Dean Kremer 2023

[BohKnowsBmore]

12 hours ago, Frobby said:

Kremer had a great fastball tonight, 96-97 with movement and he commanded it well.  Honestly, I didn’t think his breaking stuff was that good.  But the combination was good enough to dominate a terrible lineup.  

 

2 hours ago, IPlayGM said:

Last night reminded me of last year. Using his offspeed stuff fairly well which makes his fastball play up.

 

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

His stuff looked good. He was missing bats last night, something he was below average in last year. 
 

If he starts to miss bats more and get more Ks, he becomes more dangerous.

Yep, this is a trend I highlighted earlier in the thread:

On 4/11/2023 at 12:36 PM, BohKnowsBmore said:

Not sure if anybody has mentioned it yet, either here or in the game threads, but Kremer's velocity looks like it's a tick higher than it's been in years past. I've always thought of him as a low-90's guy, but the last two games, I've seen him hit 96 and 97 on the fastball. Taking a look at Fangraphs, it seems that the data bears this out. Looks like he's been sitting around 95, touching 96 and 97.

[Previous fastball velocity chart]

Appears that last night may have been the best fastball velocity profile of his career.

• Similar max velocity to one other start this year (both appear tied for best of his career to this point at ~98 mph)
• Best average fastball velocity of his career (~96 mph)
• Really strong floor to the fastball as well (so he didn't just dial it up once or twice, he was sitting there); bottomed out around ~94 mph whereas he's been as low as 89/90 mph floor in the past

Hopefully this is a sign of continued improvement and he's not sacrificing anything for the increase (e.g., command, movement, etc.).

 

[interloper]

I'd love to hear some insight into why Dean pitches with so much anger and intensity at times. He never looks at Adley when walking off between innings, he's extremely serious in the dugout, he's borderline dickish with reporters but keeps it under control, and he nearly showed up his manager last night if Adley didn't hold him back from leaving the mound early. 

That said, I've seen him be jovial with dudes when he's not pitching, or in little videos from the Orioles during ST, etc. I just worry a little about his mentality out there sometimes. On the other hand, maybe it's something he consciously does to boost performance, in which case, whatever works! 

[Absltgreek]

19 minutes ago, interloper said:

I'd love to hear some insight into why Dean pitches with so much anger and intensity at times. He never looks at Adley when walking off between innings, he's extremely serious in the dugout, he's borderline dickish with reporters but keeps it under control, and he nearly showed up his manager last night if Adley didn't hold him back from leaving the mound early. 

That said, I've seen him be jovial with dudes when he's not pitching, or in little videos from the Orioles during ST, etc. I just worry a little about his mentality out there sometimes. On the other hand, maybe it's something he consciously does to boost performance, in which case, whatever works! 

Googles "Max Scherzer on Pitching Days"

[sportsfan8703]

17 minutes ago, interloper said:

I'd love to hear some insight into why Dean pitches with so much anger and intensity at times. He never looks at Adley when walking off between innings, he's extremely serious in the dugout, he's borderline dickish with reporters but keeps it under control, and he nearly showed up his manager last night if Adley didn't hold him back from leaving the mound early. 

That said, I've seen him be jovial with dudes when he's not pitching, or in little videos from the Orioles during ST, etc. I just worry a little about his mentality out there sometimes. On the other hand, maybe it's something he consciously does to boost performance, in which case, whatever works! 

He had a start in Boston last year where he showed some real grit, and I think that's he's just an intense guy.  He's had to overcome some stuff in his career.  Traded from LAD to Baltimore.  Leading the MILB in K's then getting hurt.  Having failures in AAA and then in the MLB.  

I like.  Pitching in the MLB is hard.  Bring the intensity.  

[interloper]

49 minutes ago, Absltgreek said:

Googles "Max Scherzer on Pitching Days"

Hey if he becomes our Scherzer, I love it. 

[spiritof66]

15 hours ago, spiritof66 said:

Depends on what starters cast off by other teams Elias picks up over the next few days.

7 hours ago, wildcard said:

I disagree.

I was kidding, but I see how that didn't come through.

I think Kremer, unless he's injured, will be in the starting rotation for quite a while, even if he reverts to Bad Kremer. While I don't expect that to happen, I'm waiting to see how he does against a very good offensive team (or an AL East team, pretty much the same thing). Even if he does falter, I'm guessing that his demonstrated ability will him ahead of the alternative starters in the system for at least the next month or two.

