Making pitching decisions will be crazy this year

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

It's pretty crazy, I would say there only two locks for the rotation (Means and Lyles). Any of Zimmerman, Wells, Lowther, Akin, Baumann, and Bradish could take the remaining three spots. I think I would go with Zimmerman, Akin, and Bradish, with Wells and Baumann in the bullpen and Lowther in Norfolk as a starter.

Lots of possibilities for the bullpen as well. Wells (if not a starter), Sulser, Baker and Tate seem like locks. After that I don't see anyone really guaranteed to make it. 

Would be pretty hard for Scott not to make it.

[jabba72]

Checking the boxscores tonight I dont see any team letting their starter go more than three innings. A few teams kept it to 2 innings but it looked like 3 was the league wide consensus. So nothing really out of the ordinary for Baltimore yet unless they stay with two innings the next time through the rotation. 

[Frobby]

5 hours ago, jabba72 said:

Checking the boxscores tonight I dont see any team letting their starter go more than three innings. A few teams kept it to 2 innings but it looked like 3 was the league wide consensus. So nothing really out of the ordinary for Baltimore yet unless they stay with two innings the next time through the rotation. 

The only thing different about Baltimore is that they have three undecided spots and a lot of candidates to fill them.  It’s tough to make that decision when most of them will probably throw a total of 9 innings or so over 3 outings.  That’s not a criticism, just the reality of their situation.  

[Orioles0615]

12 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

From the team, the reporters or the posters on OH?

 Mostly from the team and reporters. I know its a legit excuse to an extent, but I feel like the team and reporters will harp on it through June

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Orioles0615 said:

 Mostly from the team and reporters. I know its a legit excuse to an extent, but I feel like the team and reporters will harp on it through June

It isn't legit.

Every team has to deal with it.  Dealing with it is the job of Elias and company.

If it, and covid, hit the Orioles harder I have to wonder if it was because the leadership didn't react as well.

 

[Aristotelian]

9 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Would be pretty hard for Scott not to make it.

He may find a way to pitch himself off the team!

In my mind he was demoted last year for pitching so bad but checking his stats he did survive the whole year. He does have an option remaining. 

[OriolesMagic83]

I think a lot of teams have their starters on a low pitch limit the first start or two of the season.  I don't think it's unusual for starters to only throw 80 or so pitches in that first start. 

[wildcard]

3 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

He may find a way to pitch himself off the team!

In my mind he was demoted last year for pitching so bad but checking his stats he did survive the whole year. He does have an option remaining. 

Scott had a  1.31  ERA in 20.2 IP in 2020.  And in the first half of 2021 he had a 2.78 ERA in 35.2 IP.  He hurt his knee in the 2nd half of 2021.

As long as he is healthy he should be a contributor in the pen in 2022.

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Scott had a  1.31  ERA in 20.2 IP in 2020.  And in the first half of 2021 he had a 2.78 ERA in 35.2 IP.  He hurt his knee in the 2nd half of 2021.

As long as he is healthy he should be a contributor in the pen in 2022.

Let’s hope he contributes in the first half at a high level…and then you trade him because you can’t rely on him.

[seak05]

Just went and looked it up, major league avg for innings pitched per starter last year was 5. Orioles were the worst at 4.5, Tampa Bay was next at 4.6. Think the Orioles would be best served by re-thinking "starting" pitching, and stop trying to get much more then 4 out of guys not named Means (and maybe Lyles). 

[Jammer7]

13 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

Interested to see how Wells does tomorrow.

Agreed. I think Tyler Wells’ load is easier to manage on a starter routine, and he may only go 3-4 innings for the first half of the year. You back him up with a long guy, even a piggy back type of deal. 

[Jammer7]

Right now, I think the starters are: Means, Lyles, Lowther, Bradish and T. Wells.

I have zero faith in A. Wells, Kremer and Akin as starters. I think Zimmerman could still emerge as a starter, but I think Bradish might just beat him out because he attacks with swing and miss pitches that Zimm just doesn’t have. Baumann should probably be a reliever at this point. 

I think the relievers are: Tate, Sulser, Scott, Fry, C. Perez, J. Lopez, F. Bautista, Baker, M. Baumann and Zimmerman. (Krehbiel, Akin and Vespi are possible too)

Tate looks great, and I am pleasantly surprised with C. Perez so far. I am curious to see if Lopez is more of a long guy. If so, they really need guys like Felix and Baker to be solid middle guys. 

[jabba72]

17 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

Right now, I think the starters are: Means, Lyles, Lowther, Bradish and T. Wells.

I have zero faith in A. Wells, Kremer and Akin as starters. I think Zimmerman could still emerge as a starter, but I think Bradish might just beat him out because he attacks with swing and miss pitches that Zimm just doesn’t have. Baumann should probably be a reliever at this point. 

I think the relievers are: Tate, Sulser, Scott, Fry, C. Perez, J. Lopez, F. Bautista, Baker, M. Baumann and Zimmerman. (Krehbiel, Akin and Vespi are possible too)

Tate looks great, and I am pleasantly surprised with C. Perez so far. I am curious to see if Lopez is more of a long guy. If so, they really need guys like Felix and Baker to be solid middle guys. 

I think the rotation is Means-Lyles-Zimmerman-Lowther-Akin/Kremer. Start Bradish in AAA, use T. Wells in a bulk role. 

[Il BuonO]

1 hour ago, jabba72 said:

I think the rotation is Means-Lyles-Zimmerman-Lowther-Akin/Kremer. Start Bradish in AAA, use T. Wells in a bulk role. 

T Wells is a big strong guy, worked mainly as a starter in the minors and has the stuff off a starter. There’s no reason he can’t work as a starter and get up to 5 IP. 

[jabba72]

30 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

T Wells is a big strong guy, worked mainly as a starter in the minors and has the stuff off a starter. There’s no reason he can’t work as a starter and get up to 5 IP. 

Looking at his minor league stats Wells last pitched in 2018 and threw 119 innings, but didnt pitch the following two years. Thats good for his arm, I guess. But had two IL stints-shoulder inflammation and wrist tendinitis in 57  innings for Baltimore. I think they'll want to start slow with Wells instead of starting the year in the rotation. We dont really know how his shoulder or wrist will hold up.