It’s the pitching, stupid (2021 edition)

[Frobby]

If you’re wondering why the team has faltered over the last few weeks, look no further than the pitching.

April: 4.01 ERA, 4.12 runs/game

May: 5.79 ERA, 6.00 runs/game

There, in a nutshell, is why the team is 5-12 in May after a 12-14 April.   The offense actually has been better this month (4.35 runs/game, .708 OPS vs. 3.61 runs/game, .648 OPS in April.

The bullpen has been noticeably bad this month, 5.79 ERA compared to 2.81 in April.   The starters have been bad too (5.78 ERA), but they weren’t a lot better in April (5.00).   

Guys who are sticking out like a sore thumb in May include Harvey (8.62 ERA vs. 4.26), Lakins (16.20 vs. 0.00), Plutko (8.22 vs. 1.20). Valdez (6.23 vs. 1.42), Fry (6.00 vs. 0.90) and Tate (6.00 vs. 2.70).    

Simply stated, the pitching has to rebound or we’re in for a very long season.   
 

[sportsfan8703]

The hope for this season is that eventually someone from the group of Akin, Kremer, Zimmerman, and Lowther, starts to produce consistently good results. Heck, it might be time to give Tyler Wells a start.

[wildcard]

4 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The hope for this season is that eventually someone from the group of Akin, Kremer, Zimmerman, and Lowther, starts to produce consistently good results. Heck, it might be time to give Tyler Wells a start.

Not until they stretch Wells out.   He has not pitcher more that 2.1 innings in an appearance this season.  I would like Hyde to give him 3 IP, then 4 IP out of the pen before giving him a start.  He does look like a guy that can pitch effectively.

[glenn__davis]

14 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The hope for this season is that eventually someone from the group of Akin, Kremer, Zimmerman, and Lowther, starts to produce consistently good results. Heck, it might be time to give Tyler Wells a start.

Baumann looks like he should be in AAA and on the doorstep soon as well.

I think for now the hope would be that one of the following - Baumann, Akin, Kremer, Zimmerman, Lowther, Bradsih, and I'll throw Alex Wells in there even though he's struggling this year so far - can become a solid mid/back end rotation starter.  Have them join Means, DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez and you start to have a competitive rotation.  Of course due to injury and guys not panning out starting rotations almost never come together the way you hope.

[Sports Guy]

I wonder how long of a leash Matt Harvey has.  I still feel that if he wants to have ML career for the next several years, it will be in the pen.  Can he become a top end BP arm?  He can still make a lot of money.

He isn’t a starter anymore, at least not one you will rely on all year long. He will have his moments but he likely can stick in the majors longer carving out a niche in the Bp.

I would very tempted to move him there soon if I were the Os, assuming he continues to struggle as a starter.  Give yourself 6 or so weeks of evaluation in the pen before the deadline.  If he looks really good out there, he could still fetch you something at the deadline or you could keep him and see if he can be a piece for you out there.

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I wonder how long of a leash Matt Harvey has.  I still feel that if he wants to have ML career for the next several years, it will be in the pen.  Can he become a top end BP arm?  He can still make a lot of money.

He isn’t a starter anymore, at least not one you will rely on all year long. He will have his moments but he likely can stick in the majors longer carving out a niche in the Bp.

I would very tempted to move him there soon if I were the Os, assuming he continues to struggle as a starter.  Give yourself 6 or so weeks of evaluation in the pen before the deadline.  If he looks really good out there, he could still fetch you something at the deadline or you could keep him and see if he can be a piece for you out there.

How many failed as a starter throw him in the bullpen guys does a team need?

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

How many failed as a starter throw him in the bullpen guys does a team need?

As many as it takes until you get some that hit.  

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

As many as it takes until you get some that hit.  

Not sure what you mean by hit.  The vast majority are fungible.  Is it worth the 40 man churn to hope you fall into a guy that has a really good 2-3 year run (which is the best you should expect)?

If Harvey turns into that guy he won't have enough of a track record to bring anything back this season and the O's won't be part of the rebuild so why bother?

[survivedc]

21 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I wonder how long of a leash Matt Harvey has.  I still feel that if he wants to have ML career for the next several years, it will be in the pen.  Can he become a top end BP arm?  He can still make a lot of money.

He isn’t a starter anymore, at least not one you will rely on all year long. He will have his moments but he likely can stick in the majors longer carving out a niche in the Bp.

I would very tempted to move him there soon if I were the Os, assuming he continues to struggle as a starter.  Give yourself 6 or so weeks of evaluation in the pen before the deadline.  If he looks really good out there, he could still fetch you something at the deadline or you could keep him and see if he can be a piece for you out there.

It seems like the next step, but I’m not sure if his stuff will play up in the pen like it does for others. He hasn’t really been a strikeout or fooled ya guy this year.

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Not sure what you mean by hit.  The vast majority are fungible.  Is it worth the 40 man churn to hope you fall into a guy that has a really good 2-3 year run (which is the best you should expect)?

If Harvey turns into that guy he won't have enough of a track record to bring anything back this season and the O's won't be part of the rebuild so why bother?

The first part of your post makes little sense.  There are always several guys you could easily drop off the 40 man and it not matter, so yes it’s worth it.

Secondly, if Harvey looks the part of a really good Bp arm, why not keep him?  He isn’t likely to get some big contract regardless of how he pitches for the exact reason you said..so, keep him.

 

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, survivedc said:

It seems like the next step, but I’m not sure if his stuff will play up in the pen like it does for others. He hasn’t really been a strikeout or fooled ya guy this year.

But if the stuff plays up, he could be that guy.

Agreed that we don’t know if it will but he’s getting close to trying that out.

On top of that, the Os have young arms that should be starting.  
 

The rotation should be Means, Akin, Kremer, Zimmerman and Lowther.  

[Oriole1940]

It is easy and wrong to overthink when you are dealing with ball players where, as a whole, have so little talent.  Call it what is, a very poorly talented group of players, with a few exceptions.  

[Can_of_corn]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The first part of your post makes little sense.  There are always several guys you could easily drop off the 40 man and it not matter, so yes it’s worth it.

Secondly, if Harvey looks the part of a really good Bp arm, why not keep him?  He isn’t likely to get some big contract regardless of how he pitches for the exact reason you said..so, keep him.

 

Churning the 40 is not without cost.  Is it worth it to marginally upgrade the bullpen of a last place team?  There is a fair chance that no one currently in the Orioles Bullpen will be with the team the next time they are over .500 after the all star break.

As for Harvey, while he won't get a big contact he'll get more than the O's will be willing to pay and why should he agree to come back here if he gets an offer from another team?

[Sports Guy]

Holt hasn’t been around a lot this month.  

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Holt hasn’t been around a lot this month.  

Are you in the Holt is a Wizard camp?