Connolly looks at why Elias signed Lyles

[Oriole1940]

9 hours ago, LookinUp said:

I'm not going back right now to see how we acquired Kevin Brown, Scott Erickson, Jimmy Key and David Wells, and I know the financials are different now than they used to be, but we do have a history of getting big time pitchers into Baltimore.

This is true, but the Orioles did not get these pitchers anywhere near their prime, only when they were declining  in their pitching abilities,  for the most part.  

[Frobby]

9 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

 

Key was mostly injured in '95, went 12-11, 4.68 for the Yanks in '96 then signed a two-year deal with the O’s.

‘96 was a red-hot offensive environment.  Key’s 4.68 ERA was good for a 107 ERA+.   Not saying he was at the top of his game, but I liked that acquisition.  

[DrungoHazewood]

On 4/1/2022 at 7:06 PM, oriole said:

150 innings would have led the club last year. If he can match his 180 innings from last year then he far out performs any other pitcher. He is being paid a premium for this reason only. 
 

The conspiracy theorist in me still thinks it was to save face going into the lockout but there’s no way to ever prove that.

Maybe they're just trying to set the record for highest percentage of payroll given to a guy we knew would have a 5.00 ERA before he even signed.

[DrungoHazewood]

On 4/1/2022 at 10:16 PM, MurphDogg said:

In 2004 the Orioles signed a 27-year-old starter coming off a 17 win season with a 118 ERA+ over 216 innings to a 3 year contract.

It's astonishing that he sobered up enough that one day to sign the contract.

[NCRaven]

2 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

It's astonishing that he sobered up enough that one day to sign the contract.

Was that Sir Sidney or his mentor, Scott Erickson?

[DrungoHazewood]

10 hours ago, NCRaven said:

Was that Sir Sidney or his mentor, Scott Erickson?

Sir Sid!  He of the beating up of a judge in Aruba on Christmas Day (or was it New Year's Day?) fame.

[DrungoHazewood]

On 4/1/2022 at 10:30 PM, Frobby said:

‘96 was a red-hot offensive environment.  Key’s 4.68 ERA was good for a 107 ERA+.   Not saying he was at the top of his game, but I liked that acquisition.  

It was much like the Royals signing Zach Greinke recently.

[Flash- bd]

It must be thrilling to be Jordan Lyles and have the GM who signed you talk about your abilities in such glowing terms 

The 7m will help soften the blow, though. 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Flash- bd said:

It must be thrilling to be Jordan Lyles and have the GM who signed you talk about your abilities in such glowing terms 

The 7m will help soften the blow, though. 

I hope Lyles has enough self awareness that this wasn't a shock.

[Flash- bd]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

I hope Lyles has enough self awareness that this wasn't a shock.

Never overestimate the self-awareness of a professional athlete. 

[jabba72]

7 minutes ago, Flash- bd said:

It must be thrilling to be Jordan Lyles and have the GM who signed you talk about your abilities in such glowing terms 

The 7m will help soften the blow, though. 

And if Spring Training numbers mean anything, Lyles is probably our second best starter.  Hopefully Wells looks good today. 

[BRobinsonfan]

On 4/1/2022 at 10:59 AM, Sports Guy said:

What you wonder is, if those innings are crappy, will they keep him in games anyway?

Like, do you just look past mediocre and bad performances to just get the innings to save the young arms?  
 

He will obviously have some good starts and some just ok starts.  Those you keep him in as long as possible but what about the bad starts.  
 

It will be interesting to see if they just keep him out there often to protect arms.  

It's a valid point... my tongue was planted firmly in my cheek in a sort of gallows humor over how long the rebuild is taking... I was imagining a mound visit after he gets pounded for 4 or 5 runs.  Pitching coach walks out and says "how's your arm feel."  He responds... "Great, I can give you 3 or 5 more innings just like this.  

But, his role as an innings eater is probably legitimate, at least for a while, in protecting young arms and giving the bullpen a breather.   

[Porky]

On 4/1/2022 at 9:01 AM, eddie83 said:

Makes sense. Lacks upside but if healthy eats innings.  

Seems like the same idea behind Matt Harvey's return.