Rumor: Chris Tillman to be called up for the KC series?
by Stacey on Jul 21, 2009 3:44 PM EDT
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32 comments
According to Drew Forrester at WNST, Chris Tillman is likely to make his Orioles debut next week during the Kansas City Royals series. I don't normally pay much attention to Forrester or WNST due to their constant Oriole bashing, but I happen to have WNST on my Twitter feed and saw this tidbit.
From Forrester's blog:
My little bird-in-a-tree, yes, the same one who told me earlier this year about Reimold’s call-up (the day before it happened) and Sarfate’s injury, has indicated that the plan is to have Chris Tillman make his major league debut sometime in next week’s series vs. Kansas City at Camden Yards.
When? The "bird" didn’t know. But Monday makes sense to me. Jason Berken is pitching Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx. He’s likely to get lit up. Five days later, the O’s host the Royals. That would be Berken’s turn to throw. What better way - lowest of low risks - to bring a kid into the majors than to give Tillman the ball that night — against one of the Hapless Brothers…the Royals?
He’d then face Boston over the weekend at home. Two starts, two home games.
Makes sense to me.
Then again, I’m only reporting what I’ve been told up in the tree.
Of course, Rich Hill and Berken could both dazzle us over the next 28 hours or so and we’d have to re-think all of this, right?
I know, pigs will fly.
So let’s see how it plays out. Does Tillman come up next week against KC? Monday makes sense.
Frankly, I'm ready to see Chris Tillman. Jason Berken and Rich Hill are killing my soul. Tillman currently has 93 innings pitched in AAA this year so it'd be nice to see him come up here and make 10 or more starts for the second half. I'm guessing it would give the team a jumpstart as well. I already have plans to go to Wednesday's O's-KC game but you can be sure that I'll be there at Tillman's debut if it's on Monday. I'm almost as excited for his debut as I was Matt Wieters.
Still, this is just a rumor. But he has to get here eventually, right?
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I have no sources
But I came to the same conclusion that Tillman will be called up next week.
MacPhail has dropped plenty of hints that Tillman’s days in AAA are numbered.
They don’t want him to make his debut on the road against the Yanks or Yanks north, so some time next week makes sense. He’ll be replacing Berken or Hill, with Berken more likely because he has options.
Tillman also just happens to be starting on the same schedule as Berken, so all signs point to his debut on Monday.
I’m pumped. Bergesen, Hernandez, and Berken have been solid to excellent, but Tillman has just as much polish as those guys and tons more talent.
Those other guys have me feeling a lot better about depth and the back of the rotation, but Tillman could be that #2 or even #1 pitcher that the Orioles desparately need to compete again.
by dkdc on Jul 21, 2009 3:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yes please
Hill and Berken are doing just as poorly as Adam Eaton
Get out the rye bread and mustard grandma, cause it's GRAND SALAMI TIME!
by WestcoastO'sFan on Jul 21, 2009 4:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
And Eaton Sucks
"You don't EVEN KNOW who Nick Markakis is"- .....My 4 year old daughter to another kid.
"I'm a Country Boy"- ......Alan Jackson
by O's21girl on Jul 21, 2009 4:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This is good news!
Within a week, our rotation could be
Bergesen, Guthrie, Hernandez, HIll, Tillman
Damn. If we can hit AT ALL that’s a pretty good shot at winning 4 games out of each 5. Obviously, we won’t, but we give ourselves better than even odds. It’s Hill that will take a toll on our W/L record in the 2nd half.
"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail
by duck on Jul 21, 2009 4:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Am I alone in preferring Berken over Hill?
Unless you think Berken needs more work in the minors before he’s ready – that I would be ok with. Just don’t want Hill as anything more than a place-holder.
by O'sFan21 on Jul 21, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know you're in favor of releasing Hill
But I don’t think the Orioles are ready to give up on him, and he doesn’t have any options.
As for Berken, he needs something. Whether it’s work in the minors or a switch to the bullpen, what he’s doing now isn’t working. He just can’t get through the 5th inning. If he could figure that out I’d think he was grand.
I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry
by Stacey on Jul 21, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Berken's not ML-ready
He’s got some stuff to work on, especially when it comes to leaving the ball up in the zone. Let him go down to Norfolk for a while, regain some confidence. After all, he was only down there for five or six weeks before we grabbed him. I’m not crazy about Hill either, but he’s tantalized us with a few good starts. Give him all the rope he needs to hang himself.
"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson
by Brotz13 on Jul 21, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not so much that
as looking at the reality of Berken can still be sent down while Hill can’t.
"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail
by duck on Jul 21, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That makes sense.
