597 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

4/24: 5.1 ip, 8 hits, 4 er, 1 hr, 2 bb's, 7 k's 96 pitches, 67 strikes 5 grounders, 2 flyballs.

[NewMarketSean]

Still not good.

Looking more and more like Tillman will be a RP or traded/released.

[bnickle]

Get him to the pen. See if he can dial it up to 95-96 consistently knowing he won't have to pace himself. Prob will need to work on refining a 2nd "out" pitch as well. The K's are encouraging as are the reports of hitting the mid '90s, so as down on him as I am as a SP I really do think there is hope as a RP.

[Mackus]

Get him to the pen. See if he can dial it up to 95-96 consistently knowing he won't have to pace himself. Prob will need to work on refining a 2nd "out" pitch as well. The K's are encouraging as are the reports of hitting the mid '90s, so as down on him as I am as a SP I really do think there is hope as a RP.

I'd give him until June before making the switch, but I agree that it's likely he'll end up needing to be moved to the pen. I hope he can get things together, though.


God, what the hell happened!

I always thought Bergesen and Patton weren't going to amount to much, but the others I thought would all be solid. I figured Arrieta and Hernandez in the bullpen as a pretty dominant closer/setup combination, Matusz as a Cole Hamels clone, Tillman would be Tim Hudson lite, and Britton would be Jon Lester lite. A pretty solid 1-2-3 with a strong back-end of the bullpen.

Now we've got one solid starter with some upside left, a 3B who should be a DH, an injured LHP, and nothing else worth talking about right now. This has potential to be worse than Ainsworth, Cabrera, Riley, and Bedard turned out, and I thought these guys were far more talented and likely to succeed.

[NewMarketSean]

Hernandez is pretty good out of the bullpen for Arizona.

[SportsGuy]

He likely ends up in the pen but you keep him in rotation for another 7-10 starts.

[BSLChrisStoner]

5/1: 5.1 ip, 8 hits, 4 er, 3 bb's, 4 k's
93 pitches, 58 strikes, 5 grounders, 5 fly-balls

After the Spring, this start to 2012 is really getting disappointing. I believe in the talent of his arm. The O's need to get something out of it. I'm definitely getting closer to thinking it is time to have him go to the pen and max out for a couple of innings.

(BTW, the opposing starter last night was Daniel Cabrera.)

[SportsGuy]

He has been awful. Was he upset he got sent down? Are they trying to alter things with him again? How can he look this bad after looking so good?

[BSLChrisStoner]

He has been awful. Was he upset he got sent down? Are they trying to alter things with him again? How can he look this bad after looking so good?

Last year I gave him a bit of a pass, when he was sent back to AAA. I said he was a young guy, and could understand how it would be difficult going back down.

This year, I know that emotional component could still be there, but I'm having a harder time giving him that pass. He knew going into ST that the odds against him were long. He worked out hard over the Winter to give himself a chance. He did well enough in the Spring to get back on the radar.

Obviously I was not in the room with him and Showalter, when Buck told him he was going back to Norfolk, but it is not hard to imagine the conversation. "Chris, you had a good Spring.. you again opened some eyes. It is a numbers game, and we want you starting regularly. Go perform, and you will earn your way back up at some point."

He needed to take that challenge. I believe there have been some positive reports about his velocity and movement, but they are not translating to results. You raise a good question, asking if he is being asked to again change his approach.

[SportsGuy]

I agree Chris..he doesnt get a pass from me either. I am just trying to figure out why it has gone so south for him after his excellent spring.

[RichardZ]

He has been awful. Was he upset he got sent down? Are they trying to alter things with him again? How can he look this bad after looking so good?

He looked good for one appearance covering one inning against some scrubs. I don't recall the shutdown 4-5 inning performances this spring. His command is bad and his seconcary offerings are overrated.

[RichardZ]

From Baseball America title "Prospects to Projects"

• Chris Tillman, Orioles: Baltimore starters logged the highest ERA (5.13) and WHIP (1.48) among American League clubs from 2009-11, but still Tillman has not been able to stick in the rotation. He has made 36 big league starts spread over three seasons and is 7-15, 5.58 with a 1.58 WHIP. That performance means Tillman's back with Triple-A Norfolk this season on his final minor league option. While his overall performance for the Tides has been respectable (3.71 ERA, 2.5 K-BB ratio) a spacious home park hides a lot of his deficiencies. In 29 career International League road starts, Tillman sports a 4.85 ERA with a sub-2.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.9) and elevated home run rate (1.4 per nine).

[SportsGuy]

Better start tonight. 6 ip, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and 9 ks.

Lost to DCab again.

[BSLChrisStoner]

5/16: 5.1 ip, 8 hits, 3 er, 1 hr, 3 bb's, 4 k's

[SportsGuy]

He isn't giving up homers and is K'ing hitters at a good rate...his gb ratio is better as well.

But too many base runners allowed.

[BSLChrisStoner]

5/26: 6 ip, 5 hits, 2 er, 3 bb's, 6 k's

Season: 3-7, 4.78 era, 52.2 ip, 63 hits, 3 hr, 24 bb's, 49 k's

[RichardZ]

I guess there is still plenty of time, but I'd really like to see what Tillman can do with just 1 and 2 inning stints out of the bullpen. If he can shine in that role, we would have greater flexibility to trade bullpen depth in June/July.

I get the patience thing but I haven't seen any signs for 3 years now.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Working with Rick Peterson, Chris Tillman had a solid Spring Training. He showed an ability to repeat his mechanics, with improved velocity and movement. The 24 yr old has not translated that into AAA success so far to begin 2012. If it becomes clear that his Major League future in in the bullpen, how long would you keep him starting this year at AAA?”

Bob Harkins, NBC Hardball Talk: “Tillman has walked a dreadful 5.8 batters per nine innings in his major league career. In the minors so far this season, he’s walking 4.5 per nine, which is still unacceptable. Even worse, he’s allowing nearly 11 hits per nine innings. So not only is he wild, he’s proving to be quite hittable even when he does throw strikes. He’s been in the minors for seven seasons and has regressed since his first run at AAA in 2009. I’d give him another half season as a starter. If he doesn’t improve, give the bullpen a try.”

[SportsGuy]

The ks and lack of homers are great...don't care as much about the hits. The walks are totally unacceptable.

[SportsGuy]

Tillman pitched 8 innings of 1 hit ball tonight...Walked 1 and struck out 9.

He also go 11 gb outs.

68% of his pitches for strikes.

Out dueled Dice-k.