Lopez to the pen

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

No need to outsmart the game. The guy's confidence has to be shot plus he is dealing with his kid getting chemo. Let him prove he can get major league hitters out, then try him in high leverage. Just because he throws hard does not make him a good reliever, just look at Mike Wright. 

He has already proven he can get ML Hitters out, especially first time through lineup.

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

No need to outsmart the game. The guy's confidence has to be shot plus he is dealing with his kid getting chemo. Let him prove he can get major league hitters out, then try him in high leverage. Just because he throws hard does not make him a good reliever, just look at Mike Wright. 

No one's outsmarting anyone here.

Lopez has some good, raw stuff.  It's stuff that you'd want from a high octane reliever who can go through the heart of an order in a late and close game, or maybe get through a lineup once before handing it over to another to another reliever.

In regards to his confidence, the dude just keeps going out there.  He's had some really bright spots this year, he's had his share of bad ones.  He's not a quitter and while that sounds simple, it should tell you everything you need to know about the heart of the man.  

Here's a guy from Puerto Rico (I'm assuming he didn't grow up privileged) who was drafted in the 2nd round by the Brewers.  He did really well in their system, made the Futures game, won their minor league pitcher of the year award.  Struggled when he got to the majors.  Demoted.  Pitched for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.  Pitched in the Dominican winter league.  Traded to KC.  Damn near threw a perfect game there, then continued to struggle and was DFA'd.  Picked up by the Orioles off waivers last year.  You know the rest.

He didn't come this far to quit, and if that story doesn't tell you anything about who he is as a person, you haven't been paying attention.  Like I said, he's had some really good moments here and he's had some great moments before landing in Baltimore.  He's a grinder and he's going to keep grinding it out because the prospects for him outside of baseball probably aren't much.  He's got no choice other than to have confidence.  

In regards to his son getting chemo, what better way to give that kid a bit of hope and inspiration than to keep taking the ball and keep firing and not give up, high leverage or not?  If Lopez has any kind of sense to him, he knows what's on the line and the example he needs to set for his son.  His son is dealing with the real ****, a high leverage situation for a team that'll be lucky to win 45 games this year is nothing.  

[Aristotelian]

6 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

He has already proven he can get ML Hitters out, especially first time through lineup.

Are we talking about the same guy? He has 6.48 ERA in the 1st inning and over 5 in 2nd inning. May have done well in the couple of games you watched but there is no actual evidence to this theory that he is good the first time through. It's true he has been absolutely terrible in the 5th inning.

[Frobby]

19 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Are we talking about the same guy? He has 6.48 ERA in the 1st inning and over 5 in 2nd inning. May have done well in the couple of games you watched but there is no actual evidence to this theory that he is good the first time through. It's true he has been absolutely terrible in the 5th inning.

Yeah, his early inning stats have normalized as the season has proceeded.   But I’m still interested in how he’ll do in this role.  

[foxfield]

5 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

No one's outsmarting anyone here.

Lopez has some good, raw stuff.  It's stuff that you'd want from a high octane reliever who can go through the heart of an order in a late and close game, or maybe get through a lineup once before handing it over to another to another reliever.

In regards to his confidence, the dude just keeps going out there.  He's had some really bright spots this year, he's had his share of bad ones.  He's not a quitter and while that sounds simple, it should tell you everything you need to know about the heart of the man.  

Here's a guy from Puerto Rico (I'm assuming he didn't grow up privileged) who was drafted in the 2nd round by the Brewers.  He did really well in their system, made the Futures game, won their minor league pitcher of the year award.  Struggled when he got to the majors.  Demoted.  Pitched for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.  Pitched in the Dominican winter league.  Traded to KC.  Damn near threw a perfect game there, then continued to struggle and was DFA'd.  Picked up by the Orioles off waivers last year.  You know the rest.

He didn't come this far to quit, and if that story doesn't tell you anything about who he is as a person, you haven't been paying attention.  Like I said, he's had some really good moments here and he's had some great moments before landing in Baltimore.  He's a grinder and he's going to keep grinding it out because the prospects for him outside of baseball probably aren't much.  He's got no choice other than to have confidence.  

In regards to his son getting chemo, what better way to give that kid a bit of hope and inspiration than to keep taking the ball and keep firing and not give up, high leverage or not?  If Lopez has any kind of sense to him, he knows what's on the line and the example he needs to set for his son.  His son is dealing with the real ****, a high leverage situation for a team that'll be lucky to win 45 games this year is nothing.  

Damn fine post Moose.

[Aristotelian]

33 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Yeah, his early inning stats have normalized as the season has proceeded.   But I’m still interested in how he’ll do in this role.  

