Shooting for 200: O's starters look to get deeper in games this year

SARASOTA, Fla. - When the 2015 season begins, Orioles starting pitchers have a goal in mind - to pitch more innings than last year, get deeper in games more often and pursue the goal of a 200-inning season.

Last season, while O's starting pitchers ranked fifth in the American League with an ERA of 3.61, the Orioles were 10th in starter innings at 953 2/3. Detroit led the AL with 1,007 starter innings.

Chris Tillman has reached the 200 mark each of the last two years, pitching 206 1/3 innings in 2013 and 207 1/3 last season.

You can't get Tillman to brag about himself ever, but he did say he is most proud that his teammates can count on him to take the ball every fifth day.

"For me, that is big," he said. "Numbers are numbers, but when you can go out for your teammates and fans and do your job every fifth day, that is important to me. First, you have to stay healthy and manage your body. I take a lot of pride in doing that. That's a big deal for me."

Tillman believes the O's pitchers can add to their innings total if they just go a little deeper consistently in the games.

"You get one more out every start of the year, that is 34 more outs if you take the ball every fifth day. Makes a big difference. It doesn't feel like it in the game, but it does make a big difference at the end of the year. Dave (Wallace) and Dom (Chiti) preach it. It's our job to take the ball every fifth day and I take a lot of pride in that."

Tillman likes the fact that the starting pitchers are aiming high with their season innings totals.

"I think that's a good thing (guys talking about it)," Tillman said. "Your teammates learn to trust you and know what you will bring to the table every day and that every time you take the mound, we have a good chance of winning."

Last year, Tillman led the staff pitching 207 1/3 innings and was followed by Wei-Yin Chen at 185 2/3, Bud Norris with 165 1/3, Miguel Gonzalez at 159, Ubaldo Jimenez at 125 1/3 and Kevin Gausman at 113 1/3 (with a total of 158 2/3 including innings in the minors).

A look at the average innings per start by O's pitchers in 2014:
6.10 - Chris Tillman
6.04 - Miguel Gonzalez
5.98 - Wei-Yin Chen
5.90 - Bud Norris
5.66 - Kevin Gausman
5.45 - Ubaldo Jimenez

"We're in a position where all our guys' increment jumps, they are capable of doing that," manager Buck Showalter said of the 200-inning goal. "Spent a lot of time trying to build guys up. Whether it's Wei-Yin or Miguel, all these guys for the first time are in a position to not have a whole lot of governors on them so to speak.

"Wally and Dom and Brian Graham were going over the pitch-increment jumps for all the guys we think might impact us this year. Whether it be a (Dylan) Bundy or a (Hunter) Harvey or whoever they decide. First time I can remember we have 10 starters in Double and Triple-A that are homegrown. So monitoring their health (is important). You see guys left and right going down around baseball.

"I don't know if anyone worked harder this offseason than Miguel. That is one of his goals, to try and get 200 innings."

Gonzalez said he hopes a winter filled with tough workouts will lead to more innings in 2015.

"Worked out with Brady (Anderson) this offseason in California and I feel really good," Gonzalez said. "It pays off and my lower body is great. Feel strong and that will help throughout the whole year.

"That would be awesome to get there. That's my goal and it's everyone's goal right now. Just imagine five starters going 200 innings. That would be great."

For Gausman, he would need to add 41 1/3 innings from his total last year to get to 200. If he can't do that, at least he might get close.

"If I feel good, I feel like I can go 200-plus," Gausman said. "That's obviously what everybody is trying to get to. Each one of us wants to get 200 every year. That is what makes Tillman so great. He has logged innings and has the consistency we all want to match."