BLOG OFF: Gausman Belongs

You may have noticed something of a Twitter hissy-fit between myself and Matt from Section 336. OK, “hissy-fit” may be a strong term – we both had strong opinions that were tough to articulate 140 characters at a time. We agreed that there was only one clear way to settle the dispute: A BLOG OFF.

The Problem

The issue at hand is what to do with Kevin Gausman, now that he has been ousted from the Orioles starting rotation. Is he better served by working in the bullpen at the Major League level, or should he be in the minors, pitching every five days, as a starter? Which is better for his development?

The Answer

At one time, the Oriole Way dictated that starters cut their teeth in the bullpen before getting handed the ball every fourth/fifth day. That answer is rote, and incomplete. It’s easy for fans to say “that’s the way it is, deal with it.” Instead, I’ll try to bring some reason to the table. Regular listeners will understand how unusual this is.

Kevin Gausman belongs in the majors. Yes, he projects as a starter (and a top-of-the-rotation one, at that), and so his role in the bullpen is not ideal for his development. However suboptimal the situation may be, it is better than going back to the minors. My assertion is best broken down into the following factors:

The Crutch

Kevin Gausman’s stuff is too good for the majority of AAA batters. Gausman can make mistakes with location and pitch selection in AAA, because he can pull back and blow the fastball past the competition down there. In Norfolk, Gausman doesn’t have to make tough choices – he won’t often pay for his mistakes.

Look, going good against remotes is one thing. Going good against
the living? That’s something else.

How does that serve him well? If Gausman develops a crutch in the minors, he’s going to have to un-learn it at the Major League level. Keeping him in the bullpen skips this step.

Going for October

In the dark period that preceded the 2012 Buckle Up Birds season, the Orioles rested their hopes on the arms in their minor league system, and dreamed of a better future. That future is here. Though the team is still deeply flawed, it has the capability of winning now. Kevin Gausman should be with the big club, because, damn the torpedoes, we need to make this push while we can.

Gausman is in his second professional season, after being selected 4th over all in the 2012 draft. His body is nowhere near what it will be in his prime. Look at those stick arms of his! How he rocks 99 on the radar with those “guns” is beyond me. What’s more important is that he does not have the stamina to make it through a full season, and if the Orioles want him to be a part of a playoff roster, they should be careful about his innings pitched.

Sending him down to Norfolk would ensure that he gets 5+ innings every five days, at the risk of having them build up, and require him being shut down toward the end of the year. The Orioles don’t want that. Gausman doesn’t want that. Nobody wants that. Gausman’s arm is a weapon the Birds are going to need in the post-season – in any role. Keeping him in the bullpen allows him to compile Major League experience, while managing the wear and tear on his arm.

Trust the Professionals

The support staff (pitching coaches, training/conditioning staff, bullpen coaches, etc.) Gausman has to lean on is not going to let him forget how to operate as a starter. It is ludicrous to think that spending some time as a reliever is going to “ruin him” for starting later on in the season. If the Orioles need him to start again, they will stretch him out appropriately. These guys have been doing this way longer than any of us armchair fans have been taking our opinions to the microphone.

The Need

The Orioles bullpen is not the lights-out squad it was in 2012. Weaknesses have been exposed, and those who could not contribute have been shipped out (Strop, Arrieta, etc.). If they are going to overcome an inconsistent starting staff, they need live, dependable arms in the bullpen. To date, Gausman has brought just that. Especially effective when he comes in to replace a (soft-tossing) lefty, Gausman gives Buck Showalter a long option with starter stuff. He can save the ‘pen with mop-up innings, and his stuff can be trusted to come in and put out fires. Kevin Gausman should be in the Orioles bullpen because he gives the team a better chance to win than the stable of relievers in Norfolk.

Closing Argument

To be fair, it’s not as if sending Gausman to AAA is a crazy idea. I’m not saying that it will be so detrimental to Gausman’s development as to be criminally negligent. Those days are over for this organization’s management. Put succinctly, Matt’s stance is not a terrible one. You can read his thoughts at Section 336.  I just think this approach is better.

Gausman has been optioned to AAA as of today, but the move is a band-aid to get the bullpen through to the All Star break. This is not an indication of what his fate will be in the second half of the season.

I have never seen a more evident case of “this player has nothing left to learn/prove in the minors” as with Gausman. “Donuts” might not be one of the organization’s five best starters, but he’s one of their twelve best pitchers, even at this stage in his development. Imagine what Gausman could bring to the mound with a season of major league experience under his belt, even if it comes from the bullpen. He should remain on the major league roster simply because he belongs there. It is best for him, and it is best for the Orioles.