I'm fine (grudgingly) with him in bullpen. Maybe he has a future in high leverage. I see zero reason to throw him in there now.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Are we talking about the same guy? He has 6.48 ERA in the 1st inning and over 5 in 2nd inning. May have done well in the couple of games you watched but there is no actual evidence to this theory that he is good the first time through. It's true he has been absolutely terrible in the 5th inning.

Yea, he has been rocked early at times recently.  However, in the past he showed well early on.

There is no reason not to do it.  Wondering he can be seen mop, MR is nothing to figure out.  You can find those guys.  Determining whether or not he can be on of your main 3 or 4 guys is much more Important.  Now, I will say I would rather see Harvey (when he gets back) and Wells get those chances.  I’m also good with Scott getting them at times as well.

And I see that not knowing if they plan on making Wells a starter.  If they do, then who cares if he gets high leverage situations right now?

[Aristotelian]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Yea, he has been rocked early at times recently.  However, in the past he showed well early on.

There is no reason not to do it.  Wondering he can be seen mop, MR is nothing to figure out.  You can find those guys.  Determining whether or not he can be on of your main 3 or 4 guys is much more Important.  Now, I will say I would rather see Harvey (when he gets back) and Wells get those chances.  I’m also good with Scott getting them at times as well.

And I see that not knowing if they plan on making Wells a starter.  If they do, then who cares if he gets high leverage situations right now?

I don't care about winning games (although it would be nice). The reason not to do it is for the development of the player. If you are saying make him part of the mix with Wells, Scott, and Tate (guys who have also flashed dominant stuff at time) I am fine with that but that is not exactly the same as making him a "high leverage guy". There are only so many opportunities.

[Sports Guy]

24 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I don't care about winning games (although it would be nice). The reason not to do it is for the development of the player. If you are saying make him part of the mix with Wells, Scott, and Tate (guys who have also flashed dominant stuff at time) I am fine with that but that is not exactly the same as making him a "high leverage guy". There are only so many opportunities.

On this team, putting him in that group is a good exactly saying “make him a high leverage guy”. 

[Tony-OH]

It's where he should have been all year. Maybe he would have been lights out as a reliever and worth something at the trade deadline. Instead we wasted another year trying to push a square peg into a round hole. 

Now do the same with Akin. 

[SteveA]

10 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

It's where he should have been all year. Maybe he would have been lights out as a reliever and worth something at the trade deadline. Instead we wasted another year trying to push a square peg into a round hole. 

Now do the same with Akin. 

Not saying I disagree.  But moving Lopez to the pen leaves once vacancy in our starting rotation and Akin would leave another.  Looks like Zimmerman won't be coming back any time soon.  We already have a couple guys hanging by a thread to rotation spots in Harvey and Watkins.  Who should replace Lopez, and who would you replace Akin with if he has moved the the pen?

(hint:. You can't be a Philip and say "someone from the minors has to be better" without being a name).

[sportsfan8703]

3 hours ago, foxfield said:

Damn fine post Moose.

I agree. That’s why I always rooted hard for Miguel Castro. Mancini has been a good story since his first AB homer off Price. 
 

Well Lopez has a chance to prove it. I just hope we use him as a 1 IP reliever instead of as an innings eater out of the pen. That kind of defeats the purpose. 

[Moose Milligan]

27 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

It's where he should have been all year. Maybe he would have been lights out as a reliever and worth something at the trade deadline. Instead we wasted another year trying to push a square peg into a round hole. 

Now do the same with Akin. 

Ugh, Akin.  While Lopez has some power stuff, I just don't see it with Akin.

I'm aware that not every pitcher can have power stuff but it's not like Akin's stuff is that great.  I believe he should be in the bullpen only because he's not cutting it as a starter but I don't think he's really ML material at all.  I don't believe his stuff will play up and I don't think he'll ever get the command.  I've said it before, I'm not sure if he doesn't have the command or is just trying to nibble...either way, it's bad.  

But yeah, he's gotta go to the pen.  

[Frobby]

31 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

It's where he should have been all year. Maybe he would have been lights out as a reliever and worth something at the trade deadline. Instead we wasted another year trying to push a square peg into a round hole. 

Now do the same with Akin. 

Who is going to start, then?

[sportsfan8703]

46 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

It's where he should have been all year. Maybe he would have been lights out as a reliever and worth something at the trade deadline. Instead we wasted another year trying to push a square peg into a round hole. 

Now do the same with Akin. 

And that’s why we should’ve traded Fry at the deadline before he blew up. You take a lesser package if any of the current relievers can bring a return because you’re likely looking at a lot of these SP prospects actually being RPs.