What's the matter with Zach Britton?

[mikezpen]

He's been terrible, and I'm beginning to worry about his arm.

[Stotle]

Part of the issue is simply that we as a fanbase need to stop acting like dominant performances in HiA equate to smooth sailing to ML. He's a guy with good, not great, stuff that has really shown a high level of growth over the last two years. As has been noted various times before, he needs to continue to learn at each level how his sinker/slider is going to play. He needs to be able to throw both for strikes, consistently, because swings-and-misses outside of the zone are not going to be a staple against advanced hitters. He needs to continue to use his change-up, even if he's not super comfortable with it, because he'll without a doubt need it in the upper-levels.

In other words, it's probably in everyone's best interest to take a deep breath and realize that Britton isn't a power pitcher that will blow away hitters until he reaches the bigs. He's a good arm with a great sinker and some improving secondaries -- he needs to learn how to do it at each level, and that's going to mean some good times and some bad as the competition gets better and better.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Repeat.

[Three Run Homer]

He's in the Orioles organization. That's what's wrong with him.

[H0smash]

He hasn't been terrible. That's a ridiculous statement.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=502154

Exactly. He's just been a little inconsistent, nothing like some adversity to help a prospect for when/if they get to the Majors. Sometimes it's better for players not to just sail smoothly to the Majors because they won't know how to adjust, and understand that that is what they will need to do throughout their major league career. Hopefully, he starts to string together some good starts. We'll see.

[Tony-OH]

He's working on his changeup and his command has been off a bit. He was mainly a two-pitch guy trying to become a trhee pitch guy. I saw him earlier in the year and unless he's hurt, there's nothing to be concerned about here.

He's not advanced like Matusz, but when it's all said and done he'll be fine.

[AVencill]

Bear in mind as well as this was Britton's first start following taking a line drive to his forearm. Zach's had the misfortunes of enduring some early season trials and tribulations with weather shortening starts, freak line drives, poor defense. He really hasn't had a chance to jump into a real good groove with exception to that Harrisburg start the last time out which ended with a tough liner off the arm. His only consistency in his starts have been the numerous inconsistencies that have taken place. It sucks for him, but it's only going to make him a better pitcher in the long run.

[Stotle]

Bear in mind as well as this was Britton's first start following taking a line drive to his forearm. Zach's had the misfortunes of enduring some early season trials and tribulations with weather shortening starts, freak line drives, poor defense. He really hasn't had a chance to jump into a real good groove with exception to that Harrisburg start the last time out which ended with a tough liner off the arm. His only consistency in his starts have been the numerous inconsistencies that have taken place. It sucks for him, but it's only going to make him a better pitcher in the long run.

There isn't anything to worry about w/Britton until we see him at each level, in my opinion. He's someone that will need to miss bats, or he'll likely be plagued by a higher BABIP due to his high GB tendencies. Don't get me wrong, his GB% is awesome. But if you don't mix that with an effective level of missed bats, ML hitters can find a way to turn them into base hits. I'm happy that my initial impression of Britton 2 years ago (likely bullpen arm) was wrong. Hopefully he keeps improving and can turn into a solid #3 in the future big league rotation.

[PoleyFan]

He's been terrible, and I'm beginning to worry about his arm.

mikezpen's handle should be.....

stir_the_pot

because when things get too quiet, he likes to say something dramatic - and typically unfounded - to get everyone's attention.

it's beyond old.

[crowmst3k!]

He's working on his changeup and his command has been off a bit. He was mainly a two-pitch guy trying to become a trhee pitch guy. I saw him earlier in the year and unless he's hurt, there's nothing to be concerned about here.

He's not advanced like Matusz, but when it's all said and done he'll be fine.

Yep. Working on his pitches, and at least in one game was being routinely squeezed on the outside corner. I'm not worried at all about it.

[Tony-OH]

Yep. Working on his pitches, and at least in one game was being routinely squeezed on the outside corner. I'm not worried at all about it.

I know some will try to say it's because he's because he moved up in competition, but he's hit a string of bad luck this season. I saw him earlier in the year and he was dominant. The stuff is there. I rather see him work on that changeup and put less than stellar results up then just pound away with the sinker/slider combo.

He's the kind of guy that won't need to miss a ton of bats because of the sinker and his ability to get ground ball outs. Unlike flyball pitchers who definitely need to miss bats, Zach can become a Mark Buehle type guy in the major leagues.

This is part of the reason why he can normally get deep into games because he'll get those one to two pitch ground ball outs instead of going for the strikeout.

I'm not worried at all.

[Who's On 1st]

After seeing him a few times in Bowie as well as talking to him, I am sure he can turn this around.

I am not concerned at all.

[taygre]

I know some will try to say it's because he's because he moved up in competition, but he's hit a string of bad luck this season. I saw him earlier in the year and he was dominant. The stuff is there. I rather see him work on that changeup and put less than stellar results up then just pound away with the sinker/slider combo.

He's the kind of guy that won't need to miss a ton of bats because of the sinker and his ability to get ground ball outs. Unlike flyball pitchers who definitely need to miss bats, Zach can become a Mark Buehle type guy in the major leagues.

This is part of the reason why he can normally get deep into games because he'll get those one to two pitch ground ball outs instead of going for the strikeout.

I'm not worried at all.

Zach and all the Bowie pitchers are suffering from a poor defense. Especially up the middle and an offense that is mostly bad. As far as the ground ball flyball thing, this is way overblown. An out is an out. But I do like a guy who can miss bats. IMO, too many people put too much weight on the ground ball. Remember, all balls in the air count as flyballs. That means pop ups and short weak flyballs as well. It seems most people think every time a guy has a high flyball rate that they are all hit to the wall and would be home runs in the majors. That is just not true.

[Tony-OH]

Zach and all the Bowie pitchers are suffering from a poor defense. Especially up the middle and an offense that is mostly bad. As far as the ground ball flyball thing, this is way overblown. An out is an out. But I do like a guy who can miss bats. IMO, too many people put too much weight on the ground ball. Remember, all balls in the air count as flyballs. That means pop ups and short weak flyballs as well. It seems most people think every time a guy has a high flyball rate that they are all hit to the wall and would be home runs in the majors. That is just not true.

Unfortunately, that's just not true. It sounds good in theory but unfortunately, guys who are getting ground balls instead of fly balls are almost always going to be more effective in the big leagues. Obviously you do have to miss some bats and Britton does that, but guys that tend to give up a lot of flyballs in the minors mean they are usually working up in the zone. Unless you are throwing mid-90s or higher it's tough to work up in the zone in the big leagues.

[jerios55]

Zach and all the Bowie pitchers are suffering from a poor defense. Especially up the middle and an offense that is mostly bad. As far as the ground ball flyball thing, this is way overblown. An out is an out. But I do like a guy who can miss bats. IMO, too many people put too much weight on the ground ball. Remember, all balls in the air count as flyballs. That means pop ups and short weak flyballs as well. It seems most people think every time a guy has a high flyball rate that they are all hit to the wall and would be home runs in the majors. That is just not true.

Hard to get double plays on fly balls. That can be a big difference between a big inning or getting out of things. Might be a small difference, but I'd rather have a sinkerball pitcher on the mound with guys on base. (JJ get your act together please )

[Arthur_Bryant]

Hard to get double plays on fly balls. That can be a big difference between a big inning or getting out of things. Might be a small difference, but I'd rather have a sinkerball pitcher on the mound with guys on base. (JJ get your act together please )

All true. Even more to the point: nothing breaks a game open faster than a long extra base hit, and it's hard to get a long ball when the hit is at shin level when it reaches the infielders.