What I am serious about and frustrated by, and was trying to refer to in my comment, is the Orioles' decision to enter the season with this lackluster rotation when there's so little SP talent beyond GRod that can be called up.  Our starters looked on paper like, and so far their pitching is pretty much consistent with, what you'd find as #3 to #5 starters on a good team. Without a top-end starter or two  -- and while GRod or Bradish or Kremer might become a top-end starter this year, they're not now -- you're relying a lot on the offense and taxing the bullpen almost every day. It's hard to keep winning that way, even though it makes for some fun baseball, with lots of offense, balls in play, chances for good defensive plays on hard-hit balls, and comeback potential. 

 

[Moose Milligan]

Last night was a breath of fresh air.  And he what a good pitcher should do against an anemic lineup like the Nats.

Here's hoping it's something he can build on in his next start.  

[Sports Guy]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

I'd love to hear some insight into why Dean pitches with so much anger and intensity at times. He never looks at Adley when walking off between innings, he's extremely serious in the dugout, he's borderline dickish with reporters but keeps it under control, and he nearly showed up his manager last night if Adley didn't hold him back from leaving the mound early. 

That said, I've seen him be jovial with dudes when he's not pitching, or in little videos from the Orioles during ST, etc. I just worry a little about his mentality out there sometimes. On the other hand, maybe it's something he consciously does to boost performance, in which case, whatever works! 

You need insight as to why a pro athlete is intense and focused?

[Moose Milligan]

16 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

You need insight as to why a pro athlete is intense and focused?

SG!  Can you explain why someone like Clayton Kershaw gets fired up like he did last night for his 200th win?

 

 

Looks kind of cringe to me!  Wouldn't want to be around that guy, brah.  

[Sports Guy]

34 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

SG!  Can you explain why someone like Clayton Kershaw gets fired up like he did last night for his 200th win?

 

 

Looks kind of cringe to me!  Wouldn't want to be around that guy, brah.  

I think it goes back to how he was raised.  Mom didn’t breastfeed him.

[interloper]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

You need insight as to why a pro athlete is intense and focused?

No, I'm just curious about it. Because he seemed to turn on the intensity last season and was a totally different guy. I'm just wondering if it's something he decided to intentionally start doing, or something the mental skills coach (forget the title) worked with him on, etc. Don't get me wrong, I dig it. But he is right on the edge at times, like when Adley had to hold him back. 

Don't mistake my post for thinking it's any kind of big deal. I just find it interesting. 

[Frobby]

Fun article on Kremer’s last outing:

https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/dean-kremers-big-inning/

[Ohfan67]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Fun article on Kremer’s last outing:

https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/dean-kremers-big-inning/

That was a fun article. Thanks for sharing. 

[interloper]

I think if Kremer gives up 4 runs and loses last night, this thread might be popping off with some frustrated fans. Instead the offense bails him out and he limits the damage into the 6th inning. He misses a quality start by a third of an inning and 1 ER. 

He started the game with a wildly different game plan/pitch mix than his great start vs. the Nats, and got roughed up for it. Then he reverted to what worked against the Nats - mainly, using the fastball more up in the zone - and he was pretty great once he made that change. I'm not putting this faulty game plan all on him - maybe it was an advance scouting thing, or maybe McCann was calling the wrong pitches, who knows. But it was annoying to watch until they fixed it. Felt like they were being a little too cute early on. 

Right now Dean is super inconsistent. He's got a real Jekyll and Hyde thing going, sometimes inning to inning, but it's clear his stuff is pretty great this year. I sort of hate his cutter though and wish he would utilize his curve more. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by interloper

[Tony-OH]

I think last night was a turning point for him of sorts. Kremer has historically gotten hit around by Boston so when he gave up that second homer to make it 4-0, he could have very well had mentally packed it in and watch the game get out of control.

Instead, Kremer settled down and ended up pitching into the 6th inning as his offense brought the Orioles roaring back. Kremer has been an emotional guy on the mound during his career, but he's finally been able to use that emotion for good. Against the Nationals he used an error to piss him off and then proceeded to throws baseballs by guys instead of melting down as he would in the past.

Kremer has never been a statcast darling and his mistakes tend to get hit hard. But I think what we've seen is a guy who knows he belongs and can weather the storms of emotion. His numbers do not look very good right now, but I'm willing to bet he's about to string some real good starts together.