I’d prefer to see Hill used as a mop-up guy and Berken in the rotation unless we think he has more to learn/develop in the minors. If you don’t think he has more to learn and we just need to clear a roster spot I’d rather dump Hill and keep giving Berken chances. Also is anybody going to claim Hill if we send him down?
by O'sFan21 on Jul 21, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, someone will think they can harness that curveball
"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail
by duck on Jul 21, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really? We weren’t in competition with anybody to get him going into the season and he surely hasn’t helped his value…
by O'sFan21 on Jul 21, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i bet somebody would pick him up
but if you move berken to the pen, who currently in the pen gets moved? i guess baez and sherrill could be on their way out (i dunno if meredith is staying), but you also have ray and sarfate about to start rehab assignments
by twistedlogic on Jul 22, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
While I dont think he should be called up this year
I will be looking forward to this start, and I too get the feeling that he will be called up this year. Maybe send hill to the pen and see if he can have any use in that role.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 21, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Or even Berken to the pen
Let him try and be the next JJ.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 21, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was the Earl Weaver Way
Prove yourself in the ‘pen, then we’ll talk about the rotation. In Berken’s case, continuing to get him MLB reps could be a good thing.
"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail
by duck on Jul 21, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought the same thing at first
I was also against the idea of bringing up Tillman this season. However I’ve since changed my mind. Tillman has started to go deeper in games and significantly cut down his walks, two of my biggest concerns. I think it will be good for him to learn and take his lumps at the end of a lost season. That way he’ll know what to expect and work on over the offseason. I just hope the O’s cut him back once he gets up to around 150 IP.
by edsachs1 on Jul 21, 2009 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I cant agree more on the IP limit
That is my #1 concern.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 21, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This would be awesome..
My kids 3rd birthday is thurs, I’m taking them to their 1st Os game on Monday!
by GeoffreyA on Jul 21, 2009 5:53 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Sweet
please dont end up facing Greinke that day. Sid or Bruce would be dandy.
Matt Wieters can get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop in under one lick.
by daveh873 on Jul 21, 2009 7:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You don't like pitching duels?
Greinke is having a fantastic season, but I wouldn’t trade Tillman for him.
"On my tombstone just write, THE SOREST LOSER THAT EVER LIVED." -- Earl Weaver
by CoachOfEarl on Jul 21, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You wouldn't trade Tillman for him?
I will take the 25 year old who has proven that he is a beast at the major league level. Especially over a top pitching prospect because they are more volatile than hitters.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 21, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Greinke is pretty awesome now, but also fragile
with his social disorder and whatnot. It took a lot of effort by a lot of people to get him to this point, and it remains to be seen if he can hold it together. As good of a season as he’s having, I wouldn’t consider it entirely real until he repeats.
by fishoutawata on Jul 22, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Would you consider
A 3.47 ERA in 202 innings a good repeat? Because that is what he did last year. This is his repeat year, he is this good. He was every bit as much a top prospect as Tillman is now.
As far as his social disorder, he is not the only major league player with some sort of issue (Joey Votto is another young stud who has had issues). They live in a high stress environment and its not an easy lifestyle, but as long as he is pitching as he does then it doesn’t matter.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 22, 2009 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll admit that I undervalued Greinke
since I didn’t realize he’s been a good pitcher for the past couple of years. But, even assuming that a straight up trade could be made, I don’t think it would work. I don’t care about his social disorder either, but I think the change of scenery would be messing with a good thing.
Also, I doubt his abilities in the AL East. He has yet to face MFY or PHN this year. The BJs beat him up once (his 2-HR game), and he’s pitched one good game each against BJ and TB. I’m not saying he couldn’t do it, I’m just interested in what will happen.
And I’m just not willing to give up Tillman right now. /story
"On my tombstone just write, THE SOREST LOSER THAT EVER LIVED." -- Earl Weaver
by CoachOfEarl on Jul 22, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess
When he was hot it did not matter how good the team he faced was (yes his CG shutout in Texas burned my fantasy team and I’m bitter). He has come back to earth more recently and they may be able to touch him up some now. But I still think hes one of the top 5 pitchers in baseball and he could torch the AL East if given the chance.
Although your love for Tillman is understandable, he looks like he will be nothing less than great. He’s also has dominated every level. Although i’m keeping expectations modest for now. Look at other top pitching prospects and you’ll see that he’ll most likely be a roller coaster ride for a few years.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 22, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm an Orioles fan
and a Saints fan, I think I can handle a little rollercoaster ride. :)
And I’d love to see him torch the ESPN’s BFF teams.
"On my tombstone just write, THE SOREST LOSER THAT EVER LIVED." -- Earl Weaver
by CoachOfEarl on Jul 22, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Put butts in the seats
I also think MacPhail realizes that he has to generate some kind of interest in the O’s as summer wanes and the Ravens start up. It won’t be a large audience, but the O’s need something positive to generate a little buzz.
by drj on Jul 21, 2009 10:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i, for one, welcome our new ant overlord.
"If they pitch to you, make them pay."
--Diamond Dave to the Phenom
by j.q. higgins on Jul 21, 2009 10:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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