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Valdez: has the clock struck midnight?

Frobby

By Frobby
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Frobby Hangout Grand Counsel

Frobby

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Cesar Valdez has been awful in his last five outings over the last two weeks: 3.2 IP, 12 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 4 K’s.   To my eye, he’s leaving tons of pitches up in the strike zone, and when he throws one low that dives out of the strike zone, the hitters aren’t biting on it.    I’m not sure if he’s just going through a rough patch command-wise, or whether the league has seen enough of him now to make him throw strikes and then pound him.    

So what do you say - has the clock struck midnight for him, or will he snap back?
 

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Moose Milligan Hangout Grand Counsel

Moose Milligan

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I think it's struck midnight.  He's a one trick pony....and when it works, it's a hell of a trick.

The thing is, he'll most likely have time here to see if he can get back on track.  There's no obvious replacement for closer, unless they wanted to do closer by committee which I wouldn't be mad at.

 

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Just Regular Hangout Grand Counsel

Just Regular

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I just don't think he's a 1-inning reliever.    Last night was the second time in the last few weeks Hyde tried to use Scott to setup, and Valdez had to hop up on like Ball 6 about 90 seconds later.     He's been a fine starter mostly since re-inventing himself.    

Hyde's rubber arm comment in a spring dugout interview was I feel wishcasting.    I hope he gets a run in the Plutko long-reliever role where he can have more of a starter's warmup instead of hastily readying himself.   Until the better minor league guys make it up, all we have are Kremer and Akin trying to survive rookie years, and 4-inning guys.   I think Valdez could be as mediocre a 3-4 inning guy as Plutko, Zimmerman and Lopez.   Matt Harvey is still here, and so is Tyler Wells, so on the non-Means days that's 2 guys/day to try and get through 7 innings for Sulser/Fry/Armstrong and whatever Pitchers 13-14 are shuttling, a group Tanner Scott is flirting with being in.

I probably wouldn't waste more than a few innings of Hunter Harvey's arm if his body is sound, so maybe in a week or two that's a natural catalyst for a face-saving transition to long relief.

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interloper Hangout Grand Counsel

interloper

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More concerned about Scott than I am Valdez. Valdez is just a bonus we lucked into - however long he's effective is just gravy. If he implodes, well, he's 36 and throws 85 mph so it is what it is. 

Scott, though, is just cementing himself as a guy who will never be who we want him to be. And that's more critical in terms of the long-term success of this team/bullpen. A lot has been said about the Orioles' good young SP depth, but I think there's a serious problem with the lack of top-tier bullpen guys in the system. It's easier to fill those holes in free agency and maybe a few starters become good bullpen arms, but... it's a problem right now. 

Harvey is whatever at this point. A guy who throws 97 for a month or two before hitting the IL, and he hasn't been getting people out in AAA much, nor was he any good last season in 8 big league innings. Scott is who he is, that is to say, completely unreliable as a backend bullpen guy. Those are your two young, highly-touted bullpen arms... lol. 

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