Carter Baumler 2022-23

[Tony-OH]

Sounds like he's on track to start the season. Hopefully he will start off at Delmarva this year.

[btdart20]

A healthy Baumler and Kjerstad reinforces the floor and stretches the ceiling of the organization.  Stoked for these two getting back on the field!

[Frobby]

Roch has some quotes from Baumler, Ortiz and Cowser up:

https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2022/03/baumler-and-ortiz-healthy-and-full-go-in-spring-training.html

[Tony-OH]

This was interesting:

Quote

Cuban second baseman César Prieto isn’t in Baseball America’s top 30, but he’s impressed outfielder Colton Cowser, the Orioles’ first-round selection last summer.

“They got to do some live at-bats down here during the minicamp, and it just seemed like every ball he was hitting was barreled, no matter where it was pitched, just kind of spraying it around the field,” Cowser said. “He even ran a couple balls out of the yard. He can hit.”

 

[byrdz]

 

[LookinUp]

You really get the feeling listening to stuff in and around this organization that they have very thoughtful, individualized, plans for their young players. I have no idea what Baumler will turn out to be, but you heard it here too with respect to "cleaning up his deficiencies" in the weight room. They didn't waste his time off. 

This is a consistent theme I keep hearing. They're looking into everything. Open to ideas. Putting individualized plans into place instead of just an org-wide program. Great stuff.

[Tony-OH]

On 3/9/2022 at 2:12 PM, LookinUp said:

You really get the feeling listening to stuff in and around this organization that they have very thoughtful, individualized, plans for their young players. I have no idea what Baumler will turn out to be, but you heard it here too with respect to "cleaning up his deficiencies" in the weight room. They didn't waste his time off. 

This is a consistent theme I keep hearing. They're looking into everything. Open to ideas. Putting individualized plans into place instead of just an org-wide program. Great stuff.

I heard he looked good stuff wise in the intrasquad game, but was not surprisingly still feeling out his command. The fact that he started that game against upper level prospects tells me they think pretty high of him and more importantly, it shows that he's totally healthy. I expect him to start at Delmarva.

[Tony-OH]

It's April 21st and there's not a single sign that Baumler is anywhere near competing in a minor league season. Baumler underwent Tommy John surgery in November of 2020, that's 17 months ago. 

Baumler was pitching to live batters in early to mid-March in games and now we're heading into late April with no signs of him. 

Now this very well could be that this is because the Orioles rehab process is among the longest know to man when it comes to rehabbing pitchers, Baumler was just not ready talent wise to compete in the Sally League at 20 years old, or that Baumler has had some kind of setback. 

Either way, Baumler joins Kjerstad as 2020 draft picks that have not seen pro ball yet due to injuries. Hopefully we'll hear something new about him or better yet, see him arrive at an affiliate, but it could be that the Orioles may wait until the FCL starts up to let him pitch in games that semi-matter.  

[LookinUp]

Just guessing, but it seems like the O's just don't value the experience of facing other teams as much as they value a controlled environment for their players.

That doesn't necessarily mean their rehab and development isn't progressing, it means that it's not progressing in front of our eyes.

For example, I think a huge goal for Hall and Baumler this year is to pitch through a full season. They don't care where. They just want to see the velo held through a certain number of pitches and they accomplish the competitive aspects of that by putting guys at the plate who are either on a short season team or in their own rehab. 

So I don't necessarily think you're wrong Tony, but I think you might be drawing the wrong conclusion as to how much these guys are actually doing in Sarasota versus what they'd be doing in Aberdeen or whatever.

[jabba72]

2 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Just guessing, but it seems like the O's just don't value the experience of facing other teams as much as they value a controlled environment for their players.

That doesn't necessarily mean their rehab and development isn't progressing, it means that it's not progressing in front of our eyes.

For example, I think a huge goal for Hall and Baumler this year is to pitch through a full season. They don't care where. They just want to see the velo held through a certain number of pitches and they accomplish the competitive aspects of that by putting guys at the plate who are either on a short season team or in their own rehab. 

