475 replies to this topic

[Mike in STL]

Baker got hit around in the 8th.
If these guys crash, the pen could be a problem.

If only they had more options. An All-Star maybe. Hmmmm.

[BobPhelan]

Baumann > Baker

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Baumann > Baker

Calm down there.Maybe, but I hate Baumann's pitch mix. Baker's isnt anything special either.

[BobPhelan]

Calm down there.Maybe, but I hate Baumann's pitch mix. Baker's isnt anything special either.

Last years pitch mix is not this years pitch mix for Baumann. Slider has more movement and he found the changeup. 6 swings, 5 whiffs on those two pitches Sunday. Obviously a long way to go but I’m buying in on him early.

[PrimeTime]

Last years pitch mix is not this years pitch mix for Baumann. Slider has more movement and he found the changeup. 6 swings, 5 whiffs on those two pitches Sunday. Obviously a long way to go but I’m buying in on him early.

 

His fastball has been a meatball though. Does Baumann just struggle locating it? Or is it just too straight?

[BSLChrisStoner]

MASN: Three players who earned notice in Orioles camp

https://www.masnspor...in-orioles-camp

[BSLChrisStoner]

Baumann obviously has higher ceiling than Baker, I don't see how that's debatable. 
 

And while I have no expectations on what Baker's '23 will look like, he certainly did enough in '22 imo to earn the opportunity to be part of the '23 pen...  (and then his performance determines if he stays or not). 

He was durable, more than a k per IP, less than a hit per IP...  velocity increased during the year...   all hitters only had a .616 OPS against... (.630 vs. LHH, .609 vs. RHH). 

[You Play to Win the Game]

I mean Baumann is a name we're familiar with, for obvious reasons. I'm not sure people outside of the organization, just looking at the numbers, would feel it isn't debatable that he has a higher ceiling. He's 25 and while he matched the K/9 in AAA as Baker did in MLB, Baker was still more effective overall and Baumann has had quite a few seasons at lower levels that weren't up to par either. Baker out performed Baumann at every similar level through his minor league journey. 

 

I'm hopeful that Bob's info manifests in a nice season for Baumann, one in which he's a steady contributor at the big league level. But I do think it's debatable. We tend to overrate our own pieces.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yeah, you are right Ricker.   
Only 10 month difference in age, and I was discounting some of Baker's MiL performance. 

I guess in my head I've had Baker pinged as what we saw last year... a usable pen arm...  and I've had Baumann pinged as someone that could possibly be a 5th, with a slight chance of being a high leverage reliever...  but yeah, you are right, no real difference. 

Does feel like the pandemic impacted Baumann. 

Give it up to Baker for building off of his '21 and having the productive '22 season. 

[Mike B]

I have always liked Hays.  I watched him a good bit on my MILB app and there were times he was lights out, and there were times where he looked lost in regards to throwing strikes.  I would like to see him get an extended chance to see if he can settle in.  That is probably out of the pen, but he definitely has a plus arm.

I could easily seeing him duplicate what Baker did last year.  That would be a big help.

[BobPhelan]

I mean Baumann is a name we're familiar with, for obvious reasons. I'm not sure people outside of the organization, just looking at the numbers, would feel it isn't debatable that he has a higher ceiling. He's 25 and while he matched the K/9 in AAA as Baker did in MLB, Baker was still more effective overall and Baumann has had quite a few seasons at lower levels that weren't up to par either. Baker out performed Baumann at every similar level through his minor league journey.

I'm hopeful that Bob's info manifests in a nice season for Baumann, one in which he's a steady contributor at the big league level. But I do think it's debatable. We tend to overrate our own pieces.

Baumann is actually 27. And I’m a fan of Baker I just wonder if he’ll start out in AAA until he gets his feet under him if he continues to struggle this month.

[BobPhelan]

His fastball has been a meatball though. Does Baumann just struggle locating it? Or is it just too straight?

It has graded out well in Stuff+ from what I’ve seen this spring (it’s a stat that only needs like 8 pitches to start to be usable) so not sure if that means it’s a location thing or he has tweaked it to make it better.

Also, it was the only pitch he could control at all last year and thus relied on it. Maybe too much and became predictable.

[Mike B]

Baumann is actually 27. And I’m a fan of Baker I just wonder if he’ll start out in AAA until he gets his feet under him if he continues to struggle this month.

Baker at AAA?  I would say no.  I think what he did last year, especially at the end, gets him a plane ride to Baltimore.

[Hooded Viper]

Never been a fan of Baker, final numbers may not show it but it always seems he was walking the tightrope between serviceable and a gasoline fire.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

It has graded out well in Stuff+ from what I’ve seen this spring (it’s a stat that only needs like 8 pitches to start to be usable) so not sure if that means it’s a location thing or he has tweaked it to make it better.

Also, it was the only pitch he could control at all last year and thus relied on it. Maybe too much and became predictable.

Is stuff+on savant. I havent dug into a lot of the deeper stuff on pitching on savant

[BobPhelan]

Is stuff+on savant. I havent dug into a lot of the deeper stuff on pitching on savant

No not on Savant although they have other great data, some other places have it but I usually go off of the one Eno Sarris puts out.

[BSLChrisStoner]

MASN: Orioles don't need to worry about some slow starters

https://www.masnspor...e-slow-starters

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Here's the problem with that article. I agree with it across the board. So why the hell then do they need a month of ST games. Stupid and no you don't need that to "stretch out your starters."  You don't have to play games to do that.

[BSLMikeLowe]

So why the hell then do they need a month of ST games.

 

So owners can sell a month's worth of tickets/concessions/parking, all while not having to pay the players.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Sun: Orioles observations on Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle’s signs of progress, injury updates and more