chen before being sent down

[CamdenFan]

Chen is done. He has checked out of this game. If Showalter doesn't yank him, he is not doing his job.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

Note to Chen: Keep throwing to 1st base until help becomes available...

 

[all4ripken]

Game over

 

[calfan810]

They pitch timidly when they have a lead.

Then we need to replace them

 

[hattersgonnahate]

Game over

So why are they warming up Gonzalez? If the game is already lost, it would make more sense to let Chen be his own mop-up pitcher until he reaches his pitch count... or put in McFarland.

 

[skinz2winz]

Should have pulled him with bases loaded...

 

[hattersgonnahate]

Should have pulled him with bases loaded...

Fixed it for you: After the second homer

 

[skinz2winz]

Boston has scored in 3 of 4 innings. The Orioles have not been able to do that at anytime during the season. They have base runners. They just don't plate them.

Other teams have much better pitching.

 

[skinz2winz]

Buck is an idiot!

 

[all4ripken]

So why are they warming up Gonzalez? If the game is already lost, it would make more sense to let Chen be his own mop-up pitcher until he reaches his pitch count... or put in McFarland.

sorry....NOW game over

 

[skinz2winz]

Not to mention, Boston hitters are swinging out of their shoes. Us on the other hand, we look confused at the plate.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

Now you would actually want to leave in Chen as his own mop-up pitcher... to save the bullpen for tomorrow because the game is already over.

(Translation: Either apply an early hook when there's still a chance to fight back, or don't hook at all.)

 

[skinz2winz]

Now you would actually want to leave in Chen as his own mop-up pitcher... to save the bullpen for tomorrow because the game is already over.

Agreed! WTF Buck!

 

[all4ripken]

And yet again Buck waits 1 batter too many before yanking Chen. Gonzo should have been in to face Pedroia

 

[hattersgonnahate]

And yet again Buck waits 1 batter too many before yanking Chen. Gonzo should have been in to face Pedroia

Make that 6 batters too many... as I've already said, I would have pulled him after the second homer. What I don't understand is the choice of Gonzalez-- is Gausman going to cover Gonzalez's next scheduled start instead?

* Side note: Clearly, Chen lost the game single-handedly... but I'll write this off as one very bad game for now based on one stat: 82 pitches, 47 strikes (57%). It's unusual to see Chen struggle with control that badly-- this game is most likely an outlier.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

[Addendum]

Chen's composite stats for August 2013: 30.0 IP, 6.00 ERA (was 4.10 before today), 1.33 WHIP (was 1.10 before today)

Compare this to August 2012: 28.2 IP, 4.40 ERA, 1.40 WHIP


Hmm, maybe he's getting tired later in the season again? If that's the case, it might make some sense to go with a 6-man rotation in September.

 

[CamdenFan]

It was obvious to me that Chen checked out of the game after he gave up the homer, a single then walked the next batter on four pitches. Buck should have made sure he made no more pitches to the plate.

This team is just not hungry enough, and is not managed aggressively enough to make the post season this year. I don't believe they will finish any better than one or two games over .500 this year.

 

[NJBuckO's]

Every other game is pretty much going against them too. Damn Verlander is so overrated.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

It was obvious to me that Chen checked out of the game after he gave up the homer, a single then walked the next batter on four pitches. Buck should have made sure he made no more pitches to the plate.

This team is just not hungry enough, and is not managed aggressively enough to make the post season this year. I don't believe they will finish any better than one or two games over .500 this year.

Unfortunate, but that's life for you... Now, I think the bigger issue is this: How many upgrades in the rotation do we need for 2014?

* Tillman is still decent in 2013, but 2012 was clearly just one good year. The same can also be said of Gonzalez. Most likely, that means neither would be ace-like, but they're definitely contributing.

* Chen improved somewhat in 2013 and has arguably been our best starter up until July... and then the late-season regression seems to be happening again. That makes him a #3 type at worst and a #2 type at best.

* Hammel was back to his old self in 2013, and Feldman seems to be a marginal upgrade only because Hammel was surprisingly bad this year.

* As for Norris... while a larger sample size is needed to draw any kind of conclusion, you have to wonder if there's regression to the mean going on based on his performance with the Orioles so far.

* What about Britton and Gausman? We'll see... but until their potential actually turns into anything, we can't count on them being anything better than borderline #5 options yet.


Conclusion: I see at least one spot that needs to be filled, and possibly two (or more if you can't stand a rotation that looks like #2/3 - #2/3 - #2/3 - #4 - #5).

 

[NJBuckO's]

Unfortunate, but that's life for you... Now, I think the bigger issue is this: How many upgrades in the rotation do we need for 2014?

* Tillman is still decent in 2013, but 2012 was clearly just one good year. The same can also be said of Gonzalez.

* Chen improved somewhat in 2013 and has arguably been our best starter up until July... and then the late-season regression seems to be happening again.

* Hammel was back to his old self in 2013, and Feldman seems to be a marginal upgrade only because Hammel was surprisingly bad this year.

* As for Norris... while a larger sample size is needed to draw any kind of conclusion, you have to wonder if there's regression to the mean going on.

* What about Britton and Gausman? We'll see... but until their potential actually turn into anything, we can't count on them being anything better than borderline #5 options yet.


Conclusion: I see at least one spot that needs to be filled, and possibly two (or more if you can't stand a rotation that looks like #2/3 - #2/3 - #2/3 - #4 - #5).

They all have ability, but most don't have that bulldog mentality you need when the going gets tough.