Another good game for Arrieta

[Frobby]

7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's, 70 of 112 pitches for strikes (64%). His ERA stands at 1.86 and yes, he is actually winning baseball games (5-2 record).

[tilgaham]

6K-2BB and 7IP. Fantastic.

[Mackus]

Well Tillman is coming up Saturday.

Unless Bergesen implodes again or we have an injury, both possible, it'll be a while before there is a spot open for Arrieta.

That's one of those good problems, though. Wish we had more cases where we have 6 viable candidates for 5 positions and fewer where we had 2 viable candidates for 5 positions.

[H0smash]

two days in a row the starters throw more than 115 pitches. Are we stretching Arrieta and Tillman out for the ML rotation?

[Mackus]

two days in a row the starters throw more than 115 pitches. Are we stretching Arrieta and Tillman out for the ML rotation?

Perhaps they pretty much cruised through.

115 pitches isn't always a high number. Sometimes 85 is too much, and sometimes a guy can go well over 115. Each guy on each day is slightly different in how many pitches they can reach.

Also, I'm pretty sure 112 isn't more than 115.

[Sports Guy]

2 straight games of 7 IP and just 2 walks, right?

[H0smash]

Perhaps they pretty much cruised through.

115 pitches isn't always a high number. Sometimes 85 is too much, and sometimes a guy can go well over 115. Each guy on each day is slightly different in how many pitches they can reach.

Also, I'm pretty sure 112 isn't more than 115.

Wow, I originally wrote 110...

While I agree with your assessment, the organization (when dealing with pitchers in the minors and young pitchers in the majors) has often let them throw 100 pitches, maybe a little more and taken them out. I have been very surprised the last two days to see the number of pitches Arrieta and Tillman have thrown. I agree with the idea that sometimes 85 pitches is too much and sometimes a guy is fine after 115, but I just don't think the organization has shown that they believe that over the last couple years at least. Maybe something's changing or maybe they want to stretch these guys out, we'll see.

[Three Run Homer]

Nice. Hopefully Arrieta and Tillman will both be moved up this weekend.

I doubt that will happen until we trade Guthrie or Millwood.

Also I think Arietta's callup will be delayed a little longer to prevent him from reaching super-2 status.

Still, it's good to know that we can deal a veteran starter down the road without leaving a huge hole in the rotation.

[Sports Guy]

Really can't see Tillman getting the call over Arrieta. This is all about baseball politics and not who the better ML pitcher is right now. Arrieta should be getting the call but whatever.

Which was my point the other night.

[Frobby]

Also I think Arietta's callup will be delayed a little longer to prevent him from reaching super-2 status.

He should be safe by now. Wieters was called up May 29 last year. By the time Arrieta is ready to pitch again it will be May 30.

[wildcard]

He should be safe by now. Wieters was called up May 29 last year. By the time Arrieta is ready to pitch again it will be May 30.

Exactly. And I think he will be promoted on Sunday to the O's pen.

It been reported that the O's to not want Tillman to pitch in relief but that has not been said about Arrieta. Arrieta could get to the rotation by way of the pen.

[Say O!]

Exactly. And I think he will be promoted on Sunday to the O's pen.

It been reported that the O's to not want Tillman to pitch in relief but that has not been said about Arrieta. Arrieta could get to the rotation by way of the pen.

Arrieta should definitely be on the big league squad. Nothing wrong with pitching 2-3 inning clips out of the bullpen, for him to learn how his stuff will translate against major league hitters.

Later in the season, if there are trades or injuries, you could always slide him into the rotation.

[Lucky Jim]

Really can't see Tillman getting the call over Arrieta. This is all about baseball politics and not who the better ML pitcher is right now. Arrieta should be getting the call but whatever.

Which was my point the other night.

I don't know how true I think this is.

I mean, Tillman's FIP is better, and Arrieta's luck and park-corrected FIP is well over 4.00. He's walking a lot of guys, though he's getting a lot of GBs (moreso than Tillman).

I don't really see any "Politics" at work. But that's just me.

[MurphDogg]

Exactly. And I think he will be promoted on Sunday to the O's pen.

It been reported that the O's to not want Tillman to pitch in relief but that has not been said about Arrieta. Arrieta could get to the rotation by way of the pen.

I hope so. Hopefully the powers that be will realize that Arrieta in the pen gives the O's a better chance to win than Castillo. It isn't like pitching in relief for half a season (or less) renders you totally incapable of succeeding as a starter.

[Lucky Jim]

Didn't know about the FIP, but it seems to me that Arrieta:

1. Has been the more consistent pitcher all year

2. Has improved his groundball ratio while Tillman has not.

3. Has shown a greater ability to strike batters out

4. Has walked too many guys but also had starts where he walked few

5. Just has plain better stuff than Tillman.

As I've said before, neither may be a ML starter but I'm more dubious of Tillman's chances right now. Both may get behind hitters at the ML level but I think Tillman will pay more for it. As low as Tillman's walk totals are, he seems to throw a lot of pitches each start, so I'm not sure he's actually being aggressive and getting ahead of a lot of hitters. I could be wrong though.

I think this may well be the way you see it. I doubt the O's see it that way, and it has nothing to do with "Politics."

1. Maybe. He has an unsustainably low BABIP, however. Including a way sub-.200 BABIP on GBs and a sub-.100 BABIP on FBs.

2. You're right. This is a concern.

3. This year. But Tillman has been working on a cutter, and not Ks. And his K/9 is lower than Tillman's in the same league last year. So, small sample mitigates, history trumps.

4. I thought you said he was more consistent?

5. Dubious. I don't know anyone who agrees with this. He's got a better fastball. Tillman's curve and change are both well-above Arrieta's.