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Daniel Cabrera: 2021 rotation improvement

interloper

By interloper
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interloper Hangout Grand Counsel

interloper

Posted
Posted

I've been thinking a lot about just how bad the rotation has been and how baffling it is that some of these well-regarded-albeit-low-ceiling guys can't seem to be even slightly below average and usable. Then I started thinking about the poster child of disappointing Orioles pitching prospects, Daniel Cabrera. Boy we really kicked him around for a few years huh? Just really blasted this guy. And while yes, he was pretty bad, he would also be a pretty sizeable improvement on the current rotation if his 2004-2008 self was magically transported to this rotation.

Some highlights:

  • Never had an ERA above 5.55 as an Oriole, something the majority of our current rotation can't say. I could have sworn he was living in the 6's. His best was a 4.52 in 2005 - something we would now consider totally passable on this club! 
  • Never pitched less than 147 innings as an Oriole, and topped out at a whopping 204 in 2007. Obviously this isn't possible in today's game much less after a shortened season, but still. He posted up!
  • His WHIP stayed around 1.55 as an Oriole which, yeah, very bad. But Lopez (a guy who also has at least posted up all season) has a 1.63 WHIP by comparison. Harvey? 1.76!

The biggest thing looking back other than all the walks is just that he didn't strike guys out nearly as much as I remembered. He topped out at 9.6 in 2006 which was definitely his best overall year. That's the only year he sat at 9 or above though. When he lost velocity, he went to the 2-seamer to try to be a contact pitcher and the rest is unfortunate history. 

Anyway, just sitting here pining for a few guys in our rotation to even match the lofty heights of D-Cab. ?

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Yossarian Hangout Veteran Council

Yossarian

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there are probably a bunch of pitchers that came and went through Baltimore when we were looking for those "studs" and we moved along from that would be in the top 2 on this staff.  Guys like Jeremy Guthrie (average about 190 innings pitched per year and his worst ERA in Baltimore was 5.04 and best was 3.63), Alfredo Simon, Brad Bergesen, and even Sidney Ponson (he never had an ERA above 5 for Balitmore).

We didn't know how good we had it back then.  

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SteveA Hangout Grand Counsel

SteveA

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8 hours ago, byrdz said:

Too bad he couldn’t put it all together as he seemed like a good kid. I was thinking he might be the tallest pitcher the Orioles ever had but in searching I found Tyler Wells is also 6’-8”. 

Mark Hendrickson?

Ben McDonald?

Miguel Castro was a bit shorter

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