Bob Haynie: Too Early To Meltdown Over Starting Pitching For Orioles
As you know, I have been saying on Sports Rehab all off-season that the Baltimore Orioles have a problem with their starting rotation. Even though they brought in veteran right-hander Yovani Gallardo as a free-agent, the Birds still have plenty of question marks surrounding their starting staff.
Through three exhibition games in Florida, the hurlers really haven't done much to alleviate the concerns. Both Ubaldo Jimenez and Miguel Gonzalez were clobbered in their respective outings and Chris Tillman has already had some health issues.
It is still, however, way too early to go DEFCON One with the concern level.
Jimenez faced seven batters in his start against the Braves on Wednesday. He only retired one of them and was charged with six runs. As you recall, he was bad in his first two outings last spring before getting himself straightened out. He would go on to win 12 games for the Orioles in 2015.
Gonzalez was pounded by the Rays for sevens runs in his brief 1.1 IP performance on Thursday. He was missing his spots and he paid for it.
Tillman has received a cortisone injection in his left hip and is back to throwing bullpen sessions. It looks as though his Spring Training debut will be coming sooner rather than later.
Jimenez, Gonzalez and Tillman, along with Gallardo and Kevin Gausman, are expected to make up manager Buck Showalter's starting staff in 2016. They will be under the microscope all season long and any setback will be scrutinized.
Let's not start the doom and gloom just yet.
For now, we'll put the concern level at DEFCON Five.