Tillman should have never been brought up

[webbrick2010]

He is 22.

Seriously, end of story.

His FAST ball is 90mph

Seriously, end of story!!

[Stotle]

I know I've had my irrational moments on here, and this will probably come across as one of them...

...but I don't see it with Chris Tillman. I know, I know, I know...he's young, he's had 17 or 18 big league starts, he projects very well, whatever. I know, I've heard it.

But jeez, he can barely get his fastball above 90 mph and his stuff always seems up in the zone. His breaking stuff looks pretty good but if he can't command the fastball what good is it? It seems like he's always getting hit hard.

I'm not saying send him down, I'm not saying trade him, I'm not saying any of those things, so please don't get it twisted.

I'm just saying, I don't see it with him.

Ask Yankees fans what they thought of Phil Hughes two years ago. It doesn't always click right away. Not worried about Tillman....yet.

[murrayfan420]

Not everyone said he was crazy for wanting to trade Tillman but let's remember that Tillman alone wouldn't have brought back more than another prospect, by himself. I think JTrea was right about Tillman but he's willing to trade just about any prospect and the way prospects turn out, he'd be bound to be right more often than not. Now, to JTrea's credit, he was more prone to trade Tillman than most of the others. But he wasn't the only one. I know I've been agreeing with him on Tillman for awhile now.

Tillman for a SS or 1B prospect would have been nice.

[soxhotcorner14]

A lot of people put their faith in Mr. Tilllman these past couple of years and just like Moose.. I don't see it either. His fast ball is batting practice speed, it's flat and when you can't control the fastball that lollipop curveball comes in like a beach ball.

I for one have never been too high on Tillman, but for the sake of the O's I really was hoping he'd turn out to be something substantial for them. I'm not saying he's a bust or fire up the pitchforks and torches. All I'm saying is for all the hype.. I don't see it.. yet!

[SrMeowMeow]

So, just to be clear - yes, it is irrational to feel this way about Tillman so soon. The Hughes comparison is a good one. Is that a guarantee he'll succeed? No. Is it possible scouts have consistently misread his stuff while continuously placing him high on prospect lists? I guess. Is he still an excellent prospect? Yes.

[Singleton]

Of course its a great thing...But what he dominated with in the minors isn't going to work in the majors.

So, he has to improve his entire game.

Look at Arrieta...Arrieta came up here and looked way better than Tillman has looked in any of his starts. His stuff is electric. That's the type of stuff that carries over to the majors.

Two words:

Sample Size

Arrieta's had 1 MLB start. We know nothing.

Tillman was terrible last night. He looked pretty good the start before.

Sniff. Sniff. Hey, a 21 year old pitcher that is inconsistent. Imagine that.

I don't think the Penn comparison's are valid because injuries seemed to take their toll on him. Speaking of though...I'm more worried that Tillman's hurt than anything else.

[VeveJones007]

As far as prospect status goes, being 22 means a hell of a lot more than 13 innings in the majors. The velocity is not a good sign, but we're talking about a young, excellent prospect who dominated AA and AAA at 21 and 22, respectively. This thread is as knee-jerk as it gets.

Did you see Tillman pitch last night? It was so bad that this thread isn't an irrational overreaction.

[Mackus]

I think all these people who are frustrated with Tillman, its understandable because he's pitched poorly and has only had a couple of really promising starts.

That said, unless you saw him in the minors and are saying he is throwing the same now, he was just able to get minor league hitters out with the same stuff, your opinion really isn't informed. I really, really doubt that the same stuff and command he showed in the minors, where he racked up amazing statistics and got himself into the top 10 or so of all MLB prospects, is the stuff and command we're seeing from him now. Scouts aren't blind and minor league hitters aren't incompetent. Its not like he was throwing slow and straight and with a curve that is easy to pick up on in the minors and the scouts never saw it and the AAA guys couldn't hit it.

I don't think we've seen what Tillman can be yet at the MLB level for whatever reason. Maybe we never will, or maybe it will click and he'll be the best guy we've got. Any major concerns right now are completely premature.

[CalvertCo.OsFan]

Let him take his lumps up here. He's not looking good so far but the season is over, just let him see if he can build up some confidence...never know where it will lead.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Ask Yankees fans what they thought of Phil Hughes two years ago. It doesn't always click right away. Not worried about Tillman....yet.

I'm worried about Tillman. His fastball just looks so mediocre and I think the Phil Hughes comparison is a stretch.

Hughes' first year in the majors at age 21 he had a 4.46 ERA and struck out 7 batters per nine. In 2007 he was considered the number one pitching prospect in all of baseball by BA.

Tillman had a 5.40 ERA last year and has only struck out 5 batters per nine. In 2009 he was rated the 8th best pitching prospect in baseball by BA.

[SrMeowMeow]

Did you see Tillman pitch last night? It was so bad that this thread isn't an irrational overreaction.

Stuff is not a constant. Pitchers have bad games stuff-wise all the time.

[waroriole]

Not everyone said he was crazy for wanting to trade Tillman but let's remember that Tillman alone wouldn't have brought back more than another prospect, by himself. I think JTrea was right about Tillman but he's willing to trade just about any prospect and the way prospects turn out, he'd be bound to be right more often than not. Now, to JTrea's credit, he was more prone to trade Tillman than most of the others. But he wasn't the only one. I know I've been agreeing with him on Tillman for awhile now.

He only wanted to trade him b/c he gives up alot of fly balls. I don't know if Trea has ever even seen Tillman pitch.

[NewMarketSean]

Unless he is injured or has serious mechanical issues, Tillman should be given the rest of the year and the first half of next year to prove that he doesn't have a future in Baltimore. And I think a majority of GM's in the majors would do the same given the Orioles current situation.

So Tillman is going nowhere. Get over it and hope that kid gets it.

[BaltimoreTerp]

A lot of people put their faith in Mr. Tilllman these past couple of years and just like Moose.. I don't see it either. His fast ball is batting practice speed, it's flat and when you can't control the fastball that lollipop curveball comes in like a beach ball.

I for one have never been too high on Tillman, but for the sake of the O's I really was hoping he'd turn out to be something substantial for them. I'm not saying he's a bust or fire up the pitchforks and torches. All I'm saying is for all the hype.. I don't see it.. yet!

Here's the thing: You aren't getting AAA batters out throwing like he was last night. So there's something that has changed between Norfolk and Baltimore, whether it is a physical or a mental issue.

Whatever it is, it needs to be figured out pretty quick so that the team can decide to try and let him pitch through it in the majors or head back down for a little while (or go on the DL, etc.).

[murrayfan420]

Count me in the group that has never been all that impressed with Tillman.