The jerking around of Zac Lowther

[Tony-OH]

If you look at Zac Lowther's stats so far this year you see pretty much a train wreck. 

He's been hammered in his major league time (15.19 ERA in 5.1 IP) and in his three starts in AAA (7.94 in 11.1 IP).

Combined he's only pitched 16.2 innings this season which is less than any other healthy starting pitching prospect in the system.

The Orioles keep yo-yoing him between AAA and the major league team where they've given him one start and pitched him in relief twice.

How can they get a read on what they got with Lowther, who hadn't pitched above AA until this season, while they treat him like an organizational guy filling innings? Let's remember, Lowther was a top 15 prospect in the organization by just about every list and was #11 on our list after the 2020 season.

Grant it, the stuff hasn't looked good at all, but how does he get into a groove when he he's having long layoffs and not on a regular work schedule like other starting pitching prospects?

His changeup has been awful, which is something he could work on in a AAA rotation if they kept him there, but it's hard to improve it when you've only thrown it 23 times this season at the big league level. 

Its actually pretty shocking that he's been treated the way he's been treated this year unless the team no longer thinks he's a starting pitching prospect. With Matt Harvey needing to be replaced in the rotation, either give him a major league rotation spot or leave in down in Triple-A for a month or two so he can get regular work.

Regardless of where he pitches, he needs to be pitching regularly.

[Can_of_corn]

Maybe the O's internal rankings have him as an organizational guy?

[Frobby]

I agree, Tony, it’s been far from ideal.  Among other things, Lowther was on the taxi squad for a while getting no competitive innings while traveling with the team.  

[oriole]

I’d much rather see Lowther out there getting lit up than Matt Harvey at this point.

[glenn__davis]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

Maybe the O's internal rankings have him as an organizational guy?

Certainly a possibility.  Lowther was drafted by the previous regime and Elias and company may just not think he is much of a prospect.

That said, I certainly agree that he has not been put in a position to succeed this year.  Guys like him and Wells both seem like pitchers that need regular work to stay sharp and be effective.

[Big Mac]

If they need an arm to go back and forth between Norfolk and Baltimore and just pitch mop up duty/not accumulate innings, why not use a guy like Eshelman?  I know he's not on the 40 man, but clearing a spot shouldn't be problematic. 

[Philip]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

If you look at Zac Lowther's stats so far this year you see pretty much a train wreck. 

He's been hammered in his major league time (15.19 ERA in 5.1 IP) and in his three starts in AAA (7.94 in 11.1 IP).

Combined he's only pitched 16.2 innings this season which is less than any other healthy starting pitching prospect in the system.

The Orioles keep yo-yoing him between AAA and the major league team where they've given him one start and pitched him in relief twice.

How can they get a read on what they got with Lowther, who hadn't pitched above AA until this season, while they treat him like an organizational guy filling innings? Let's remember, Lowther was a top 15 prospect in the organization by just about every list and was #11 on our list after the 2020 season.

Grant it, the stuff hasn't looked good at all, but how does he get into a groove when he he's having long layoffs and not on a regular work schedule like other starting pitching prospects?

His changeup has been awful, which is something he could work on in a AAA rotation if they kept him there, but it's hard to improve it when you've only thrown it 23 times this season at the big league level. 

Its actually pretty shocking that he's been treated the way he's been treated this year unless the team no longer thinks he's a starting pitching prospect. With Matt Harvey needing to be replaced in the rotation, either give him a major league rotation spot or leave in down in Triple-A for a month or two so he can get regular work.

Regardless of where he pitches, he needs to be pitching regularly.

You should have an “applause” icon in addition to just regular upvotes.

I harp on some others as having had plenty of time To show what they can do, but I think it’s ridiculous to bring a guy up, throw him an inning, and then send him back down…and then bring him up for a start and send him back down. And not just Lowther. Mattson, Flaa, hmmm any others? And Mattson at least is a legit prospect.

I don’t get why they continue to throw a has-been instead of bringing up guys and throwing them into the fray for a meaningful stretch.

[Philip]

If he’s just an Org guy, and the current regime sees no future for him, then it is foolish to not try and present him in the best light possible light as a potential throw in on a trade.

It can’t be denied that the Orioles have given up on guys before who went on to other organizations and did well

[Three Run Homer]

I'm also baffled by what the O's are doing with Lowther.  I can't blame them for not putting him in the major league rotation given how badly he's pitched, but at least give him some regular work at Norfolk where he can hopefully settle in (as Alex Wells seems to be doing, for example).  

 

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

Maybe the O's internal rankings have him as an organizational guy?

What do they rank Harvey?

[Aristotelian]

If he keeps pitching bad he will stay at AAA and won't get jerked around any more

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

What do they rank Harvey?

An organizational level talent that they can't send down? 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

If he keeps pitching bad he will stay at AAA and won't get jerked around any more

Does he even make the Bowie rotation? 

[wildcard]

I think if Elias projects his future rotation its doubtful that Lowther is in it.   Means, Grayson, DL, maybe Bradish.  There are others like T Wells,  Kremer and Zimmerman that are ahead of Lowther.  He projects as a bullpen pitcher going forward.

Someone has to do the job he has been doing.  On call to the majors.  With Baumann hurt or ineffective, and  A Well starting slow,  Lowther kind of fell into the job as next man up.   That does not mean its his future though.

[Surhoffan17]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

If you look at Zac Lowther's stats so far this year you see pretty much a train wreck. 

He's been hammered in his major league time (15.19 ERA in 5.1 IP) and in his three starts in AAA (7.94 in 11.1 IP).

Combined he's only pitched 16.2 innings this season which is less than any other healthy starting pitching prospect in the system.

The Orioles keep yo-yoing him between AAA and the major league team where they've given him one start and pitched him in relief twice.

How can they get a read on what they got with Lowther, who hadn't pitched above AA until this season, while they treat him like an organizational guy filling innings? Let's remember, Lowther was a top 15 prospect in the organization by just about every list and was #11 on our list after the 2020 season.

Grant it, the stuff hasn't looked good at all, but how does he get into a groove when he he's having long layoffs and not on a regular work schedule like other starting pitching prospects?

His changeup has been awful, which is something he could work on in a AAA rotation if they kept him there, but it's hard to improve it when you've only thrown it 23 times this season at the big league level. 

Its actually pretty shocking that he's been treated the way he's been treated this year unless the team no longer thinks he's a starting pitching prospect. With Matt Harvey needing to be replaced in the rotation, either give him a major league rotation spot or leave in down in Triple-A for a month or two so he can get regular work.

Regardless of where he pitches, he needs to be pitching regularly.

100% agreed!  I don't like someone like him being shuttled back and forth like this.  He has some potential and needs to be consistently given starts at AAA IMO.  He's succeeded everywhere prior to COVID and I think could be either a 4/5 starter or maybe LH relief specialist.  

This should be a spot for Tom Eshelman or Connor Greene or one of those types.