Contenders Rotations

[maybenxtyr]

The Toronto rotation looks really good on paper.

 

Baltimore has the potential to be middle of the road. They could also have one or two guys get demoted to the minors at some point this season.

[nvpacchi]

80% of the Astros current rotation shot out of nowhere and became reliable pieces.

Its hard not to make the parallels b/c of Elias's time in Houston, but I think Elias wants to start with a good framework of pitchers with good command (Wells and Kremer in particular) and tweak something to make the stuff play up.  If it pans out for one guy, boom great - we have a #2 to pair with Grayson eventually at #1.

I'd like another rotation piece this year, but I'm fine not spending 8 figure dollars and years on a guy that may only be a win better than who we have right now.  Save the bullets and make a run for Aaron Nola next FA cycle.

[interloper]

Now imagine the rotation if Grayson pulls a lat in ST. All the upside completely drains out of that rotation. Or if Gibson's elbow gives out - woops, now the floor of the rotation is in the basement and there's no one you can count on to eat innings. Point being, there's some fun guys in the rotation but it's extremely fragile. And by typing this, I'm actually talking myself into signing a guy like Syndergaard or Eovaldi just to act as insurance. 

I do LIKE the guys in this rotation. I like Wells and his intensity. I like Bradish, even though he's unnecessarily salty to reporters after games lol (just relax bud, you're fine). I like Kremer and his refusal to make eye contact with Adley coming off the field (*super intense no-look fist bump*). Gibson is a nice addition for stability. Grayson is obviously hugely exciting. We need a number 1, though. And failing that, we at least need another guy for depth. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by interloper

[PepeSylvia]

Ours certainly looks to be the weakest. It could end up okay but I wouldn't count on it. We do have great defense and a full year of Adley calling games so that will help.

 

I would like to believe that ownership is handcuffing Elias because I believe Elias is really smart and knows supplementing the rotation with any of the 2-3 starters that signed 2-3 year deals (Bassitt, Quintana, Heaney, Stripling, etc) would have paid off without hurting our future and just would require ownership to be willing to invest in payroll just a little.

 

Grayson - Looks awesome, high potential. Most innings thrown in a year in the minors is 103. He threw 79 last year. He isn't going to come in and anchor a rotation. He's going to be capped on how many innings he throws.

Means - Isn't likely to come out of the gate from rehab firing on all cylinders. Will be hard to rely on him going into the year.

Gibson - Will eat innings and be a mediocre pitcher, that's good as a 5th starter.

Kremer - Is due for regression as his 4.54 SIERA and 4.43 xFIP indicate, still a fine 4-5 starter though.

Bradish - Hard to predict what we can expect of Bradish. Are we getting the April-June Bradish who was getting shelled or the July-October Bradish who looked great. Probably somewhere in between. Back of rotation starter most likely, upside of a 3 starter.

Wells - Probable back of rotation guy.

[eddie83]

16 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

The Toronto rotation looks really good on paper.

 

Baltimore has the potential to be middle of the road. They could also have one or two guys get demoted to the minors at some point this season.

Jays were my pick to win division last year. I like them again. If Berrios bounces back just a little. Stripling was solid for them last year. Kikuchi struggled. Keep forgetting about Ryu. Not sure if/when he can return. 

[DrinkinWithFermi]

20 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

The Toronto rotation looks really good on paper.

 

Baltimore has the potential to be middle of the road. They could also have one or two guys get demoted to the minors at some point this season.

 

4 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Jays were my pick to win division last year. I like them again. If Berrios bounces back just a little. Stripling was solid for them last year. Kikuchi struggled. Keep forgetting about Ryu. Not sure if/when he can return. 

It has been reported that they are also trying to trade for Pablo Lopez, even after signing Bassitt.

[Sports Guy]

28 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

It has to do with the starting rotation which is being discussed.  I rambled after that.  Now you're a moderator too?  God help us!  

Nah.  Just pointing out how much of a troll you are being.  There is nothing wrong with asking this question yet you are crying like a baby about it.

It’s your thing. You complain about everyone complaining yet you are the biggest baby of them all.  
 

