In a move that should surprise very few in Birdland, the Baltimore Orioles have chosen to send their top pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, back down to the minor leagues after a performance last night that ruffled more than a few feathers. The setback comes at the end of Rodriguez’s short and inconsistent first stint in the majors. It’s not the desired outcome, but it’s not the final one either. The move presents an opportunity for refinement, and a chance for Rodriguez to master a missing key element of his game.
As we place Rodriguez back on bird watch, I want to caution you against giving a ton of attention to any of the typical markers we love to use when factoring a pitcher’s readiness. Velocity, ERA, K/9, and most of all wins at the minor league level aren’t going to be the factors that signal G-Rod’s readiness to return to the Orioles’ roster. I know those statistics are fun, easy to track, and easy to understand. But you’ll have to get over them and remember that Rodriguez has already shown them during high levels of proficiency at the minor league level. The velocity and the stuff are there; they have been.
Instead, the metric that will determine Rodriguez’s trajectory is one that is harder to measure but even more important: command. It’s that elusive quality that separates good pitchers from great ones. Command is the ability to place any pitch exactly where you want it, when you want it, regardless of the situation. Then take that ability and apply it to a Major League strike zone. See it’s not enough to just be accurate, you need to be able to contextualize that accuracy to different situations, counts and hitting approaches in real time in order to control the game. That’s why it’s called “command.”
Luckily for Orioles fans, there’s no cause for panic. Rodriguez’s work ethic is renowned, and his talent is undeniable. He’s proven himself to be determined, someone who is willing to put in the hours, the effort, to get better. There’s no doubt that he has the talent and the raw physical skills to succeed. All that’s left is for him to refine his command, to add that final piece to his already Show ready arsenal.
Fans aren’t going to like it, but given the Orioles’ position this season the decision to send Rodriguez back to the minors is just a part of the process. It’s a pretty predictable step on the journey towards success as a big-league pitcher for a winning team. Diamonds need to be cut and polished. Methods need to be tested and refined. Rodriguez may be down right now, but he is most certainly not out. This is no swan song. Rest easy, the Major League career of Grayson Rodriguez is far from over.