So I don't necessarily think you're wrong Tony, but I think you might be drawing the wrong conclusion as to how much these guys are actually doing in Sarasota versus what they'd be doing in Aberdeen or whatever.

They could also be waiting for warmer weather for both previously injured pitchers thats why they are throwing in Sarasota instead of up north. I kind of agree that Elias likes the controlled environment, at least when compared to April weather anyway.

[ChuckS]

14 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

They could also be waiting for warmer weather for both previously injured pitchers thats why they are throwing in Sarasota instead of up north. I kind of agree that Elias likes the controlled environment, at least when compared to April weather anyway.

This is not something I really considered before.   I don't necessarily agree with the rationale, but it's the best explanation I can think of as to why all of these (seemingly healthy) players are being held back in Sarasota for so long.  Maybe we see a jail break when we hit May and suddenly Rutschman, Hall, and Baumler are all cut loose at once. 

Of course, nights in the mid-Atlantic can still be cool and wet until we get into the second half of May.  We'll see. 

[jabba72]

22 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

This is not something I really considered before.   I don't necessarily agree with the rationale, but it's the best explanation I can think of as to why all of these (seemingly healthy) players are being held back in Sarasota for so long.  Maybe we see a jail break when we hit May and suddenly Rutschman, Hall, and Baumler are all cut loose at once. 

Of course, nights in the mid-Atlantic can still be cool and wet until we get into the second half of May.  We'll see. 

Thats my best guess as to whats happening. Im not really expecting to see either pitcher for quite awhile. Definitely not in April.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, LookinUp said:

Just guessing, but it seems like the O's just don't value the experience of facing other teams as much as they value a controlled environment for their players.

That doesn't necessarily mean their rehab and development isn't progressing, it means that it's not progressing in front of our eyes.

For example, I think a huge goal for Hall and Baumler this year is to pitch through a full season. They don't care where. They just want to see the velo held through a certain number of pitches and they accomplish the competitive aspects of that by putting guys at the plate who are either on a short season team or in their own rehab. 

So I don't necessarily think you're wrong Tony, but I think you might be drawing the wrong conclusion as to how much these guys are actually doing in Sarasota versus what they'd be doing in Aberdeen or whatever.

And if that's true, I completely disagree with it. You can't train a pitcher to be ready without live competition. There are too many variables and the adrenaline is different in real games when things count. There's a reason why we have the minor leagues. Heck, they already tightly control their pitches during games, so what's the difference?

I don't think they are just sitting there doing nothing, but I think they should be pitching in minor league games, not stuck in some Orioles controlled purgatory. 

It would certainly fit their M.O. though. I get the feeling if they could, they would put all of these guys in a controlled field lab where they could play with stuff for years on end with them before releasing them to the wild.

It's not fun for the fans to never see them, but then again, I don't think for one seconds what the fans think or want matters to this organization. It's all very calculated and cold. 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, jabba72 said:

They could also be waiting for warmer weather for both previously injured pitchers thats why they are throwing in Sarasota instead of up north. I kind of agree that Elias likes the controlled environment, at least when compared to April weather anyway.

Right, because they will never have to pitch in cold weather in the future. If that's the reason, its dumb.

[Sports Guy]

I tend to agree with Tony’s overall point here.  Let’s put aside any individual issue because obviously there are always exceptions.

That said, there is no reason for Baumler to be building things up.  Hall I can kind of understand since he had a shortened ST, was coming off an injury and maybe you just want to give him the extra time.  But Baumler wasn’t in that camp.  He got in there earlier and got his work in. 

That said, Hall shouldn’t have to be down there that long either.

There is no reason he can’t be at Delmarva throwing 30-50 pitches vs real competition and slowly building himself up.  He doesn’t need to be out there throwing 70+ pitches yet but he shouldn’t be at extended ST unless there has been a setback.

The Orioles just seem to be over the top conservative at this and let’s face it, its not like this regime has some history of developing pitching to just give them a total benefit of the doubt.