Wallace on Tillman, Gonzalez, Gausman and more

No matter what the Orioles do with their rotation, whether it's tapping into the trade or free agent markets, they're highly dependent on bounceback seasons from Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez and a major leap forward by Kevin Gausman.

While meeting with reporters last weekend at FanFest, pitching coach Dave Wallace tried to explain the drop off in effectiveness from Tillman and Gonzalez. He tried to shed some light on why Tillman's ERA rose from 3.34 to 4.99 and his WHIP jumped from 1.230 to 1.387. He tried to do the same with Gonzalez, whose ERA rose from 3.23 to 4.91 and WHIP jumped from 1.296 to 1.396.

Watch their WHIP, watch how it's a no no. (OK, I made the attempt and it didn't work.)

"I think consistency," Wallace said. "I think that both guys are probably as disappointed as everybody, but you know what? It always looks worse than it is. There were times last year when things could have gone better, but sometimes the ball didn't bounce their way. Especially Chris.

"I think Chris was the victim of a lot of things during the game. Some seeing-eye base hits, some bloopers falling in, and then it works on your mentally a little bit. You're looking for the negative and stuff. And Miggy, I think it's just a matter of being consistent, especially with his fastball and his command. He did have better command the previous two years. But it comes and goes. And as Buck said so many times, the process of becoming a consistent major league starter doesn't happen in one, two or three years. It takes probably 800 to 1,000 innings and that's four, five, six years."

It also takes good health, which eluded Gonzalez this summer and most likely contributed to his struggles. He wasn't the same pitcher who posted the 2.19 ERA in his final 11 starts of 2014.

"I think it did, only in hindsight in his mind," Wallace said. "At the time, he said, 'No, I'm fine.' But once we addressed that issue, he came back and he said, 'You know, I'm glad we took this time off and I got back.' And I think it was important for Miggy, the last week of the season to get in and pitch a couple innings. He headed into the offseason knowing he was OK."

Wallace believes that Gausman will benefit from regular turns.

"Yeah, I think it's just time to take the kid gloves off him," Wallace said. "Kevin certainly has come on and made strides, both in '14 and in '15. Now his understanding of the game is so much better, his understanding of himself and what he needs to do. We all stress fastball command by taking something off, putting something on. His secondary pitches. Kevin is ready to take that step and he knows it."

Wallace said the Orioles saw incremental improvements in Gausman. It just wasn't consistent.

"That's OK. That's part of the process," Wallace said.

"I think there were a couple games in July where he really used his changeup real well, and he came in and said, 'Man, I can't believe I got away with that one.' Especially a 2-0 or 2-1 count. Then you put something in a hitter's mind, where he's expecting something else.

"And the other thing is, as far as the starting pitchers, especially a young one like Kevin, when you're around the league the second, third or fourth time, then it becomes much more difficult. Everybody that faces Kevin Gausman now knows they're going to get a very good fastball. Now it's time for him to make some adjustments off that and know what he has to do."

Gausman underwent LASIK surgery at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute three days after the season ended. Wallace has no idea whether it will make Gausman a better pitcher.

"I'm not a doctor, but I can tell you that he's comfortable with it," Wallace said. "You know these very sensitive starting pitchers. If you're comfortable with something, then I think it automatically has to become better."

Wallace is still learning about Dylan Bundy, who's out of options and could be placed in the bullpen.

"The two years, three years now that I've been here, I haven't really seen Dylan a lot, but I've heard great things," Wallace said. "I think if he's healthy, he's going to help us. What capacity that is, I couldn't tell you, but given his stuff and his competitiveness, you know that, you can see that. There's no doubt about it. As long as he's OK, and so far he seems to be OK, talking to him."

While at FanFest, Wallace joined the chorus of Orioles who downplayed the importance of having a left-hander replace Wei-Yin Chen. To this organization, five rights make a rotation.

"Everybody wants a left-handed starter, but I'd rather have a real quality big league starter than just to get any left-handed starter," Wallace said. "I think it's more important to have depth in your starting rotation and hopefully that's something that everybody in the front office is working on because it provides some real important things for us."

The Orioles have every coach returning in 2016, with bench coach John Russell under contract through 2017. Einar Diaz's role is being tweaked and another assistant hitting coach will be hired before spring training.

Wallace thought about making his own change before deciding to stay.

"I don't know if I'll ever retire, but I certainly considered doing something different and developing pitchers," he said. "I spent some time with family. But Buck (Showalter) was very understanding of that.

"Yeah, it's tough because you wonder when you get down the road a little bit how long you're going to do it. But I still love the game. Seven o'clock, nobody has more fun than I do. Some of the stuff leading up to that runs hard sometimes, but no, I have a deep appreciation and concern and love for the game, but I also love developing young pitchers."