What's best for Baez, and the Orioles
Danys Baez has thrown 8 2/3 scoreless innings in his last five games, twice being credited with the win.
During that stretch, opponents are batting .069 (2-29) against him. He's walked four and struck out six.
With the closer's job up for grabs, and considering that Baez registered 25, 30 and 41 saves in consecutive seasons beginning in 2003 with the Indians and ending in 2005 with the Rays, he would seem a logical candidate to take over the ninth inning.
However, manager Dave Trembley indicated yesterday that Baez will remain in his current role, and I'm in complete agreement. Why mess with a good thing?
Baez wanted to be a starter. He found new life as a multiple-inning reliever used in the middle innings. He's got nasty stuff, and he's stretched out enough to handle the duties that fell upon Matt Albers last season. I wouldn't disrupt him.
If the Orioles didn't have anyone else who could assist George Sherrill, the temptation would be greater, but Chris Ray and Jim Johnson are available. Leave Baez alone. He's too valuable in his present capacity.
Just my opinion.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
Agreed. Baez looks darn good out there. He looks comfortable and confident. Is there anything wrong with treating the 9th like any other inning? There was a time when ball games were won with a 9th inning specialist.
No way does Baez get moved...until July 31 anyways. The guy is showing his value and contending teams will crave it as they look at their tired bullpens.
Albers will figure it out, he just needs some time. Liz as well. Hopefully the bullpen lets the team buy all the time it can get.
Roch,
I definitely agree. He's basically the only guy on the entire staff who has been a lights-out, dependable option, at least for most of the season to this point. Who would have thought we would be saying that about him??? Trembley is right to go with the closer-by-comittee option, as right now we don't have one pitcher that is going to go out and close the door on a consistent basis. I think that will be eventually be Ray, but not quite yet.
As always, enjoy the blog...keep up the good work!
Roch- Spot on as usual. They didn't make that saying "if it aint broke don't fix it" for nothing.
One day you should just write an entry with a bunch of random jibberish, cause I bet no matter what, there will be about 50 posts from people (me included, I woudln't know how to spend my time here at work without this blog) trying to talk about the Orioles. (assuming you get extra $ for the number of posts). I bet you could just write the word "hi" and still get the same amount of traffic
I think we all can assume that Baez has no future past this year with the orioles. If we make him a closer he could get more in a trade than a setup/bridge guy.
I think what's best for the Orioles is to try to maximize the returns on guys like him and Jamie Walker. Plus he's pitching well and might make a very effect closer, moreso than Sherill has been. If we need another brdige guy recall Albers and send or release Bass.
Would his surgically repaired arm stand up to warming and maybe pitching two or three days in a row??? Why risk it, if there are other options and he's finding success where he is???
Bottom line the starters still aren't going deep enough in the game... Another 5 inning effort again last night... Maybe they should get Sammy Stewart out of jail and he could pitch righthanded one night and lefty the next...
It would make room for another bench player...
By the way, did anyone else's stomach drop when Nick made his diving catch last night? It looked to be an extremely awkward landing with the way his right arm / shoulder extended.
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And the way he initially stayed on the ground in an odd position. Yep, I hear ya. I thought, 'Oh no, not THAT!' - Roch
I agree with you Roch. I mean you've got to be able to hold a lead heading into the 9th before you start talking about who is going to close out the game. Taking Baez out of that middle relief role puts that in jeopardy with the way a lot of the other bullpen guys are pitching right now.
Then why move Johnson? He is also good in his current role. In fact, using this logic, we should only try someone for closer if they are not good in their current role. Chris Ray it is. See, logic can be a real pain in the a@@ sometimes. I think you have to take a different approach and look at each player and seeing what they "can be" rather than what they are at the present. After all, that's the point behind Pie. It's also why we brought up Markakis and traded for Jones...because of what they could be.
Now that I am done fueling the fire (I really just want to spark discussion, but in a positive thought-provoking way rather than what's been going on lately), I would still put Ray back in the closer role for now. If he stumbles, I would pass it to Johnson.
