Orioles OF Ryan McKenna threw a 35 MPH strike 🤣pic.twitter.com/YoZxk0B2f0

— ClutchPoints MLB (@ClutchpointsMLB) May 27, 2023

Sounds like the ump just wanted to go home

chlavinka said:

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He can't throw his curveball. I can't see him pitching ever again.

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Farmer1906 said:

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His curveball usage has plummeted. It's his 3rd most used pitch in 21 & 22. But you take away that weapon and I'm not sure he stays a starter without more development in his change up &/or cutter.

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I do think he ends up in the bullpen sooner than later.

Everyone hates on me when I say that but it doesn't have anything to do with talent. At some point you just have to be realistic about his lack of durability. And no, being a reliever doesn't put more strain on your arm even though you aren't able to prepare for appearances & you don't need to be Brent Strom to understand that - anyone that has pitched at any sort of competitive level can vouch.

Harry Dunne said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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His curveball usage has plummeted. It's his 3rd most used pitch in 21 & 22. But you take away that weapon and I'm not sure he stays a starter without more development in his change up &/or cutter.

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I do think he ends up in the bullpen sooner than later.

Everyone hates on me when I say that but it doesn't have anything to do with talent. At some point you just have to be realistic about his lack of durability. And no, being a reliever doesn't put more strain on your arm even though you aren't able to prepare for appearances & you don't need to be Brent Strom to understand that - anyone that has pitched at any sort of competitive level can vouch.

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The John smoltz route

Farmer1906 said:

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Harry Dunne said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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His curveball usage has plummeted. It's his 3rd most used pitch in 21 & 22. But you take away that weapon and I'm not sure he stays a starter without more development in his change up &/or cutter.

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I do think he ends up in the bullpen sooner than later.

Everyone hates on me when I say that but it doesn't have anything to do with talent. At some point you just have to be realistic about his lack of durability. And no, being a reliever doesn't put more strain on your arm even though you aren't able to prepare for appearances & you don't need to be Brent Strom to understand that - anyone that has pitched at any sort of competitive level can vouch.

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Go talk to Colin McHugh. He's spoke at length on his podcast before about how it's a different kind of strain on the arm. Some guys are built to bounce back and go. Some aren't. Remember when we had Graveman? They would rarely throw him back to back. I don't think it's a simple as go to the bullpen and you won't be I hurt prone.

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Yes I agree with that 100%, but it's a lot easier to limit the strain on a pitchers arm if he's a reliever.

The only negative as a reliever is that they put more on every pitch, but what's the percentage? 10%? It's nowhere near the difference between a distance runner and a sprinter. So he could be in a role where he pitches a fraction of the amount of pitches at only a slightly greater strain and has adequate time to recover before being used again.

We already know Lance doesn't have the durability to be a starting pitcher. The odds that a lower amount of innings might do the trick is infinitely greater than him all of the sudden becoming a workhorse SP after being brittle his entire career.

Podcast or not, I think if I did talk to Colin McHugh, he'd say becoming a reliever has extended his career.

Farmer1906 said:

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Harry Dunne said:

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Podcast or not, I think if I did talk to Colin McHugh, he'd say becoming a reliever has extended his career.

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Probably grew his bank account much more slowly.

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oh darn

Farmer1906 said:

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Harry Dunne said:

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Podcast or not, I think if I did talk to Colin McHugh, he'd say becoming a reliever has extended his career.

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Probably grew his bank account much more slowly.

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You think he'd be making millions podcasting? Because he wouldn't still be in baseball as a starting pitcher and he's set to make $15M between ages 35-37,

Pretty sure he's not mad about his bank account.

This is a stupid argument.

You me and everybody else knows SP make infinitely more $, so if McHugh had the stuff and durability to be one, he'd obviously be doing that right now. He didn't just decide to be a relief pitcher and make less money out of charity.

It’s Framber Day. pic.twitter.com/Oh7P3LMAMC

— Julia Morales (@JuliaMorales) May 27, 2023

Farmer1906 said:

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The Astros turned him into one because we had JV, Cole, Morton, McCullers, Keuchel.

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I remember, and that definitely ended his starting pitching career prematurely but someone would have turned him right back into a starter if he still had the goods to be one.

Neither the Braves nor anyone else is going to keep a guy in the bullpen that would be more valuable as a starter.