The Baltimore Orioles seem to always have issues with pitching. This may be the first Spring Training when the problem is actually a good one to have.
One of the most heated battles to watch during Spring Training this year will be in the starting rotation. The Orioles have six guys vying for five spots.
In seasons past, the Orioles would typically be scrambling to fill out their rotation. Now with this surplus of pitchers, Buck Showalter and the Orioles’ brass have some flexibility.
Let’s take a look at the six candidates: Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris, Ubaldo Jimenez, Kevin Gausman, and Miguel Gonzalez.
Barring any mishaps (knock on wood) Chris Tillman will be the starter on Opening Day. Tillman has proven to be the staff’s ace. He is an innings eater and has pitched more than 200 innings in two consecutive seasons. In these past two seasons, Tillman has been the Orioles most consistent pitcher and has earned the right to take the mound on Opening Day.
Bud Norris will most likely slide in behind Tillman in the rotation. Norris is a tenacious pitcher and the Orioles love his mound presence. He has a great feel for the game and is willing to challenge any hitter. His spot in the rotation should be safe.
Coming off of the best statistical year of his career, Wei-Yin Chen’s spot in the rotation should also be secure. By mixing his arsenal of pitches extremely well, Chen managed to keep hitters off balance instead of trying to overpower them. Chen went 16-6 last year and pitched to an ERA of 3.54. That’s about a half run lower then in his previous two years in the MLB. This, combined with the fact that Chen is the only starting lefty, will earn him the number 3 spot in the team’s rotation.
That fills three out of the five starting pitching slots.
The last two spots in the rotation are up for grabs and there should be some intense competition involving Jimenez, Gausman, and Gonzalez.
Jimenez had a terrible season last year, there’s no doubt. He went 6-9 with an ERA of 4.81. There is no way that the O’s want a player they are paying that much money to be a long relief guy. Ubaldo Jimenez signed a 4-year deal that will pay him $50 million over that time. Everyone in the front office is keeping their fingers crossed that last season was an aberration and Jimenez will improve this season. Jimenez will probably be handed a chance to be in the starting rotation simply due to his bloated contract.
The wunderkind, Kevin Gausman, made huge strides last year. He may have the best stuff on the Orioles staff and should only continue to get better. Gausman was downright dominant coming out of the bullpen in the playoffs and started 20 games for the O’s last season. Would the O’s risk slowing his development by moving him back to the bullpen or down to Triple A? In spite of Gausman having options left, he’s just too good to not make the big league club; which means Triple A is out of the question. Gausman has proven to be an electrifying reliever, but as a potential ace it is imperative that the Orioles give Gausman experience as a starting pitcher sooner rather than later.
Miguel Gonzalez does not get the credit he deserves. A relative unknown before signing with the Orioles, Gonzo has pitched well in every season. Last season he had an ERA of 3.23 and he’s always had a sub 4.00 ERA while pitching for the O’s. The biggest knock on Gonzalez is that he plays down to the level of competition. But, he also steps up when it counts. Gonzo has his priorities straight and understands how blessed he is to be pitching in the majors. He will accept any role the O’s ask of him and will likely be relegated to the bullpen because of it.
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Blog submitted by Charlie Stine