Feel free to disagree and discuss further ladies and gentlemen.
Hmmmm, just noticed the game is at 4:00 (:08 actually??). Trying to figure out how I can ditch out of work lol.
I was going to try and go to the doubleheader tonight here, but rain's forecasted through Thurs. AM. Rats.
AGREED Roch. Leave him alone. He's only 31 & healthy again. I would at least explore signing him for 2 years IF he keeps this up. At least look into it & see if he is interested before trading him for some AA player.
Roch... how long before things go full circle and there is no "closer" or "7th inning guy" or "only pitches to lefties in the 8th inning with the score within two runs on Sundays guy"? Although the save statistic started with good intentions, it has changed the way baseball is played, and that's just wrong. It's a contrived and overrated stat, and needs to go the way of the game winning RBI.
I'd never last as a major league manager. No pitch counts (I can see whether or not a pitcher is tiring, and if my pitching coach can't then I need to get a new one), no defined bullpen roles (your role is to pitch when I tell you to pitch and get people out no matter what the score, inning, or situation), and everyone in the bullpen can pitch more than one inning. As soon as I had a stretch where people pitched poorly, then I'd get roasted because my "plan" obviously wasn't working.
Did you get a chance to read Gary Thorne's article for USA Today about Nolan Ryan's ban on pitch counts throughout the Rangers organization? I hope the Rangers have enough testicular fortitude to stay with that for several years. If any team needs to change its long-term approach to pitching, that's it.
concur with Baez recommendation, but believe that Ray should be the closer v. Sherrill, and let Johnson be the 8th inning guy.
Still wish we could get back to a time where starters actually threw complete games as the norm if they're pitching well.
Some guy throwing 6 innings and giving up 3 runs being considered a great outing is really weird. . .or maybe that's just the way it's going to be now.
I believe I read about Nolan Ryan trying to change the mentality about starters within the Ranger organization, e.g., get over the 100 pitch count business and train pitchers to go the distance. That should be the norm and the expectation for success.
vernon said:
I believe Sherrill has an important role on the team but him being upset with the new plan is amusing to me--His ERA last year and this year as well with the way he ended last year and started this year he is lucky he still has a job at all--Jim Johnson should be be the closer and Sherrill should get 8th inning mostly left hand hitter assignments--.......................Vernon.........You got it right!!!!.........Except, Sherrill should be ready to face a lefty anytime from inning 6 on !.............Seems as if Trembly waits till a crisis is upon us before the presure forces him to make a move
I concur. I have no qualms with closer by committee. Unless you have one of the games elite closers then its a completely overrated spot to begin with. Why put a guy in who doesn't match up against the hitters just because its traditional and because other teams do it? Screw that noise... Let 'em all close the games. I bet it works better for us than blowing 6 out of 8 one-run leads.
I agree about Baez for the short term. However, if he continues to pitch lights out and no one else is seizing the closer role, by all means give Baez a shot. He's done it before so he understands the mentality of the role. And to think so many people here were disgusted and appalled when the Orioles decided to keep him. You just never know and this is where a patient approach bears fruit.
As for Adam Eaton, I'd be very nervous if I turned in one more shaky start. Rich Hill should get a chance soon (though I'm still not convinced he has shaken his bout with the yips) or perhaps another free agent is plugged in for a trial run. Remember, we are buying time throughout the season... there is no quick fix and no reason to rush any of the young arms.
All of this talk about Nolan and his dis-interest in pitch counts. Let's remember now that Texas' team ERA sits at a lofty 5.42.
In his day, teams didn't have to "protect" their investments so much, there weren't specialists and guys earning big bucks in relief. Also, he was a freak of nature.
I like the idea, but yes he is 1 GM who is experimenting (ring a bell anyone)? It will take years to realize the results of his experiment, we only have to wait a couple of months on ours.
