Could Akin be stretched out to start?

[wildcard]

Just looking for alternatives.

Burnes, GRod and Kremer look solid as starters.    Wells and Irvin are searching for their effectiveness. Maybe they will find it and maybe they will not.

Means and Bradish are rehabbing.  One or both may be helpful in the rotation at some point.   But what if one or both  are not.

Povich is doing well at AAA but Elias would probably want him to master AAA before he is called up.   Maybe another 10-12 starts of continuous good performance.

So I am thinking about Akin.  In 2022 he had a 3rd pitch.  A change up.   Its was not a great pitch but did give batters something else to think about.   Akin is pitching well.   The last outing he went 2 innings.  Could the O's stretch him to 3 innings in relief?   Then 4 innings?  Then starting?

I know there are trade possibilities but this is just something else to think about.

Just questioning the possibilities. What do you think?

[RZNJ]

I think Irvin and Wells are in the rotation until Means comes back and then, hopefully, Bradish.   Irvin probably goes to the pen first.   Akin looks good in the pen.  There’s certainly no guarantee he’ll be any good when stretched out and by the time he’s stretched out Means should be back and Bradish close to being back.  Plus, you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul.  It would weaken the bullpen.  

[wildcard]

25 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I think Irvin and Wells are in the rotation until Means comes back and then, hopefully, Bradish.   Irvin probably goes to the pen first.   Akin looks good in the pen.  There’s certainly no guarantee he’ll be any good when stretched out and by the time he’s stretched out Means should be back and Bradish close to being back.  Plus, you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul.  It would weaken the bullpen.  

Irvin and/or Wells would shift to the pen so not really robbing Peter to pay Paul.   Both could be more effective in the pen.

[RZNJ]

21 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Irvin and/or Wells would shift to the pen so not really robbing Peter to pay Paul.   Both could be more effective in the pen.

Fair enough.  All of them could be better in the pen.  That’s why a lot of guys who aren’t good as starters wind up in the pen.  That’s how Akin got there.   

[Frobby]

I do not think Akin would be very effective as a starter.  He’s razor sharp right now for an inning or two, so leave him in that role regardless of what happens with Irvin and Wells (and Means and Bradish).  

Anyway, I’m not near ready to toss in the towel on Irvin and Wells.  
 

[maybenxtyr]

Akin has looked excellent in the pen so far, and he had a stretch like this before. He will not be able to throw like he does now in a starting roll. I don't think his results as a SP would be any better than the start we watched from Wells last night. 

 

Any hopes for helping the starters out will have to come from Means and Bradish getting healthy. I don't think Elias will be willing to give up as much talent as it would require to get 2 starters at the deadline. 

[wildcard]

32 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 Anyway, I’m not near ready to toss in the towel on Irvin and Wells.  
 

And Akin is not stretched out to be a starter.......yet.

Just thinking of the possibilities.

[Matt Bennett]

Akin is a reliever and not a special one at that. He will not continue this dominant pace, though we’ve seen him be useful. 

There will be no interest in making him a starter. 

Anyway, I thought Tyler Wells was good for 15 starts at a 3.20 ERA? 

[wildcard]

14 minutes ago, Matt Bennett said:

Akin is a reliever and not a special one at that. He will not continue this dominant pace, though we’ve seen him be useful. 

There will be no interest in making him a starter. 

Anyway, I thought Tyler Wells was good for 15 starts at a 3.20 ERA? 

Wells will continue to get starts in trying to pursue that goal.   But he needs to improve.

Means and Bradish aren't ready yet.

Akin could be stretched out in the mean time.   Its not effecting any of the other starters until Akin is ready to go 5 innings.

Edited April 13 by wildcard

[Just Regular]

I do think front offices generally are trying to get more innings from big relief arms, looking at what the Giants are doing with Jordan Hicks, or even the Brewers with DL Hall.

I believe the Sigbots seeing so many Arms that can be good once through the order is some of how/why the SP5 role isn't as prominent anymore.    SP5 does have more pre-trade deadline importance as the middle-tier Clubs see who is and is not having a good season any given year.

Akin has been so good so far I'm sure he'll get expanded opportunities for more innings if he keeps throwing well.    He'd be an interesting Opener against a lineup with some strong left handed bats, and after last night looking for ways to ease things up for Tyler Wells may be helpful.

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Wells will continue to get starts in trying to pursue that goal.   But he needs to improve.

Means and Bradish aren't ready yet.

Akin could be stretched out in the mean time.   Its not effecting any of the other starters until Akin is ready to go 5 innings.

I’m unclear how the plan to stretch him out would work. 

[RZNJ]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I’m unclear how the plan to stretch him out would work. 

4/18  3 innings

4/23. 5 innings

4/28 replaced by Means and back to the bullpen. 

Edited April 13 by RZNJ

[Matt Bennett]

56 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Wells will continue to get starts in trying to pursue that goal.   But he needs to improve.

Means and Bradish aren't ready yet.

Akin could be stretched out in the mean time.   Its not effecting any of the other starters until Akin is ready to go 5 innings.

Who could have guessed Tyler Wells couldn't replicate his .200 BABIP and 1.9 HR/9 into another 3.20 ERA? 

Dillon Tate was once a starter too and he has a 1.59 ERA in 5 appearances! Let's stretch him out, since it's that easy. 

The reality is these guys didn't cut it as starters because they couldn't cut it as starters and won't cut it as starters. They are middle relievers. This is the first time Akin has looked good since 2022. He will regress. 

 

[Tony-OH]

I will never understand why some fans always want to stretch out a reliever, who was a failed starter, back into being a starter. 

Sometimes you just have accept that the reason they are having success is that they were better suited for that role. 

Akin has been outstanding so far this year and he's a valuable member of the bullpen, especially with Perez down. He and Coulombe give the Orioles some real weapons to bring in from the left side. 

[Aristotelian]

He has bad career splits. I prefer to use him as reliever when he can be matched up to an extent. He has always sucked as a starter. Don't fix what ain't broke. That is the mistake we keep making with Wells.