Shintaro Fujinami

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

This is not a reactionary post.  I’m done with Fuji.  I was looking the other day at who we could option or DFA if we needed a fresh arm, and he was no. 1 on my list.  Today sealed it for me.  The guy is simply unreliable and he shrinks in big moments.  If I were the GM, he’d be off the 28-man roster when we hit Cleveland. 

I agree Fuji cannot be on the playoff roster he’s way too wild. If they want to sign Fuji for next year and let the Orioles pitching lab work with him ok.

Fuji is done as a viable option this season as a bullpen arm. 

[NashLumber]

2 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I agree Fuji cannot be on the playoff roster he’s way too wild. If they want to sign Fuji for next year and let the Orioles pitching lab work with him ok.

Fuji is done as a viable option this season as a bullpen arm. 

He either is just plain wild so much of the time, with balls not reaching the plate, going over batters' heads, or a foot or more outside. HIs arm must be tense as a bungee at the end of a bridge jump more than half the time. If he was confident, relaxed, and trusted his stuff, mainly his fastball, he'd be able to set batters up for it with some off speed stuff (and vice versa). 

It's like he's the "I don't throw strikes" version of Nuke LaLoosh (ie Bad Nuke, not Good Nuke). 

"I don't know where it's going." - Crash Davis 

[Bemorewins]

I don’t want to be mean or harsh, but this guy has no business on a Major League roster. Just because you can throw 100 it doesn’t make you a Major League pitcher. It would be best to DFA now in place of any pitcher who at least stands a reasonable chance to throw strikes. I think we’ve seen enough of Fujinama to reasonable conclude (especially given his age and previous history) that this is who he is, a guy who struggles with command in general and has a very hard time handling stress/pressure.

[Royle]

I need to go back and watch his performance today again, but my impression was that he only used his fastball on a couple of pitches to Singleton.  Everything else was cutters/ sliders and splits.  If a guy has control issues, especially a guy who throws 100, why not challenge and at least get beat with your best.

[O's84]

35 minutes ago, Frobby said:

This is not a reactionary post.  I’m done with Fuji.  I was looking the other day at who we could option or DFA if we needed a fresh arm, and he was no. 1 on my list.  Today sealed it for me.  The guy is simply unreliable and he shrinks in big moments.  If I were the GM, he’d be off the 28-man roster when we hit Cleveland. 

Yeah, I've noted Hyde had been putting him in close games to see if he can be relied upon.  He's failed with flying colors.  I'm done with him as far as this year as concerned.

 

[Billy F-Face3]

I am surprised they give Fuji more patience than they did with Bryan Baker. Baker was a guy just like Perez who has been with the team and battled through out all the ups and downs. He had some very good helpful moments just like he had not so good moments. The last game he was up (for 1 game), he gave up a crucial run and they didn't hesitate to banish him to the gates of Norfolk.

As a side note, optioning Mike Baumann seems to have rattled his confidence because he's not been good since he's been back up.

Overall, I think they'll try to stick out these last 10-11 games until the season is over without optioning Fujinami, just because of the offseason implications that decision brings. They probably want the most acquisition options they can possibly have in the offseason.

[Billy F-Face3]

10 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Overall, I think they'll try to stick out these last 10-11 games until the season is over without optioning Fujinami,

I mean DFAing Fujinami. He has no options.

[bpilktree]

He probably not a guy you want late in game but to be fair he had pitched in 7 straight games in September without giving up a run.  It not always pretty but he has been able to keep the other team from scoring most the time.  

[HbgOsFan]

I like Fujinami.  I really do.  Loved the video of the Mr. Baumann interview in the bullpen, in August I believe, where Fuji is fanning water on him.  But if I watch another inning of him in any type of leverage situation, my three-year supply of bourbon on hand will be reduced by 35 months.

[Satyr3206]

30 minutes ago, HbgOsFan said:

I like Fujinami.  I really do.  Loved the video of the Mr. Baumann interview in the bullpen, in August I believe, where Fuji is fanning water on him.  But if I watch another inning of him in any type of leverage situation, my three-year supply of bourbon on hand will be reduced by 35 months.

So funny I spit my drink out.

[Chelsea_Phil]

He should have a desk job , he is in the wrong profession.

[Going Underground]

More importantly what happens to the guy who sirts in the first row with the Mt. Fuji mountain hat and Korean flag?  In my mind this is very important.  But I have been told a mind is a terrible thing to waste  

[Aristotelian]

1. Do not pitch him back to back, ever.

2. Have someone warmed up ready to go. As soon as he walks a guy take him out. 

I think if we follow these rules he could be useful. When he gets those first couple strikes over he turns into Bautista 2.0. If he walks the first guy it's deer in the headlights. 

[dystopia]

24 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

1. Do not pitch him back to back, ever.

2. Have someone warmed up ready to go. As soon as he walks a guy take him out. 

I think if we follow these rules he could be useful. When he gets those first couple strikes over he turns into Bautista 2.0. If he walks the first guy it's deer in the headlights. 

3 batter rule throws a wrench into #2. 

[Sydnor]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

This is not a reactionary post.  I’m done with Fuji.  I was looking the other day at who we could option or DFA if we needed a fresh arm, and he was no. 1 on my list.  Today sealed it for me.  The guy is simply unreliable and he shrinks in big moments.  If I were the GM, he’d be off the 28-man roster when we hit Cleveland. 

It feels a little reactionary. From August 19 through September 18, Fuji had a 3.68 ERA with a 2.10 FIP. He had the 10th inning against the Angels where he struck out 2 and left the ghost runner stranded to close out a 5-4 win. Prior to the first game of the Astros series, he had 7 straight scoreless appearances, including that Angels game, that were not all low leverage (admittedly, he was lucky against the Rays on Sunday).

He is slumping right now. It’s not a good time for it. Should he be in the playoff bullpen? I don’t know yet. I don’t really trust anyone out there right now except for Perez who everyone wanted to DFA earlier this season and Coulombe. Hall has control and command issues. Baumann seems over-worked to the point that his pitches lack life and he has been both hit hard and lacking command. Cano has been shaky, particularly against left handed hitters, and has 3.00 ERA with a 4.01 FIP since August 19. Flaherty seems like he could be good in shorter stints, but needs to prove it. Webb has a 5.11 ERA and a 3.10 FIP since August 19. 

So I am hoping Fuji can find the strike zone again because the bullpen would benefit. He certainly has the whiff rate to be impactful, and I am not going to write him off after 2 bad games (particularly given the overall shakiness of the pen since Felix’s UCL injury).