A bunch of moves just announced

[scOtt]

4 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Yep. He deserved that option. Came into camp out of shape, even for him, then couldn't command the ball of get guys out. Basically he imploded and lost out on a great opportunity. a little surprised by re-adding LeBlanc, but Akin's regression helped his cause. Still would rather see [LeBlanc] in long relief and Zimmermann in the rotation.

Exactly what I think. Would love to see Zimm get a shot! (Akin's wasted shot...)

[scOtt]

4 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Sending Akin down to “work on things” in a relatively meaningless mini camp seems even dumber to me.  How are you going to know if he is “fixed” if he isn’t doing it in a game situation.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want him to pitch in the minors.  I think it’s a complete waste of time.  It just doesn’t seem to add up to send him down and not get him real game action.
 

Now, if this is just a move to get him to the first 5th starter spot, ok.  I can see them doing it for roster reasons...it’s easier to pass guys through waivers once the season has started.  But if he is down for an extended period of time, it’s just dumb.

The only reason I can think of where this isn’t a dumb decision is if he has an attitude issue and this is there way of saying; you better calm the F down and realize you aren’t having things handed to you.  

People keep saying this... it's ST for AAA. He WILL be pitching in real games in May. At Norfolk.

[Sports Guy]

@Tony-OH  if this isn’t permitted, my mistake (and please let me know if I need to delete this post) but I wrote this article yesterday (before the decision of sending Akin down) for ESR about why he should be in the rotation.  
 

People keep asking why I think it’s a dumb decision.  This is why:

https://eutawstreetreport.com/keegan-akin-should-be-in-opening-day-rotation/

[Sports Guy]

7 hours ago, MGH5208 said:

I appreciate the "haha" emoji but what pitchers don't deserve a spot over akins?

 

I think Akin’s penalty for his spring performance is that he becomes your 5th starter.  We don’t need a 5th starter until April 7 and we only need one for like 3 or so starts in the month of April.  That gives him plenty of time to work on things up here.  He probably could even appear out of the pen a few times.  He should be up here with Holt.

As for my staff, I would have Means, Kremer, Harvey, Zimmerman and Akin in the rotation.  
 

Scott, Valdez, Lopez, Wells, Armstrong, Tate, Fry and Greene.  If they go with 14 pitchers, I would go Lakins over LeBlanc and Sulser but don’t really care either way.  
 

Akin being on the team doesn’t stop anyone from making it that should be here and he doesn’t keep anyone out of the rotation that we should care about.   
 

 

[Sports Guy]

Btw, are people going to be upset if Fry makes the team?

His ERA is almost 12 and he has been hit hard all spring.  
 

He was good last year, in a SSS, and pretty mediocre to poor before that.  Not like he has some great resume that he can live off of.

[Frobby]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Btw, are people going to be upset if Fry makes the team?

His ERA is almost 12 and he has been hit hard all spring.  
 

He was good last year, in a SSS, and pretty mediocre to poor before that.  Not like he has some great resume that he can live off of.

Aren’t you the one who says it’s not that big a deal who makes the OD roster?

Fry is nothing special and we’ll see if he makes the team and sticks there.   He got shellacked his first three times out (3.2 IP,  11 H, 10 ER) but has been sharper in his last three (4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER).    At least he’s heading in the right direction.    Akin, not so much.  

I was looking at Akin’s game log this spring.   He wasn’t really awful except for that last outing, though he must’ve pitched in a B game or something because he didn’t pitch in an official game between the 15th and the 25th.    So who knows how he did there.    But when a starting rotation candidate can only get through 9 IP in four outings, he’s got work to do.   
 

[Sports Guy]

14 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Aren’t you the one who says it’s not that big a deal who makes the OD roster?

Fry is nothing special and we’ll see if he makes the team and sticks there.   He got shellacked his first three times out (3.2 IP,  11 H, 10 ER) but has been sharper in his last three (4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER).    At least he’s heading in the right direction.    Akin, not so much.  

I was looking at Akin’s game log this spring.   He wasn’t really awful except for that last outing, though he must’ve pitched in a B game or something because he didn’t pitch in an official game between the 15th and the 25th.    So who knows how he did there.    But when a starting rotation candidate can only get through 9 IP in four outings, he’s got work to do.   
 

