Keegan Akin 2021

[jabba72]

16 minutes ago, Big Mac said:

Lowther has pitched 8.1 innings in the majors...

And Lowther has a 6.93 ERA in 7 starts in Norfolk. Not exactly promotion worthy numbers. 

[Big Mac]

16 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

And Lowther has a 6.93 ERA in 7 starts in Norfolk. Not exactly promotion worthy numbers. 

I wasn't really clamoring for a promotion, just pushing back on the notion that we've "seen enough" of him.  The issue is really the opposite, we haven't seen enough of him this year, both at AAA and the major league level. 

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, Big Mac said:

I wasn't really clamoring for a promotion, just pushing back on the notion that we've "seen enough" of him.  The issue is really the opposite, we haven't seen enough of him this year, both at AAA and the major league level. 

Yea but he didn't get the vaccine and he's pudgy, so obviously we should just cut him since we have so much talent to fall back on!

[eddie83]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Yea but he didn't get the vaccine and he's pudgy, so obviously we should just cut him since we have so much talent to fall back on!

He hasn’t pitched well this year but he did fine yesterday. Ground ball hit. Bloop. Medium at best depth for a sac fly. 
 

It’s pile on time. 

[Big Mac]

11 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Yea but he didn't get the vaccine and he's pudgy, so obviously we should just cut him since we have so much talent to fall back on!

I was referencing Lowther, but I agree that any call to actually DFA Akin or anything liked that is way premature.  He should get further looks, whether that be as a starter or reliever. 

I think it's worth noting that since AAA started using the ML ball, Akin has had by far the best AAA performance of any of our starting pitching prospects (even though his 2019 AAA season was characterized as poor by some folks). 

[Il BuonO]

I’d rather he was getting regular starts in Norfolk. That way, if he doesn’t work out, then you transition him to the pen. It’s fine with the ML team, too, but just doesn’t or hasn’t lent itself to a regular routine.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

26 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

I’d rather he was getting regular starts in Norfolk. That way, if he doesn’t work out, then you transition him to the pen. It’s fine with the ML team, too, but just doesn’t or hasn’t lent itself to a regular routine.

One correction :

That way, if he doesn’t work out, then you transition him to the KBO.

[Frobby]

Lost in last night’s debacle was a pretty decent long relief job by Akin: 3 shutout innings allowing only one hit.   He only threw 35 pitches, 26 for strikes.   Maybe the Yankees were just coasting by then, but the minutes Akin departed, they ambushed Anderson for four runs in an inning.   So, I’m inclined to give Akin credit for his successful outing.  

[wildcard]

49 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Lost in last night’s debacle was a pretty decent long relief job by Akin: 3 shutout innings allowing only one hit.   He only threw 35 pitches, 26 for strikes.   Maybe the Yankees were just coasting by then, but the minutes Akin departed, they ambushed Anderson for four runs in an inning.   So, I’m inclined to give Akin credit for his successful outing.  

Akin's best spot may be the pen.

[jamalshw]

47 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Lost in last night’s debacle was a pretty decent long relief job by Akin: 3 shutout innings allowing only one hit.   He only threw 35 pitches, 26 for strikes.   Maybe the Yankees were just coasting by then, but the minutes Akin departed, they ambushed Anderson for four runs in an inning.   So, I’m inclined to give Akin credit for his successful outing.  

I was pleasantly surprised as well. I think we've seen enough of him as a starter, but as a bulk innings reliever, he may have a spot. I don't want to get too carried away over one outing in a blow out game, but that kind of role (not necessarily a blow out) may be where he belongs. 

[interloper]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Lost in last night’s debacle was a pretty decent long relief job by Akin: 3 shutout innings allowing only one hit.   He only threw 35 pitches, 26 for strikes.   Maybe the Yankees were just coasting by then, but the minutes Akin departed, they ambushed Anderson for four runs in an inning.   So, I’m inclined to give Akin credit for his successful outing.  

Looked like a different guy last night. No nibbling, spotting 94, breaking ball had bite to it. Saw that he was working primarily from the stretch as well, so the pace was better. This is how he looked last year, so I hope he has figured something out. 

[sportsfan8703]

On 8/2/2021 at 2:20 PM, jabba72 said:

And Lowther has a 6.93 ERA in 7 starts in Norfolk. Not exactly promotion worthy numbers. 

It’s a shame that it’s August and we haven’t seen any of the young starting pitchers get into a a groove even in AAA. 
 

Talk about being yanked around. 

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

It’s a shame that it’s August and we haven’t seen any of the young starting pitchers get into a a groove even in AAA. 
 

Talk about being yanked around. 

I just don't know if we can point to Lowther's lack of success this year as being a result of the yo-yo. A lot of AAA guys who were deemed "ready" this year have disappointed, and a lot of guys have moved from AA to AAA and struggled, too. It could be for a bunch of different reasons - the ball, the layoff last year, struggling to grasp new coaching, anxiety, simply losing feel for what you previously brought you success, who knows. That said, the yo-yo probably didn't help. But at a certain point you need to perform despite the perception of being yanked around. Just pitch.

[Big Mac]

1 hour ago, jamalshw said:

I was pleasantly surprised as well. I think we've seen enough of him as a starter, but as a bulk innings reliever, he may have a spot. I don't want to get too carried away over one outing in a blow out game, but that kind of role (not necessarily a blow out) may be where he belongs. 

I think he's ultimately a reliever, but I am not ready to say we've seen enough as a starter after 14 major league starts, particularly when no prospects behind him are beating down the door.  He does still have a 4.27 career ML FIP, he hasn't been as bad as the ERA suggests. 

We'd probably be smart to give him starts the rest of the year and the beginning of next year until the next wave of starting pitching prospects are ready to join the rotation. 

[Il BuonO]

Especially because of where the team is right now, I see no reason to put him into a BP only role. As a starter, his stuff plays much better than Wells. Wells has been optioned, give Akin some more starts. 

One good outing doesn’t mean he’s a better BP option. It could, I just see no reason to limit it to that.