Only 1 GM experimented with the Moneyball emphasis on on base percentage approach and look how that's turned out. Now everyone's doing it. The RedSox have been doing it for years. They make our pitchers work like crazy and their into the bullpen by the 5th inning. Just because everyone is doing something doesn't make it right. It just means that everyone is scared of doing anything different and losing their job.
From a deserving standpoint, Baez should be given a chance to close. So should Jim Johnson for that sake. From a strategic standpoint, either Sherrill or Baez should close in the short term in hopes of developing some trade value this summer. Baez is a free agent after this season. Then after a trade the Orioles could slide either Ray or Johnson into the role for a longer term. Baez & Huff to the Angels for Brandon Wood?
Roch,
On the flip side with Baez - With him doing so well in this position are there any discussions on stretching him further to be a starter? Again, if he succeeds, he may be much more valuable and could be an excellent short-term bridge to the young guys. Or, are they still concerned with his durability post-surgery?
Thanks!
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They like him in his present role. Don't think there's any talk of making him a starter again. - Roch
Roch, don't you think this has alot to do with his trade value at midseason? I'm sure alot of contenders with good closers will need middle relief help.
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I think it has more to do with how he can best help the Orioles right now. - Roch
I say he is as good as any of them now days....and if the situation arises use him as a closer..Ray has been but JJ never has been a closer...Baez was good at before..maybe not always but once in a while he could close since it is open now. That shocked me the batting average that Sherrill is allowing right handed batters this year..wow that is terrible.
Why not let Baez pitch two innings AND be the closer? Just bring him into the game to start the 8th.
Sherrill is so obviously a LOOGY (Lefty One Out Guy), and that is how he had his best success in his last season with Seattle. Look at Sherrill's splits vs. LH and RH hitters. Johnson could still be the setup guy, coming in to start the 7th.
Where Ilve we pipe in sunshine. that said what is the story with Sammy Stewart and jail
As sad as it is, Baez is one of the best pitchers on the O's right now. This argument that Baez should stay in his role makes no sense. As a starter, he would pitch more innnings and you want your best pitcher to throw the most innnings possible. I guess using the logic of "why mess with a good thing" has merit-----NOT. If that was the case, every Hall of Fame pitcher who startd in the bullpen would have stayed there for his entire. A GOOD THING--have you noticed that another season has begun to slip away. Baez and Johnson should be moved into the rotation, Hendrickson and Eaton should be dumped and a couple of kids brought up to fill in relief.
This trade this person or that person at the deadline people always kill me. The O's have crap in the minors as far as relief pitchers.They traded Bradford last year for nothing and what did it gain us? Nobody got a refund in the mail for what they saved on Bradford.
People want to trade Baez,Luke,Huff,Mora and others at the deadline this year when they're not blocking anybody worthwhile.The best position players the O's have coming are 2nd basemen.
The other thing scary about this is McPhail has a habit of getting rid of people without a replacement.Then we have to go through the free agent grunges nobody else wants.
Agreed. Baez right now is reminding me of Arthur Rhodes when he I think Davy Johnson called him a 3 inning hammer. He was great once through the order, usually no hits. On a team that so frequently has to pull starters early, you need a guy like this. You need a 2-3 inning guy who can keep the lead or keep it close and isn't a mop up guy.
The ball is coming out of his well.
John said:
This trade this person or that person at the deadline people always kill me. ******************************************************************
This team would be really hurting without it's recent trades. (A. Jones, L. Scott, Sherrill, Albers, Sarfate, Tillman, Patton)
John said:
The O's have crap in the minors as far as relief pitchers.**********
Albers, Mickolio, W. Perez, Hoey are all crap??? I disagree.
John said:
People want to trade Baez,Luke,Huff,Mora and others at the deadline this year when they're not blocking anybody worthwhile.***********************
If Baez and Huff are both free agents at the end of this season, how does it possibly matter if they're not blocking anybody??? You would rather see said resources walk without any return?
John said:
The best position players the O's have coming are 2nd basemen.***********
Weiters, Reimold, Snyder, & T. Henson play 2nd base???