397 replies to this topic

[Mike B]

[

Kevin Brown the sequel.

An excellent comparison. His stuff is very similar right now to Brown.
I hated the trade when it was announced but as it stands now it is a big win for DD.
We will see how it looks going forward. Big test for Hammel in the Bronx tonight.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I'll predict Hammel comes back down to Earth a tad tonight.

5.2 IP
7 H
2 BB
4 ER

[ravens8589]

I'll predict Hammel comes back down to Earth a tad tonight.

5.2 IP
7 H
2 BB
4 ER

I'll go a little lighter on this, although you may not be wrong here.
6 IP
5 H
3 BB
3 ER

I'll give him a quality start and the runs will come early, like 2nd inning.

[Spoonless]

Well, the Yankees offense is performing very well right now. Looks like they lead MLB in team OPS at .833 and are second in runs scored at 118 (Texas has 120). So, while I would like to remain optimistic about Hammel, I can certainly see him getting knocked out before the 6th and giving up 4-5 runs.

[SportsGuy]

I think Hammel may be here to stay in terms of a legit pitcher...he may not be TOR but he should be a 2/3 starter this year.

[LanceRinker]

Hammel pitched well enough to win last night, too bad the offense couldn't figure much out to help him.

1.97 ERA through his starts so far this season - talk about getting the good end of that trade with the Rockies. I believe Guthrie just landed on the DL too.

[SportsGuy]

K rate: 8.4(highest number of career by over 1 K..obviously early though)
BB rate: 2.8
swingstr%: 17%..has had 2 years of 16%, one of them when he split time as reliever and starter.
velocity on fastball is 93.4...highest of career

[ravens8589]

Can I get some props for calling it last night. My line was one run off but I had the damage coming in the 2nd inning. I think I was right

[BSLChrisStoner]

The Hardball Times: Fluke Watch: Jason Hammel
http://www.hardballt...h-jason-hammel/

The Author - Josh Smolow - is not impressed with Hammel's 2 seamer, because he feels it does not have much sinking action. I just can't buy that conclusion having watched every pitch Hammel has thrown this year. Hammel has been crushing people with his 2 seamer, because of the movement across the zone, even if it is not getting the 'sink' Smolow believes is necessary for Hammel to continue this current run.

[ravens8589]

The Hardball Times: Fluke Watch: Jason Hammel
http://www.hardballt...h-jason-hammel/

The Author - Josh Smolow - is not impressed with Hammel's 2 seamer, because he feels it does not have much sinking action. I just can't buy that conclusion having watched every pitch Hammel has thrown this year. Hammel has been crushing people with his 2 seamer, because of the movement across the zone, even if it is not getting the 'sink' Smolow believes is necessary for Hammel to continue this current run.

Chris may I make an assumption as to what people like him are saying? They are trying to find reasons to bash the Orioles because right now, they can't and they aren't used to it. Hammel's 2-seam is unreal this year but he is finding a reason to bash it. The fantasy "experts" at ESPN were saying Arrieta is not a legitimate starter and will end up being bad by the end of the season. They are trying to find a way to get the "typical" Oriole stories back because they can't write them right now. Sad, because this man is completely off base and it makes me, unfortunately, question his credibility. There is no way he is watching the games if he can sit there and say Hammel's 2-seam has almost no movement. I'm not saying Smolow has no credibility, but he, like almost every other writer out there discrediting the Orioles right now, is not watching the games. There is no way with some of the stuff they come up with. That is my little angry rant for the night. It just gets me boiling over.

[SportsGuy]

Way to go out on that tiny limb and say that he is going to regress from a 1.97 ERA.

The question that I have is this....Can he be a sub 3.50 ERA pitcher?

Right now, the answer is yes.

[ravens8589]

Way to go out on that tiny limb and say that he is going to regress from a 1.97 ERA.

The question that I have is this....Can he be a sub 3.50 ERA pitcher?

Right now, the answer is yes.

Exactly. Nobody can honestly think he is going to stay a sub-2.00 ERA pitcher the whole season but sub-3.50? Definitely possible.

[Big Mac]

Way to go out on that tiny limb and say that he is going to regress from a 1.97 ERA.

The question that I have is this....Can he be a sub 3.50 ERA pitcher?

Right now, the answer is yes.

Exactly, I mean does he really feel though as the discussion out there is whether Jason Hammel is going to win the Cy Young this year or something?

Obviously, that ERA is going to go up, but I agree that if the question is about whether he can keep a sub 3.50ish ERA (thereby making him a strong #2 SP), all signs seem to point to yes.

Can he keep his BB rate around 3 and K rate somewhere in the 7.5-8 range? I say yes

[ravens8589]

Way to go out on that tiny limb and say that he is going to regress from a 1.97 ERA.

The question that I have is this....Can he be a sub 3.50 ERA pitcher?

Right now, the answer is yes.

Exactly, I mean does he really feel though as the discussion out there is whether Jason Hammel is going to win the Cy Young this year or something?

Obviously, that ERA is going to go up, but I agree that if the question is about whether he can keep a sub 3.50ish ERA (thereby making him a strong #2 SP), all signs seem to point to yes.

Can he keep his BB rate around 3 and K rate somewhere in the 7.5-8 range? I say yes

Exactly, I think it is evident we're all on the same page. Some writers just want to write about stuff that is common knowledge. That's just like writing Matt Wieters is one of the best catchers in the game; like we didn't know that already.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Hammel starting tomorrow, with the chance to get the series win in Boston.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Hammel staying on normal rest, and Hunter getting pushed back a day due to an ingrown toe nail that needed an extra day to heal for Hunter.

Excited to see what he brings to the table in his first match-up vs the Red Sox this year.

[Big Mac]

Didn't seem like he had great command of his stuff today and still turned in a dominating performance.

We may have a true TOR starter on our hands, IMO

[BSLChrisStoner]

Didn't seem like he had great command of his stuff today and still turned in a dominating performance. We may have a true TOR starter on our hands, IMO

He certainly looks like it, even if I'm not ready to call him that. I do feel comfortable believing he will be at-least a league average 3rd starter.

There is nothing flukey about this current run from Hammel. Today was his 3rd start in 4 outings with at-least 7 k's. That 2 seamer is eating up bats, and getting lots of grounders. The 2 seamer might not be getting the sink that the Hardball Times author (Josh Smolow) believes is necessary, but it is getting a lot of movement across the zone. Hammel went 6.2 ip, allowing 4 hits, 2 er, 1 bb, with those 8 k's. He also forced 9 grounders.

[Mike B]

Hammel certainly has the look of a TOR type guy right now. I liked his comments after the game. He was down on himself for not getting deeper in the game.
Someone here likened him to Kevin Brown. I think it was a great comparison. hard thrower with great movement who gets a ton of groundballs.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I think it's important to note that the book is still being written on this version of Jason Hammel. Last year he threw some variation of a 2-seamer/sinker 13% of the time, while this year he's thrown his new and improved 2-seamer 43% of the time. Once the league adjusts, it will be interesting to see what impact that has. The pitch has such great movement that it will still be a plus pitch for him, but I do think his GB rate will regress a bit as team's advanced scouts continue to educate the opposition of that pitch.