Grayson Rodriguez 2023

[Ridgway22]

The recent outings, and especially this one tonight, is what I've been dreaming on. 

That was an Ace / TOR / #1 Starter type outing.

[sportsfan8703]

And uh… we know who is our Game 1 starter.  Wow, I heard an announcer say that George Kirby wanted to pitch like a closer for 6-7 innings. Well, that’s probably the best way to sum up how dominant Grayson was last night. Heck of a play defensively too. 

Great demeanor last night. He shook off Adley a few times in a 2 strike count to dot a 99 mph FB just outside up and away. He found a little extra last night. Was pumped for a big game. 101. 

Edited August 15, 2023 by sportsfan8703

[foxfield]

Growing pains are hard. But it sure looks like he has found his way back to being what he is supposed to be. That was quite an impressive outing. 

[dystopia]

3.03 ERA since returning. Him and Bradish are a really good 1-2 punch. 

[CaptainRedbeard]

7 hours ago, Dunk35 said:

Okay. I can see IT now. 
 

Only thing to worry about is that darn near every guy who has 100 in the bag also gets TJ at some point. 

This is my concern too. Especially since he has had a clear bump of fastball velo, which IIRC increases the odds of injury. 

However, when your concerns about a pitcher become “geez I hope he doesn’t get hurt,” that’s as good a position as you’re going to be. It means they’re doing great at everything else and you have nothing else to worry about. Every pitcher is at a high risk for getting hurt, and TJ seems to inevitably come at some point in the careers for a huge percentage of them. All you can say is that he clearly looks healthy now and is suffering no lasting effects from the lat injury last year, and that’s all you can ask for.

Grayson has looked dominant. Like the true ace/TOR/#1/whatever you want to call it that we desperately need. They need to find a way to keep him fresh and in the rotation for the playoffs, it’s hard to envision a scenario where we win the WS without him leading the way. 

[wildcard]

GRod, Bradish, Means, Wells, Kremer, Irvin and McDermott after Gibson and Flaherty leave. Then there is Hall.   I don't know that the O's need to add starting pitching this off season.   Nor add position players.

Maybe strengthen the pen depending on how some on the farm develop.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

GRod, Bradish, Means, Wells, Kremer, Irvin and McDermott after Gibson and Flaherty leave. Then there is Hall.   I don't know that the O's need to add starting pitching this off season.   Nor add position players.

Maybe strengthen the pen depending on how some on the farm develop.

They need to add a higher end starter..for sure.

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

They need to add a higher end starter..for sure.

Who do you think is available?

I’m pretty interested in keeping Flaherty if he pitches well down the stretch and seems like a clubhouse fit. Not too many free agent pitchers come along who’ve just finished their age 27 season.  

[Sports Guy]

Just now, Frobby said:

Who do you think is available?

I’m pretty interested in keeping Flaherty if he pitches well down the stretch and seems like a clubhouse fit. Not too many free agent pitchers come along who’ve just finished their age 27 season.  

There are a ton of good starters available that likely get 3 years or less.

Blake Snell is #1 on my list and I may be willing to go 4 years for him but it’s possible he blows past that.

We will also have the opportunity to trade for basically anyone we want.

But they 100% need to add a real starter..not another Gibson/Lyles clone..but a real top end/potential top end guy.

Flaherty fits that mold but I think he ends up on the west coast.

[LookinUp]

6 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I would be concerned about making that comparison because of how much time Strasburg has spent injured, unavailable, and on the IL.

Has anyone ever heard of the inverted W theory in regards to pitching mechanics?

This was definitely a big thing and linked to injury, but I thought it was more or less debunked. Not that it wasn't associated with injury, but that there's a more specific stressor than just the inverted w. But that's just my memory. Not sure if others have better info. A quick google search popped up a bunch of 10+ year old articles.

15 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Blake Snell is #1 on my list

Stop. It's not happening. Stop. lol

[Sports Guy]

https://x.com/pitchingninja/status/1691273008956985345?s=46&t=G3On-_LleGmZce-r3ClVZA

 

https://x.com/pitchingninja/status/1691286720761753600?s=46&t=G3On-_LleGmZce-r3ClVZA

These overlays are great.

[btdart20]

25 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

They need to add a higher end starter..for sure.

I assume Elias avoids the SP market as much as possible.  At least until proven otherwise...  Needs and risk appetite change.  There's more than one way to win, but there is conventional wisdom/historic trends as well.

Do we finish a game or two short of the prize?  Was it the bullpen or the starters?  Do we finish in a dogpile?  Was it largely because of Grayson/Bradish/other or the bullpen?  

As we sit now, we'll need one SP in the offseason to replace pending FAs.  But that could be Means too.  Or McDermott.  Or Povich.  How much depth are we going to build up?  First the IFs, now the OFs.  Soon the SPs?

 

Back to Grayson:  Pass the cigars!  Congrats to the team for their newborn star!

[ScGO's]

Playoff rotation of GrayRod, Jack Flaherty, and Bradish ain't looking too bad

I think Means needs to be brought back strictly as a reliever for the rest of the season. With the potentially surprise addition of Webb, the bullpen might be a strength again shortly. Wells and Hall will be in the playoff bullpen mix as well. Roster size goes back to 26 so probably 12 or 13 pitchers for playoff series?

[btdart20]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

https://x.com/pitchingninja/status/1691273008956985345?s=46&t=G3On-_LleGmZce-r3ClVZA

 

https://x.com/pitchingninja/status/1691286720761753600?s=46&t=G3On-_LleGmZce-r3ClVZA

These overlays are great.

Tunneling beast mode!  

[Just Regular]

Irvin is small potatoes (will we even tender Arb1 for AAA depth?), but curious which of Means or Wells people see not starting one of the first five games next year if we retain Flaherty or buy anyone new.

DL Hall I believe is a forever reliever now, but I don't put that label on Tyler Wells yet.

Obviously assuming all five of those guys have health entering the offseason, etc.     Even if you know Wells is a half season SP, it gives a lot more data on Povich/McDermott and he can carry you to another trade deadline when you can see what the rentals are.     Elias likes buying Arms in small time increments.     I wouldn't be surprised if he's never owned a car.