Alfredo Simon stinks

[Gofannon]

Is that the first time he's ever pitched in the rain, for crying out loud? I haven't seen anyone handle water so poorly since the Wicked Witch of the West (no offense to the Wicked Witch of the Hangout).

As soon as he started going all Lady MacBeth on his spikes, I had a real bad feeling about things.

[webbrick2010]

Didn't get to watch the game, but in the past Simon has given up all of his big HRs on his splitter or other off speed pitch.

Did it happen again or did he at least go down with his 95+ fastball??

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

Good one Hank. I had to think of catchy name and that was the first

thing that came to mind. I see ur point about 15/18 saves. I'm just so tired of losing, maybe frustration got the best of me. I'm just a diehard orioles fan I feel we have the pieces to win. I love Orioles Hangout and I will be a plus member sometime next week to be officially part of the family

Welcome. Sounds like you're going to fit right in.

[nate22]

We're paying Gonzalez a lot of money to pitch in innings 5-8. I expect him to eventually go back to closing.

[byrdz]

I'm definitely more in agreement with sdmarkakis, but Simon does have a penchant for blowing games in particularly dramatic ways. Tonight, 2 outs, nobody on, ending it with a 3-run homer. Plus there was this game.

Aren't most blown saves dramatic?? Let's not put all of the blame of this crappy Orioles team on the rookie closer's shoulders.

[Can_of_corn]

I turned my TV off just as the ball was sailing into the seats. You could just tell something bad was going to happen, the way that Simon was struggling in the preceding pitches and his efforts to clean his spikes, etc.

I don't see Simon as a shut-down closer, but 15/18 is non-embarassing. I think he will keep the job for the rest of this year so long as his ratio remains in that neighborhood. (Though I don't know what Showalter may do.)

Now that Gonzalez seems to have his stuff back I expect him to move into the role. It could serve to add to his trade value this off season if the O's decide to move him.

[bobmc]

Didn't get to watch the game, but in the past Simon has given up all of his big HRs on his splitter or other off speed pitch.

Did it happen again or did he at least go down with his 95+ fastball??

Gameday says 95 mph heater....

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_07_30_balmlb_kcamlb_1&mode=gameday

[scOtt]

Simon has done well (and I agree Gonzo will be the closer fairly soon) but seriously... What closer doesn't blow a save "in particularly dramatic ways"? It's always dramatic.

And closing is what it is, even Rivera blows a few. The best closer we ever had, Randall K., ALWAYS had runners on. He was annoying as hell, he just got out of all his jams.

[weams]

Simon has done well (and I agree Gonzo will be the closer fairly soon) but seriously... What closer doesn't blow a save "in particularly dramatic ways"? It's always dramatic.

And closing is what it is, even Rivera blows a few. The best closer we ever had, Randall K., ALWAYS had runners on. He was annoying as hell, he just got out of all his jams.

He is a lot like Papelbon. I would prefer David or Gonzales to close for several reasons.

[NCRaven]

Exactly how is Hernandez any better than Simon? These guys can't get out of their own way and Hernandez is no better or worse than any of the others at this point.

[trk001]

Exactly how is Hernandez any better than Simon? These guys can't get out of their own way and Hernandez is no better or worse than any of the others at this point.

hurf durf

As a reliever ...

Hernandez: 2.42 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 4.43 SO/BB, 10.7 K/9, .232 opp AVG, .633 opp OPS

Simon: 4.18 ERA, 1.515 WHIP, 1.41 SO/BB, 6.7 K/9, .256 opp AVG, .729 opp OPS

There you go, that's how he's better. In every important way.

[Ommaculate]

I guess we can add Hernandez to the stink list.

[trk001]

I guess we can add Hernandez to the stink list.

Because of one poor outing? Really?

[Ommaculate]

Because of one poor outing? Really?

That wasn't his first poor outing. I think he has had at least 3, just like Simon.

[trk001]

That wasn't his first poor outing. I think he has had at least 3, just like Simon.

That's the life of a reliever, man. A stretch of innings with 0 runs, then an inning or two of 1 or 2 runs. You'll see that with almost every reliever. If they were all perfect outings, they'd have a 0.00 ERA.

Do you realize that Hernandez has only given up 8 runs as a reliever this year? And those runs are over 5 appearances? All his other appearances, he hasn't given up anything.

These things HAPPEN.

Also, you're pulling numbers out of your butt and that don't fly.