The Orioles have once again become desperate. It appears it is no longer if, but when the team will sign right-hander Yovani Gallardo. This sounds all too familiar to 2014 when the organization panicked and signed Ubaldo Jimenez in spring training. As we’re all aware, that deal hasn’t led to the kind of results they’d hoped for.
Gallardo is a durable veteran pitcher, which this team desperately needs. The soon to be 30-year-old has pitched at least 180 innings in every season since 2009 along with at least 30 starts and has had only one season with an ERA of over 4.00. Gallardo also doesn’t allow the long ball either as he has given up less than a home run per nine innings in his career and has a ground ball rate of 46.7 percent.
Why the hate?
Simple. Yes, Gallardo is durable. Yes, he starts 30 games a year. However, over the last three years he has averaged less than six innings per start. Gallardo’s strikeout rate has continued to decrease with it dipping to 5.9 per nine innings in 2015. Gallardo’s walk rate also increased as he finished with 3.3 walks per nine innings.
The decrease in strikeouts and increase in walks led Gallardo to finish the season with a WHIP of 1.416.
Take a guess which two Orioles pitchers finished with a better WHIP than Gallardo in 2015?
Chris Tillman and Jimenez – and very few Orioles fans would tell you that either of those guys had a solid 2015 season.
To point to Gallardo’s ERA as an example of why he was successful is an outdated argument. I’m not a sabermetric guy, but there are so many stats out there now that are true indicators of how a player is performing, rather than just pointing to one like someone’s earned run average. Gallardo’s high WHIP and low ERA suggests he was extremely lucky last year and did a great job with runners on base. It’s very hard to imagine that scenario occurring again pitching in the American League East.
The biggest criticism for the Orioles rotation over the last few years (well really every season maybe for the last 20 years) has been that they don’t pitch deep enough into games. Gallardo wouldn’t change that, so how does that help the bullpen over the course of the season? I hate the argument that “he is better than what they have” as that doesn’t mean he is good enough.
I haven’t even brought up the fact the Orioles would have to forfeit their first round pick if & when they sign Gallardo. The team should have done a full court press to sign Doug Fister who would have cost less, not cost a draft pick and not demanded a multi-year deal (Fister signed with Houston for one year and $7 million). Oh, he is also better!
I know I have to accept watching Gallardo pitch every fifth day as this deal appears to be happening, but I’m not sold on him being the key to getting the Birds back in the playoffs.
Additional Note:
If indeed the Birds forfeit the pick for Gallardo, I am all for them going “all in” on QO guys and giving up another pick to sign Dexter Fowler. They could slot the switch-hitter in at the top of the lineup and play him in right field. This is my first crack at the starting lineup if Fowler ends up in Baltimore.
- Dexter Fowler – RF
- Manny Machado – 3B
- Adam Jones – CF
- Chris Davis – 1B
- Mark Trumbo – DH
- Matt Wieters – C
- J.J. Hardy – SS
- Hyun-soo Kim – LF
- Jonathan Schoop – 2B
Thoughts?
5 Responses
My thoughts are I’m surprised people are slotting Schoop at the bottom of the lineup. I’d bat him 6th, personally, but at the very least I’d switch him and JJ.
Chen didn’t pitch past the 5th or 6th inning either. And do we have anyone in the farm system any better? And as far as this 14th pick thing? Will that make our farm system in the top ten? I think not!
Not Sold on Gallardo, especially for a pick. I would really hope that Bundy can finally make it as a starter in the majors. I would prefer Fowler anyway. This team will win on hitting and not pitching.
My preferred lineup would be Fowler, Kim, Machado, Davis, Jones, Trumbo, Wieters, Schoop and Hardy. If we land Gallardo, my rotation of choice would be Gallardo, Tillman, Gausman, Jimenez and Gonzalez. It would be a real bonus if Dylan Bundy pans out this year. We can only hope.
I’m all for the O’s sacrificing picks for proven MLB players, even if they are only average players at best. The O’s desperately need pitching, and they have a HORRIBLE track record of drafting and developing pitchers. It’s a much safer bet to get MLB talent, even if they’re not superstars, than it is to keep throwing money away on these ‘power arm’ lotto tickets they covet so much.