With Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez on the disabled list, the Baltimore Orioles starting rotation has been exposed and they’ve lost five straight games to the Padres and Rays. Buck Showalter has been depending on Jair Jurrjens and Freddy Garcia to hold them over and in return has gotten just two quality starts in the O’s last nine games.
Down on the farm, Kevin Gausman continues to dominate Double-A hitters in the Eastern League. In his last outing, Gausman fanned a career high ten batters and on the season is averaging 9.5 per nine innings. He maintains a stellar 9.80 K/BB and FanGraphs.com’s JD Sussman believes he’s ready for a promotion to Baltimore.
There is little Kevin Gausman can learn by remaining in the minor leagues. To nitpick, he could throw his slider with more consistent shape. At times, it was loose and broke early. But, the “good” slider was more frequently present. Also, he could also change hitters’ eye-levels better by working more effectively up in the zone with his fastball. He was content to work down in the zone a majority of the time.
It may not happen over night, but Gausman will develop into a front of the rotation arm.
Gausman’s command of his fastball and ability to bring his moving changeup down to 82-84 MPH have made many believe he’s ready for the big leagues. Sussman predicts that the Orioles will allow Gausman to throw between 100-120 more innings this season and is hopeful that most of them will be for the Orioles.
Kevin reminds me of a past O’s can’t miss pitcher- Ben McDonald. Rushed to the majors at age 21 and after 78 wins was out of baseball. Double D. stock piled the O’s with a bunch of arms, now that a few have surcome to injuries, lets give the “stock pile” a chance to succeed before we rush Kevin with 13 games under his belt to the big show.
agree,,,,,,,,this is not the year to bring the young pitchers up early , the o’s have no chance of being in it,,,,,,,,,,,,,if they were two games out with a month to go I might consider it , if he was really ready,,,,,,,,,but let’s face it , the O’s are an average ballclub , do not ruin another young arm………………..
Quite simply, you’re wrong. You can’t mess up pinpoint accuracy and blistering velocity. Combined with a great makeup like gausman has, it’s a lock that he’s good.
We will see,,,,,I hope you are right , it would turn the O’s into contenders,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I have said all along all they really need it a true number one pitcher,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,