1). Yea, I did say that...but I also said that the exception is if you are sending down young players who are ready to be here and should be here.  They are presumably giving his rotation spot to Lopez, which is horrendous.

2) Akin commented that his last side session/B game (whatever terminology he used) went pretty well.

3)  I’m just wondering, since so many people here seem to be putting so much on an extreme SSS and meaningless ST, if they are going to be as upset about Fry making the team as much as they are defending Akin not making it.  

We have also heard all spring how poor the defense has been...but I guess that also goes out the window for Akin as well?  

[foxfield]

You're making too much of the decision SG.  Certainly, your criticism.  I can agree with every word of your article and still not think the O's decision is idiotic.  There are many things that could be in play here and Hyde/Elias are of no obligation to share them with us.  The decision, could be a carrot and stick for Akin.  It could be discipline. it could be something mechanical. It could be a nod to an old guy who probably won't be on the roster for long.  I don't know.

I may not even agree with it.  But I don't think there is any basis to call it idiotic.  Idiotic was keeping Tillman for 3M going into what was it?  18?

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, foxfield said:

You're making too much of the decision SG.  Certainly, your criticism.  I can agree with every word of your article and still not think the O's decision is idiotic.  There are many things that could be in play here and Hyde/Elias are of no obligation to share them with us.  The decision, could be a carrot and stick for Akin.  It could be discipline. it could be something mechanical. It could be a nod to an old guy who probably won't be on the roster for long.  I don't know.

I may not even agree with it.  But I don't think there is any basis to call it idiotic.  Idiotic was keeping Tillman for 3M going into what was it?  18?

As I said, if there is some issue of poor attitude or something unreported along those lines, I’m ok with giving him a reality check.

Anything other than that (I’m assuming injury isn’t an issue or else we would have heard something) is an idiotic decision.  
 

The early indication is that he was sent down due to performance.  That’s a horrible way to make a decision w/r/t ST results especially since, as Frobby said, most of the terrible on his stat sheet came in his last 2 inning start.  

Sure, he hasn’t been great this spring but if we didn’t keep players on the roster for struggling in ST, we would send down most of the roster (and so would every other team).   You will see countless examples throughout the years of guys who had poor springs and still started the regular season off well.  

 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

As I said, if there is some issue of poor attitude or something unreported along those lines, I’m ok with giving him a reality check.

Anything other than that (I’m assuming injury isn’t an issue or else we would have heard something) is an idiotic decision.  
 

The early indication is that he was sent down due to performance.  That’s a horrible way to make a decision w/r/t ST results especially since, as Frobby said, most of the terrible on his stat sheet came in his last 2 inning start.  
 

 

I think the O's are just looking out for his mental well being.  They aren't sure if he could handle the impact of not performing well at a given level.  Some guys just can't handle the weight of expectations. 

 

Check the font color.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

We have also heard all spring how poor the defense has been...but I guess that also goes out the window for Akin as well?  

You’d have to have watched Akin’s outings to know whether the defense was bad or good when he was pitching.    Overall the defense has been sloppy, but I can’t speak to at least 6.2 of Akin’s 9 innings.   

As to the last outing, there were at least three notable plays that impacted Akin’s line and performance.   First, Hays threw out a runner at the plate to prevent a run from scoring and gain an out in the first inning.    Second, Hays threw out a runner at the plate to end the third inning.    That was after Akin was removed but the run would have been charged to him but for Hays’ fine throw.   

On the other side of the coin, Akin struck a batter out swinging in the first inning, but it ticked off Severino’s glove and the umpire mistakenly called it a foul ball.   I don’t remember what eventually happened with that batter, but I believe he reached base.    So that prolonged Akin’s inning considerably.   

 

[Beef Supreme]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

He didn’t pitch well for like 7 innings.  If you think it’s smart to base decisions like this with that small of a sample size, I don’t know what to tell you. His career in the minors says he is ready to be here.  His performance last year in the camp and in the majors says he should be here.  He was essentially penciled in as a starter a month ago.

But a few bad outings in ST supersedes that?  On a team that is not trying to win games?  Yea, that doesn’t make much sense.

