Thoughts on Asher, Hart, Crichton and Yacabonis

There are no holiday updates on the Orioles' search for starting pitching and a left-handed reliever with plus velocity and the splits to present the option as a specialist. The 40-man roster includes 24 pitchers, and the Orioles have announced 14 more on minor league deals since Nov. 28.

Maybe there's strength in numbers.

I've spent part of the offseason choosing Orioles who need to step up or have various questions circling over their heads. Let's toss out another handful.

* Alec Asher is one of the bubble guys on the 40-man, which currently has two openings that will be filled at a later date.

Asher served a purpose in 2017, making him a good acquisition from the Phillies on March 28 for a player to be named or cash. He made six starts and 18 relief appearances. He held the Blue Jays to one run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings in his debut, though the doubters touched on the opponent's issues at the plate more than Asher's performance, and another quality start followed in Boston after a pair of one-inning relief stints.

The momentum didn't last.

The Orioles reserved a seat for Asher on the Triple-A shuttle and he finished with a 5.25 ERA and 1.400 WHIP in 60 innings. He didn't pitch for them after Sept. 2 and made only three appearances after July 1.

Manager Buck Showalter didn't give Asher another start after June 13. The right-hander allowed a combined 11 runs and 13 hits over nine innings in his last two opportunities.

I'm not hearing much about Asher while names are tossed around as candidates to fill the three vacancies in the rotation. If he's in camp in February, he's going to be challenged again to prove that he belongs on the staff, the shuttle or at least the organization.

* Donnie Hart won't need to be told that he's got to regain the Orioles' trust next season. He knows that they're in the market for another left-handed reliever and made southpaw Nestor Cortes the first of their three Rule 5 selections.

The left-handed writing is on the wall.

Hart made the jump from Double-A Bowie to the majors in 2016 and allowed one run in 18 1/3 innings for a 0.49 ERA in 22 games. Left-handers went 5-for-38 (.132) with 11 strikeouts against him, precisely why the Orioles found him to be the right fit in their bullpen. Someone needed to handle the role that previously had belonged to Brian Matusz.

The shuttled also revved up for Hart last summer and he posted a 3.71 ERA and 1.397 WHIP in 43 2/3 innings over 51 appearances. Left-handers were 21-for-77 (.273) with four doubles, two home runs and nine walks against him.

After registering a 1.38 ERA in 12 July appearances, with two earned runs in 13 innings, Hart allowed two runs in three innings in August and six runs and 11 hits in eight innings in September.

Hart will have to find his 2016 form and outpitch the competition in camp. Closer Zach Britton's Achilles surgery won't make the task any easier.

* Stefan Crichton took so many trips on the shuttle, he should have earned travel points and received A List status.

The Orioles brought him up six times before the All-Star break, his final appearance coming on June 25 at Tropicana Field. They didn't include him on the expanded September roster.

Crichton was scored upon in six of his eight outings, totaling 11 runs with 26 hits and four walks in 12 1/3 innings for an 8.03 ERA. The roster bubble has more room.

Triple-A hitters weren't nearly as menacing. Crichton went 7-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 47 2/3 innings over 29 games and averaged 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Orioles need to see the Norfolk side of Crichton, including the sinker that worked so well, in order to consider him for a bullpen role.

* Jimmy Yacabonis also made his major league debut in 2017 and went 2-0 with a 4.35 ERA and 1.548 WHIP in 20 2/3 innings over 14 games. The 14 walks, an average of 6.1 per nine innings, made it difficult for the Orioles to trust him in high-pressure situations.

The mid-90s two-seam fastball and the 1.32 ERA and 0.946 WHIP in 61 1/3 innings with Norfolk were ample reasons for the Orioles to take multiple looks at him. And Yacabonis was scored upon in only two of 10 appearances in September, including the game in Pittsburgh when he allowed four runs and six hits in two innings.

A spot for another right-hander could open up with Brad Brach the likely choice to inherit most of the save opportunities in Britton's absence. However, there's also a slight curiosity moving through the organization about Yacabonis' potential as a starter.

I haven't heard of any plans to convert Yacabonis, and all 190 of his minor league appearances have come in relief, but there are traits that cause some folks to ponder it. In the meantime, the walks really need to come down. He averaged 4.1 per nine innings this summer with Norfolk.

A guy with his stuff would figure to rack up more strikeouts, but he totaled only 48 in his 61 1/3 innings with Norfolk and eight in his 20 2/3 with the Orioles. It puzzles managers, coaches and teammates at both levels.