Through three starts, we have seen some really bad and some really good things from Jake Arrieta, yet fans are calling for his head.
It’s not a surprise that most O’s fans see the negatives over the positives with Jake; it has frustrated just about everyone to see his three innings of dominance and then sudden meltdowns. Still, Jake shows signs that he is getting better. He pulled himself out of multiple jams his last outing, with huge strikeouts and great pitches.
Yet, I can still hear the loud cries for Kevin Gausman to replace him.
Stop. Take a deep breath and let’s think instead of reacting on emotion.
Gausman is only 22 years old, and has only just begun his first full professional season at Bowie. His talent and ceiling are overwhelming, but you can’t press fast forward on young arms and expect to see positive results.
Yes, Kevin had an amazing Spring down in Sarasota, and the Orioles tried everything they could to get him to break camp with the Orioles but the truth is he just isn’t ready.
Kevin’s first start this season was not one that he or any one else planned on. He only lasted four innings, surrendering 8 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), and 1 home run. Not the kind of line you would expect from a guy who almost broke camp on the Major League roster. This may have been Kevin’s first professional start where there would have been butterflies and adrenaline, but it showed that there were still things he needed to work on.
The silver lining of the outing was that he struck out eight batters in those four innings without surrendering a walk.
But I was still eager to see the Orioles’ young prospect, so a buddy and I traveled up to Bowie for the team’s home opener (and Gausman’s first home start). Needless to say, as soon as I got to the park I ran over to the bullpen and snapped some photos of the Orioles’ golden boy warming up.
I (along with all the Little Leaguers there for Little League night) was watching this 22-year-old throw a bullpen session as if he was some exotic animal at a zoo. I’d like to think that I had a little more appreciation for Kevin’s talent and future than the 6-7 year olds around me, but hey, I probably looked like a little kid hanging over the railing waiting for possibility of catching a ball.
But I digress…
Kevin’s second outing went the complete opposite way than did his first start. His fastball was sharp, and his change-up was tailing and hitting its spots. I sat directly behind the Baysox dugout and had an amazing view of Kevin’s windup and mechanics. His delivery isn’t as simple and easy to repeat as fellow uber-prospect Dylan Bundy’s, but it certainly is easy and has some elements of deceit coming across his body.
Kevin finished the game with five K’s and no walks, and only allowed one earned run on two hits. In my eyes the run should have been unearned, because the catcher misplayed the ball in the dirt, then made an errant throw over the third baseman’s head to allow the runner to come in. Regardless, Kevin’s outing was fantastic. He had control of all of his pitches, and dominated hitters by getting ahead in the count, setting up himself up to make his pitch.
This was the day after Jake’s second “poor” performance, and the outcries on the Orioles Hangout forum began. Everyone wanted to bring up Gausman, throwing caution to the wind, only wanting to win now.
Well, I hope Kevin’s third outing opened up everyone’s eyes that he still needs some time down in Bowie.
Last night, Kevin allowed 10 hits over 6 innings, and gave up 6 runs (5 earned). There was speculation that the Baysox defense let Gausman down, but you cannot over ook the 10 hits. If a pitcher allows that many hits in any outing, there is only so much a defense can be blamed for.
Kevin Gausman is still young. His talent is undeniable and he has the plus-plus pitches to compete at the Major League level, but there is no reason to throw him into the fire with such little experience. That can ruin pitchers. It can ruin their confidence and destroy any chance of them reaching their fullest potential.
Right now the Orioles have plenty of depth to fill the fifth starter’s role. Let Gausman get his innings in down in Bowie, fine tune his mechanics and pitches, and then come up in June or July (if he is ready). I’d rather Kevin come up ready, and at his peak, then to let him struggle at the MLB level. Kevin will arrive at OPACY sooner rather than later, but O’s fans need to be patient or else the ‘Gas’man may never live up to expectations.
P.S – I am a strong believer in avoiding starting arbitration clocks early and also avoiding Super 2’s in order to extend prospects’ tenure on the ball club. But for this article I wanted to avoid that side of the argument in order to focus on experience and whether or not Kevin was ready, not if it was worth starting his arbitration clock.
