No more Lakins and Armstrong

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

You're on a roll today with the GIFs. 

[Explosivo]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Lol...this is a horrible take.

If you want to blame anyone, you blame Elias for even having Lakins on the team. 
 

Or, you can just place accountability (I know, that’s a dangerous and really bad word in today’s society where it’s far easier to blame someone else your problems) on Lakins himself.   

Accountability is a two way street. Part of managing is knowing how to maximize talent. Part of the way of doing that is setting up people for success. You seem to want to throw around accountability without understanding its meaning and how it relates to managing. 

[Sports Guy]

2 hours ago, Explosivo said:

Accountability is a two way street. Part of managing is knowing how to maximize talent. Part of the way of doing that is setting up people for success. You seem to want to throw around accountability without understanding its meaning and how it relates to managing. 

He can’t run out the same pitchers everyday.  He has to keep workload down and can’t burn these guys.

With the starters not going deep, he is going to have to rely on some guys to get through outings that you wouldn’t want them in.  It’s just the reality of things.

So no, it’s not on him.  He has to go with to what he has to work with.

[TommyPickles]

Travis Lakins Sr. has not allowed a run to score in 12 of his last 14 appearances for the O's.

In March/April of this season he had a 0.00 ERA over 9 outings.

He's also only 26 (Armstrong is 30).

I don't think they're in the same boat at all. Lakins is just coming off his worst outing. Go easy on the guy. He's a solid middle reliever for this team.

[Frobby]

33 minutes ago, TommyPickles said:

Travis Lakins Sr. has not allowed a run to score in 12 of his last 14 appearances for the O's.

In March/April of this season he had a 0.00 ERA over 9 outings.

He's also only 26 (Armstrong is 30).

I don't think they're in the same boat at all. Lakins is just coming off his worst outing. Go easy on the guy. He's a solid middle reliever for this team.

Not sure where you are getting your data, but Lakins has only made 11 appearances this year, and he allowed at least one run in three of them, including his last two outings.   (In the April outing where he allowed a run, that run was “unearned” because he threw two wild pitches in the inning, but he yielded a hit and 2 walks in 2/3 of an inning.)

I don’t think he’s looked sharp lately.   He’s walked at least one batter in 6 of his last 8 outings, walking a total of 8 batters in 5.2 innings in that span.  He’s thrown 120 pitches in those 5.2 innings.   His stuff has never overwhelmed me, and I don’t think he can get away with walking guys and pitching to bad locations.   

Hopefully he will get himself turned around.  

 

[TommyPickles]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Not sure where you are getting your data, but Lakins has only made 11 appearances this year, and he allowed at least one run in three of them, including his last two outings.   

I don’t think he’s looked sharp lately.   He’s walked at least one batter in 6 of his last 8 outings, walking a total of 8 batters in 5.2 innings in that span.  He’s thrown 120 pitches in those 5.2 innings.   His stuff has never overwhelmed me, and I don’t think he can get away with walking guys and pitching to bad locations.   

Hopefully he will get himself turned around.  

 

According to baseball reference, he's only allowed earned runs in two of his outings this season (the last two appearances). 

He also did not allow an earned run in his final three appearances in 2020.

I should have specified "earned run" because I see he did allow an unearned run one other time this season.

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, TommyPickles said:

According to baseball reference, he's only allowed earned runs in two of his outings this season (the last two appearances). 

He also did not allow an earned run in his final three appearances in 2020.

I should have specified "earned run" because I see he did allow an unearned run one other time this season.

Here’s the unearned run he allowed this year: he started the 10th with a runner on 2B, and was able to get the lead runner at 3B on a bunt attempt, with the batter reaching 1B.   He then threw a wild pitch that advanced the runner to 2B, walked the batter, got a strikeout, threw another wild pitch to advance the runners to 2nd and 3rd, walked the batter to load the bases, then allowed a game-ending single.    That run may go down as “unearned,” but he did plenty to make it happen.   Two walks, two wild pitches and a single in 2/3 of an inning.  

I don’t think his last three appearances of last year are relevant.   But I do think his overall performance last year is relevant, and it’s reason to give him a little rope.   But his recent lack of command is worrisome.  
 

[TommyPickles]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Here’s the unearned run he allowed this year: he started the 10th with a runner on 2B, and was able to get the lead runner at 3B on a bunt attempt, with the batter reaching 1B.   He then threw a wild pitch that advanced the runner to 2B, walked the batter, got a strikeout, threw another wild pitch to advance the runners to 2nd and 3rd, walked the batter to load the bases, then allowed a game-ending single.    That run may go down as “unearned,” but he did plenty to make it happen.   Two walks, two wild pitches and a single in 2/3 of an inning.  

Ah yeah, I remember watching that game now. That was a tough one... That whole starting-a-runner-on-2nd-in-extra-innings really makes for some wacky pitching stats.

As usual, I agree with all of your points. He has looked shaky these last couple outings. 

That said, I still feel like he's a useful bullpen piece. He can go multiple innings, he doesn't allow many home runs (career 0.6 HR/9), he's young, and he's cheap. I'm not saying he should be our closer or something, but I think his job should be safer than Armstrong's right now.

[Sports Guy]

12 minutes ago, TommyPickles said:

Ah yeah, I remember watching that game now. That was a tough one... That whole starting-a-runner-on-2nd-in-extra-innings really makes for some wacky pitching stats.

As usual, I agree with all of your points. He has looked shaky these last couple outings. 

That said, I still feel like he's a useful bullpen piece. He can go multiple innings, he doesn't allow many home runs (career 0.6 HR/9), he's young, and he's cheap. I'm not saying he should be our closer or something, but I think his job should be safer than Armstrong's right now.

Armstrong is better at basically everything and has throughout their pro careers.  Why would Lakins be safer?  
 

 

[wildcard]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Armstrong is better at basically everything and has throughout their pro careers.  Why would Lakins be safer?  
 

 

I don't think Armstrong or Lakins are in danger for losing their job because their is no one at AAA  to call up to replace them.  When Lowther comes up to make the start of Saturday, Mattson will be optioned.  Passed that no one has earned a promotion.

[Aristotelian]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I don't think Armstrong or Lakins are in danger for losing their job because their is no one at AAA  to call up to replace them.  When Lowther comes up to make the start of Saturday, Mattson will be optioned.  Passed that no one has earned a promotion.

Agreed the options aren't great, but Flaa is still on the 40 man, has been up, and could be called back. Mattson is a possibility. Abad was signed for a reason.

[wildcard]

28 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Agreed the options aren't great, but Flaa is still on the 40 man, has been up, and could be called back. Mattson is a possibility. Abad was signed for a reason.

Abad is at AAA in case Fry or Scott are injured.   They aren't.  I don't see the O's DFAing Armstrong to bring up Flaa.  There will have to be a better reason than that.   And I don't think a Lakins/Flaa swap makes the team any better.  JMO

[Sports Guy]

Agreed with WC.  Flaa isn’t anything to worry about if you are an existing pitcher on the staff.  

[wildcard]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Agreed with WC.  

Ouch, that must of hurt.  

 

[Aristotelian]

12 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Agreed with WC.  Flaa isn’t anything to worry about if you are an existing pitcher on the staff.  

Agreed, I guess what I am saying is Armstrong is becoming a threat to himself and Flaa is probably the next man up. If Armstrong still has a 10.80 ERA on June 1, how much longer do you stick with him? June 15? July 1?