Akin's 4.73 at AAA in 2019 doesn't scream "ready to be here," nor does his 4.9 BB/9. And his 1.513 WHIP that year firmly states in a calm voice that there is work to be done. As for 2020, those strikeouts are nice, but the 1.442 WHIP doesn't convince me he earned his spot for this year.

The radio announcers Thursday night were talking about Akin saying he had to stop aiming his pitches. More than this year's ST performance, it's likely he got sent down to work on his command and control. Maybe some fans penciled Akin into the rotation in February but I doubt the Orioles did.

[Sports Guy]

17 minutes ago, Beef Supreme said:

Akin's 4.73 at AAA in 2019 doesn't scream "ready to be here," nor does his 4.9 BB/9. And his 1.513 WHIP that year firmly states in a calm voice that there is work to be done. As for 2020, those strikeouts are nice, but the 1.442 WHIP doesn't convince me he earned his spot for this year.

The radio announcers Thursday night were talking about Akin saying he had to stop aiming his pitches. More than this year's ST performance, it's likely he got sent down to work on his command and control. Maybe some fans penciled Akin into the rotation in February but I doubt the Orioles did.

First of all, that ERA was 6th best in the International League that year.  It wasn’t a good ERA but you also have to take it within the context of the league that year.  His MiL stats, other than his Bb rate, are pretty solid.

Secondly, I acknowledge and have acknowledged the walk rate is an issue..but so what?  We might as well either release him or put him in the pen now then.  That’s just an issue with him.  He will either fix it or it will hold him back.  It’s why many think he’s a reliever long term.  It’s not going to get any better in the minors than it can here. 
 

I can’t think of many more worthless stats than WHiP in 25 innings...however, his walk rate was 3.5 and he had a 358 BABiP in 2020, so he was definitely unlucky.  As I stated in my article, he also got a much higher than average swingstr% and threw strikes at a well above average rate.

 

[Jammer7]

@wildcard I just want to give you credit for calling this. A little surprising, but he really struggled two nights ago and earned a demotion. As some have alluded, it may be attitude and/or fitness related. But it turns out your argument was sound.

[Beef Supreme]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

First of all, that ERA was 6th best in the International League that year.  It wasn’t a good ERA but you also have to take it within the context of the league that year.  His MiL stats, other than his Bb rate, are pretty solid.
Secondly, I acknowledge and have acknowledged the walk rate is an issue..but so what?  We might as well either release him or put him in the pen now then.  That’s just an issue with him.  He will either fix it or it will hold him back.  It’s why many think he’s a reliever long term.  It’s not going to get any better in the minors than it can here.
I can’t think of many more worthless stats than WHiP in 25 innings...however, his walk rate was 3.5 and he had a 358 BABiP in 2020, so he was definitely unlucky.  As I stated in my article, he also got a much higher than average swingstr% and threw strikes at a well above average rate.

Was he "unlucky" or did he get hit hard? Getting barreled isn't noise.

You claimed "His career in the minors says he is ready to be here" and that "I can’t think of many more worthless stats than WHiP in 25 innings" yet you cite components of WHIP to claim he was "unlucky." Which is it - do the 25 IPs in 2020 mean something or not? Or do they only mean something when they support Akin and are "worthless" when they do not?

All the while, you are refusing to acknowledge that his 112 innings of minor league pitching at a 1.513 WHIP is a worthwhile stat that speaks volumes about his inability to keep runners off base. Of IL pitchers with 100 IPs in 2019, Keegan's WHIP ranks 19th out of 23 total pitchers. 

Akin ranked 17th of 33 pitchers in ERA of the IL among pitchers with 15 starts and 80 IPs. Of pitchers with 100 IPs, his ERA ranked 11th of 23. Only by conveniently upping the total to 112 IPs does he rank 6th, since he threw 112.1 innings. And that's out of 15 pitchers. Not very impressive. Plus, that's not a valid way of ranking. I am thinking about fruit all of sudden...a sweet, tart, juicy fruit.

2020 was an aberration and pitchers did not get in their usual game-work. Pitchers will likely be held back in total IPs from what we would have expected had all MLB and MiLB games been played last year in an effort to reduce injuries. Pitchers with options are prime targets to get sent out at various times through the season so the big team can spread the innings over a lot of arms. And that's not "idiotic."