You got called out by multiple people yesterday, including @Tony-OH, about it and yet you come in here and do the same thing even when your response has zero to do with what is being discussed.  That’s the definition of being a troll.

Edited December 14, 2022 by Sports Guy

[Moose Milligan]

I would say that ours has the most question marks and could easily be the worst.  Each of the rotations listed has a true "Damn, that guy is a stud" at the #1 spot, we don't.  We've got a guy that could be there in G-Rod.

 

[HakunaSakata]

18 minutes ago, nvpacchi said:

80% of the Astros current rotation shot out of nowhere and became reliable pieces.

Its hard not to make the parallels b/c of Elias's time in Houston, but I think Elias wants to start with a good framework of pitchers with good command (Wells and Kremer in particular) and tweak something to make the stuff play up.  If it pans out for one guy, boom great - we have a #2 to pair with Grayson eventually at #1.

I'd like another rotation piece this year, but I'm fine not spending 8 figure dollars and years on a guy that may only be a win better than who we have right now.  Save the bullets and make a run for Aaron Nola next FA cycle.

This isn't true at all. McCullers, Urquidy, Garcia, and Javier all had very good 2021 numbers as well. 

[Sports Guy]

12 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Jays were my pick to win division last year. I like them again. If Berrios bounces back just a little. Stripling was solid for them last year. Kikuchi struggled. Keep forgetting about Ryu. Not sure if/when he can return. 

Rays were my pick last year and I’m staying with them as of now. With basically all there best players hurt, missing most or all of the season, they still managed to win 86 games.

Now those players will be healthy and they don’t have to play the division as much. 
 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Sports Guy

[Just Regular]

Run prevention wise, bullpen and defense are the stronger suits.     Even in a season like 2022 where hire Jordan Lyles and everyone throw the ball down the middle was part of the strategy to complete 1436 innings, the Orioles adjusted Jorge Lopez's deployment to curate more value.

In a season like 2023 where curating MLB value is something the Club will care about more, who knows what usage patterns will prevail?     Its more a math question of how many Innings can you get from pitchers you are proud to have up there.

With the better SP options gone, its becoming more of a wonder whether another $50mm in guaranteed money over a couple years is better used on Nate Eovaldi vs. Taylor Rogers and Craig Kimbrel.    That seesaw moves with whether the Club truly thinks Wells and Hall have decent shots to keep 5-and-dive roles.

Also, other Clubs pitchers don't get that Adley smile every inning.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

Of the ones listed? Easily the worst and by a wide margin.

Obviously pitcher injuries will affect this list next year, but there’s no disagreeing that on paper the Orioles starting rotation is lagging behind likely AL playoff contenders. 

Adding one good #2 or #3 starter would go a long way into boosting the Orioles playoff chances. Doesn’t seem like we’re getting one at least for now.

Hoping this is the last off-season where ownership is a hindrance to acquiring free agent talent to the organization. 

 

 

[nvpacchi]

1 minute ago, HakunaSakata said:

This isn't true at all. McCullers, Urquidy, Garcia, and Javier all had very good 2021 numbers as well. 

I'm not saying they broke out this year.  Urquidy, Garcia, and Framber had minimal prospect hype, Javier a little more but still not a lot.

Houston's pitching development turned them into very good/excellent pitchers, when all 4 of them would have had question marks on whether they'd turn into reliable SPs.

[maybenxtyr]

14 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Jays were my pick to win division last year. I like them again. If Berrios bounces back just a little. Stripling was solid for them last year. Kikuchi struggled. Keep forgetting about Ryu. Not sure if/when he can return. 

I agree. They were in my opinion the best team in the east last season on paper. They haven't done anything to change my opinion going into 23 either. 

[Sports Guy]

Entering 2023, the rotation is absolutely full of question marks.

Who is the real Bradish?  Can Kremer keep throwing strikes at a higher level than ever before? Where does Wells end up?  Can Gibson be a sub 4.25 guy again? How good is Grayson immediately?

I feel confident that GRod will be good, if he’s healthy.  I feel pretty good that Gibson will be able to give us what Lyles did last year and maybe a little better. I feel good about Wells being in the pen and if he’s in the rotation, that he can be good enough.

Bradish and especially Kremer are my biggest question marks.