 8/10 if he doesn't show up for the Pirates Thursday night though.

On Friday 3/26 we have the Yankees again, so my best guess would be SP3 Akin Thursday, and SP4 Harvey Friday for those righty bats.

If Cesar Valdez opens in the early Rodrigo Lopez role, I could be sold on the idea the rotation is almost set as Harvey/Zimmermann, both in, have seen Felix melt away.    The absence of April AAA games to figure out 1st Next Man Up is a bummer, but I guess pitch attributes simply exist as data.

[Redskins Rick]

I heard of relief pitchers by committee. The season is starting to sound like SP will be by committee.

 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Redskins Rick said:

I heard of relief pitchers by committee. The season is starting to sound like SP will be by committee.

 

Nah, that's just for tomorrow because if you look, tomorrow lines up with an off day ten days from then.

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Nah, that's just for tomorrow because if you look, tomorrow lines up with an off day ten days from then.

I hope so, but it just seams like the rotation has a lot of question marks, maybe, I just havent been following close enough.

 

[Tony-OH]

Just now, Redskins Rick said:

I hope so, but it just seams like the rotation has a lot of question marks, maybe, I just havent been following close enough.

 

Well, I won't say the rotation will be good, but it looks pretty settled with some combination of:

Means
Kremer
Zimmermann
Harvey
Akin

with Lopez and LeBlanc in the mix potentially.

 

[wildcard]

I think tomorrow's start is an audition for the 5th starter.

[wildcard]

1 minute ago, Tony-OH said:

Well, I won't say the rotation will be good, but it looks pretty settled with some combination of:

Means
Kremer
Zimmermann
Harvey
Akin

with Lopez and LeBlanc in the mix potentially.

 

You are being very generous with the Akin pick.

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, OrioleDog said:

On the 20th we played the Yankees.    I have noticed Akin's light use this spring when I think he is safely in the Top 4 starters; that the Yankees were the 3/20 opponent gives me a little extra confidence he is safe.

Akin's a rookie we hope can get through as much season as possible, the Yankees lineup tilts heavily right - I get not giving those Bats a free look before six regular season series.    This situation bumps from 2/10 to 8/10 if he doesn't show up for the Pirates Thursday night though.

On Friday 3/26 we have the Yankees again, so my best guess would be SP3 Akin Thursday, and SP4 Harvey Friday for those righty bats.

If Cesar Valdez opens in the early Rodrigo Lopez role, I could be sold on the idea the rotation is almost set as Harvey/Zimmermann, both in, have seen Felix melt away.    The absence of April AAA games to figure out 1st Next Man Up is a bummer, but I guess pitch attributes simply exist as data.

The one thing we have to remember here is they could send LeBlanc and Harvey to the alternate site until they are needed since they are both on minor league contracts. Not sure they would do that with a pitcher of Harvey's stature though. 

Say you start the year with Means, Kremer, and Zimmerman, you wouldn't need Harvey until the April 5th. If you pitch Akin on the 5th, you wouldn't need Harvey until April 7th. Of course you could use an option on Akin and reverse the roles if you want. 

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

You are being very generous with the Akin pick.

Is putting Akin as the 5th starter generous? I get he hasn't pitched much, but neither has LeBlanc. Lopez is clearly a bullpen guy and Felix is on the shelf. Valdez is a bullpen guy according to Hyde's "bullpen game" tomorrow. Unless he's being coy. I don't see a lot of alternatives to Akin. 

[Tony-OH]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I think tomorrow's start is an auction for the 5th starter.

Huh?

Why would you think tomorrow is an auction for the the starter's job when Valdez is starting and Hyde said it's a bullpen game? On top of it, I just showed how things are lining up and tomorrow lines up with an offday ten days from then.

 

[eddie83]

7 minutes ago, interloper said:

Is putting Akin as the 5th starter generous? I get he hasn't pitched much, but neither has LeBlanc. Lopez is clearly a bullpen guy and Felix is on the shelf. Valdez is a bullpen guy according to Hyde's "bullpen game" tomorrow. Unless he's being coy. I don't see a lot of alternatives to Akin. 

Why start Lopez yesterday if he is clearly a pen guy? 

[wildcard]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Huh?

Why would you think tomorrow is an auction for the the starter's job when Valdez is starting and Hyde said it's a bullpen game? On top of it, I just showed how things are lining up and tomorrow lines up with an offday ten days from then.

 

Valdez could start tomorrow, and on the 28th and be in line for a bullpen workout on the 2nd and the 5th starter role on April 7th.

I don't think Elias/Hyde/Holt are happy with what they have seen from Akin/LeBlanc/Lopez in the 5th starter competition so they are adding another competitor in Valdez..   Now its up to Valdez to win the 5th starter role with his next two ST starts.

[Tony-OH]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Valdez could start tomorrow, and on the 28th and be in line for a bullpen workout on the 2nd and the 5th starter role on April 7th.

I don't think Elias/Hyde/Holt are happy with what they have seen from Akin/LeBlanc/Lopez in the 5th starter competition so they are adding another competitor in Valdez..   Now its up to Valdez to win the 5th starter role with his next two ST starts.

I don't think you are right, but I guess we'll see how many innings Valdez goes tomorrow. If he stretches out to 4 or 5 innings, then you may be onto something. 

[wildcard]

12 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I don't think you are right, but I guess we'll see how many innings Valdez goes tomorrow. If he stretches out to 4 or 5 innings, then you may be onto something. 

Valdez does not have to pitch 4 or 5 tomorrow to be in the 5th starter competition.  If he goes 3 tomorrow and 4 on the 28th.  He could go 5 on April 7th.

If he goes 3 that is as many as Akin or  LeBlanc have gone.  And though Lopez has gone 3.2 IP in his last outing, it was not a well pitched 3.2.