Grayson Rodriguez Expectations

[Ohfan67]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Darn shame he wasn't brought up before he got injured.

 

I definitely agree. 

[OriolesMagic83]

13 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.   Grayson, is hopefully getting tougher.  It’s sink or swim time, baby! 
 

 

This isn't football.  You can't tough out not being able to control your pitches.  Not sure what is wrong with GrayRod, but it makes sense to fix it at AAA if the goal is getting to the playoffs.  If this was 2019, 2020 or 2021 I would say let him take his lumps. 

[wildcard]

36 minutes ago, Gurgi said:

Hyde just told us he is going to make his next start.  Kind of suck.  Should send him down and make him go six innings over and over before we have to sit though this mega crap.

I am not sure GRod pitching against the Blue Jays in Toronto is the best thing for him or the team on Sat.    I think I would call up DL Hall  to help the pen tomorrow.  And give Irvin a start  against either the Angels or Jays.

Edited May 16, 2023 by wildcard

[FlaO'sFan]

6 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

That works when all you care about is player development but we are trying to win ball games here. Grayson may still give us the best chance to do that but that could change if any of the AAA guys step up. You could say the same thing about Hall. Maybe it's time to give him a shot and see if he can learn on the fly. 

Completely agree, after I posted I realized that I was talking about player development, but if we are trying to win every game possible this year, it may indeed be best to replace him for now with a better option.

[Moose Milligan]

On 2/9/2023 at 11:53 AM, Moose Milligan said:

I'm expecting him to be disappointing.  Just a gut feeling.  

Boom. 
 

Good news is that he’s got time to right the ship. 

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I am not sure GRod pitching against the Blue Jays in Toronto is the best thing for him or the team on Sat.    I think I would call up DL Hall  to help the pen tomorrow.  And give Irvin a start  against either the Angels or Jays.

He just had a good outing against Tampa..the best offense in the majors.

[Moose Milligan]

On 2/9/2023 at 12:07 PM, Moose Milligan said:

It's not that I don't think he won't be a good pitcher moving forward, I just think he's going to have some speedbumps along the way.  An ERA north of 4.5 wouldn't surprise me along with some nagging injuries that require him to be shut down early.

 

CALL ME NOW FOR YOUR FREE READING 

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

He just had a good outing against Tampa..the best offense in the majors.

It was a good start. Tonight was terrible. 
 

Gotta keep trotting him out there until he hits his innings limit though. While overall he’s been disappointing, he’s flashed a little.  He doesn’t give in, which I like. 

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

It was a good start. Tonight was terrible. 
 

Gotta keep trotting him out there until he hits his innings limit though. While overall he’s been disappointing, he’s flashed a little.  He doesn’t give in, which I like. 

What do you consider giving in?   Walking off the mound into the dugout without the manager coming out?

[Billy F-Face3]

Greg Maddux first 2 seasons in the Majors...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maddugr01.shtml

1986 ERA: 5.52, W:2, L:4, WHIP: 1.774

1987 ERA 5.61, W:6, L:14, WHIP: 1.638

1988 He started to figure things out and got better.

 

Randy Johnson's first full season....

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnsra05.shtml

1989 ERA: 4.82, W: 29, L: 28, WHIP 1.512

Tom Glavine....

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/glavito02.shtml

1987 ERA: 5.54, W: 2, L: 4, WHIP 1.748

1988 ERA: 4.56, W: 7, L: 17, WHIP 1.352

 

John Smoltz https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smoltjo01.shtml 1988 W/L: 2-7, ERA: 5.48, WHIP 1.672   Clayton Kershaw https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml 2008 5-5, ERA: 4.26, WHIP 1.495   I could go on and on, but you get the point. All of these guys have had hall of fame caliber careers, and all of them began their career struggling. They had to figure it out at the Big League Level. It's very rare to find a great pitcher debut in his rookie season and doesn't experience some kind of growing pains. Even among the greatest of all time, it's rare that they don't have struggles in the beginning. With Grayson, I'm not going to annoint him to greatness or even say he's a top of the rotation pitcher because he's still got to do what these hall of fame pitchers did and figure things out. I think for Grayson he has to develop command of his secondary pitches. But I also think he's learning on the job of how to attack the best batters in the world, and to maintain composure and poise with the experience he gains. Experience is invaluable.

[Aristotelian]

4 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

It was a good start. Tonight was terrible. 
 

Gotta keep trotting him out there until he hits his innings limit though. While overall he’s been disappointing, he’s flashed a little.  He doesn’t give in, which I like. 

I take "not giving in" to mean not giving the batter a pitch to hit, even if it means risking a walk. Pretty much every batter in the 4th inning got a meatball over the plate. Isn't that the definition of giving in? 

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He just had a good outing against Tampa..the best offense in the majors.

If he can land his breaking pitches and get ahead in the count he will be OK.   But if he keeps throwing pitching in the middle of the plate both the Jays and Yankees/ Rangers are not going to be kind to GRod.   

3.2 IP vs KC and 3.1 vs the Angels.  I don't want to see him in a hostile place like Toronto.   I am not sure he is ready for that.   The Rays were at home.

Sending GRod down,  have him work on his control and  bringing him back when the schedule is not so tough might be better.

 

[baltfan]

Angels were smoking balls off of everyone. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.  Sucks to get 5 off Ohtani but lose.  Anyhow, let him keep going out there. It’s the only way he will learn and the odds of him being better than whoever else we can tort out instead are pretty good. 

[Sydnor]

11 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Greg Maddux first 2 seasons in the Majors...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maddugr01.shtml

1986 ERA: 5.52, W:2, L:4, WHIP: 1.774

1987 ERA 5.61, W:6, L:14, WHIP: 1.638

1988 He started to figure things out and got better.

 

Randy Johnson's first full season....

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnsra05.shtml

1989 ERA: 4.82, W: 29, L: 28, WHIP 1.512

Tom Glavine....

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/glavito02.shtml

1987 ERA: 5.54, W: 2, L: 4, WHIP 1.748

1988 ERA: 4.56, W: 7, L: 17, WHIP 1.352

 

John Smoltz https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smoltjo01.shtml 1988 W/L: 2-7, ERA: 5.48, WHIP 1.672   Clayton Kershaw https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml 2008 5-5, ERA: 4.26, WHIP 1.495   I could go on and on, but you get the point. All of these guys have had hall of fame caliber careers, and all of them began their career struggling. They had to figure it out at the Big League Level. It's very rare to find a great pitcher debut in his rookie season and doesn't experience some kind of growing pains. Even among the greatest of all time, it's rare that they don't have struggles in the beginning. With Grayson, I'm not going to annoint him to greatness or even say he's a top of the rotation pitcher because he's still got to do what these hall of fame pitchers did and figure things out. I think for Grayson he has to develop command of his secondary pitches. But I also think he's learning on the job of how to attack the best batters in the world, and to maintain composure and poise with the experience he gains. Experience is invaluable.

I have heard Terry Francona say that the most important pitching development occurs in the Major Leagues. Your post illustrates that point. Hopefully he can take his lumps this year, and ascend thereafter.

[emmett16]

I’m not concerned about Grayson.  This year has gone about what I expected so far. Some highs & some lows.  I think he will be a force to contend with by year’s end assuming no injuries.