The worst part of this year:

[Gentile4]

What frustrates me is that they keep shuttling these young pitchers back and forth. Yes, I know they've been unsuccessful in the bigs, but often the trial period is like one outing. And it's not like the replacement is anything other than a Plutko or Shaun Anderson.

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I really don't know. Seems like more, but I haven't done the research.

Interestingly, there haven’t been many pitcher injuries, outside of Hall.  

Maybe I’ll update the “Injuries Happen” thread as I used to do at year end, to see if there was a noticeable increase this year.   
 

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Gentile4 said:

What frustrates me is that they keep shuttling these young pitchers back and forth. Yes, I know they've been unsuccessful in the bigs, but often the trial period is like one outing. And it's not like the replacement is anything other than a Plutko or Shaun Anderson.

They do it, to some degree, because they have so many innings to eat.  They need to ferry in fresh arms.

[glenn__davis]

23 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

i wouldn't give up on Lowther. I'm not sure he was ever right this entire season. I know his stuff never looked like it did in 2019 and his command was pretty bad, something that's never ben a big issue for him.

I wouldn't give up on any of them.

Kremer for whatever reason hasn't been right since day 1 of ST.  Injury?  Mental issues? Just not that good?  Who knows, but clearly this has just been an awful year for him.  Shut it down at the end of the year, don't think about baseball for 3 months, and come back fresh next year.

Lowther - Agree with you

Wells - The stuff has always been fringey at best, but he hasn't shown the command at the MLB level that we saw in the minors.  A lost season last year probably hurt him more than most.  Would like to see him start next year in Norfolk and really be allowed to get into a routine with the MLB ball.

Akin - I think it's most likely that he just isn't that good, but even in bad outings he shows flashes of plus stuff.  Again, would like to see him left alone for a bit and allowed to get into a routine.

At the end of the day, not trying to make excuses for these guys at all, I just don't think what we've seen out of any of them this year is their best.  Kremer is probably the most puzzling given that he's shown pretty much nothing all year.

[BirdinBama]

Tony, I agree with you on Lowther. Just wondering if you see Kremer, Akin, A. Wells or Diaz in the future at Oriole Park? I don't.

[Tony-OH]

2 minutes ago, BirdinBama said:

Tony, I agree with you on Lowther. Just wondering if you see Kremer, Akin, A. Wells or Diaz in the future at Oriole Park? I don't.

I think Akin and Kremer could have reliever futures. I'm kinda down on Wells after looking at the statcast data. Just not a lot of room for error and no go to strikeout pitch. He really needs a good changeup to have a chance. 

Diaz? No plan at the plate, and injuries have softened his tools. I hope he saved his bonus money because for me, his best case scenario is as a 4th outfielder somewhere or as a cheap starter on a lower Division team. 

[Tony-OH]

9 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

I wouldn't give up on any of them.

Kremer for whatever reason hasn't been right since day 1 of ST.  Injury?  Mental issues? Just not that good?  Who knows, but clearly this has just been an awful year for him.  Shut it down at the end of the year, don't think about baseball for 3 months, and come back fresh next year.

Lowther - Agree with you

Wells - The stuff has always been fringey at best, but he hasn't shown the command at the MLB level that we saw in the minors.  A lost season last year probably hurt him more than most.  Would like to see him start next year in Norfolk and really be allowed to get into a routine with the MLB ball.

Akin - I think it's most likely that he just isn't that good, but even in bad outings he shows flashes of plus stuff.  Again, would like to see him left alone for a bit and allowed to get into a routine.

At the end of the day, not trying to make excuses for these guys at all, I just don't think what we've seen out of any of them this year is their best.  Kremer is probably the most puzzling given that he's shown pretty much nothing all year.

My biggest concern with Kremer is he hasn't had any sustained success when using the major league ball in the majors or AAA. His curveball was weapon in AA and below and the bite just doesn't look the same.

[SteveA]

22 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

They do it, to some degree, because they have so many innings to eat.  They need to ferry in fresh arms.

And MOST of the guys being shuttled aren't prospects at all (AWells and Lowther perhaps exceptions).   I think this was pre-planned.   They signed a bunch of dubious minor league free agents to stock the Norfolk pitching rotation.   I think they WANTED guys who were so bad that they could add them to the 40, then when they had to add another doofus to the 40, they could DFA the first doofus and 90% of the time he wouldn't be claimed and would re-sign with Norfolk.   I think Eshelman has gone that route twice?   And if one did somehow get claimed (like the Dodgers claiming Greene), we wouldn't miss him much anyway.

I don't think they wanted to have better talent at Norfolk, in terms of pitching, because they wanted to be able to bring these guys up, use them a bit, then DFA them without a second thought, to eat innings.   

And along the way, if one of them (Watkins, maybe Diplan) pitches well for a little while and maybe even turns out to be someone worth keeping, hey that's just small bonus.

[BirdinBama]

Man, I was excited about Diaz when we first got him. Injuries have been factors, but I don't see him ever being more than what Tony described above.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, BirdinBama said:

Man, I was excited about Diaz when we first got him. Injuries have been factors, but I don't see him ever being more than what Tony described above.

Yes, he's certainly regressed under the current regime.

[fitzi22]

The worst part for me is the baby steps or no steps forward in terms of development of our players. Obviously Mullins made a huge leap but he is the only one. Adley looks like the same guy we drafted, Heston still hasn’t played at all, Grayson still looks special, DL still has some injury question marks.  Means still can’t play an entire season, neither can Santander or Hays.  Mancini has returned to his old form.  Gunnar hasn’t looked like a top flight prospect in A ball.  And that’s it.  Everyone else was replaceable and still is.  We need guys to make giant leaps forward and it just hasn’t happened. 4 years of sucking and counting.

[Gentile4]

7 minutes ago, fitzi22 said:

The worst part for me is the baby steps or no steps forward in terms of development of our players. Obviously Mullins made a huge leap but he is the only one. 

Mountcastle's had a nice season, and Hays has 327 PA and counting. Fingers crossed he can stay healthy. I think Means is what he is. A top of the rotation guy who's only going to make 25 starts or so in a season and give you 140 innings at best.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Gentile4 said:

Mountcastle's had a nice season, and Hays has 327 PA and counting. Fingers crossed he can stay healthy. I think Means is what he is. A top of the rotation guy who's only going to make 25 starts or so in a season and give you 140 innings at best.

I'd say Mountcastle's season has been a mild disappointment to date.  He's well and proven he can't play in the outfield at an acceptable level and he's had large stretches in which his bat hasn't been much of an asset.

[fitzi22]

Yes I forgot mountcastle who looks like a younger Mancini.  I just don’t see us putting together a competitive team with just Adley, Grayson, part time Means, 3 warm bodies as our rotation (who knows what the deal with DL is). And Mullins, Mancini, Mountcastle, part time Hays, part time Santander and insert name for 3b, ss, and 2b.  If everything works out we only have half a team.

[Gentile4]

7 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'd say Mountcastle's season has been a mild disappointment to date.  He's well and proven he can't play in the outfield at an acceptable level and he's had large stretches in which his bat hasn't been much of an asset.

He's on pace to hit 25+ HR w/90+ RBI while moving among three different positions during what essentially amounts to his rookie year, and that's a disappointment? He's not an outfielder; I don't think that was ever in question.