Showing Jake Arrieta Some Love

by DonovanM on May 5, 2011 2:33 PM EDT

Jake Arrieta is very quietly off to a pretty impressive start in 2011. As far as the O's young starting pitching goes, most of the focus in 2011 has been has been on rookie Zach Britton's phenomenal start and the injury to Brian Matusz that sounds more like a vacation destination than a real thing. Because of this, it has been relatively easy to overlook what Arrieta has been doing on the hill thus far in 2011.

I know the worth of the “win” statistic in baseball for pitchers is vastly overblown, however something is going right when a guy starts the season off with a 4-1 record and a 1.25 WHIP. Something that has also been very, very nice to see is the the fact that Arrieta's K/BB ratio is up to 2.20 (from 1.08 in 2010). Not only has his command been better in 2011 (3.4BB/9 down from 4.3 in 2010) but he’s also striking out quite a few more guys (7.6K/9 up from 4.7 in 2010). His ERA so far (4.38) is not entirely impressive, however it takes only a quick look at his peripherals (4.06 FIP, 3.85 xFIP) to see that perhaps he has pitched just a little bit better than that. I know it’s a small sample size, but you really just have to like what you’re seeing early on in 2011 from Jake Arrieta, and given his minor league track record, I don't think that numbers like these are entirely unsustainable for him moving forward.

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Preach it!

I love what I’m seeing from Arrieta this year.

All along with the “big 3” there has been a sentiment that if even 2 of the 3 approached their lofty expectations, we’d be fortunate. We’ve known for a while that Matusz is the real deal. We’ve also known that TIllman was a question Mark. Jake has been somewhere in between the two, and after some seasoning at the big-league level last year, he seems to be putting it together.

And Britton clearly belongs up here as well. Make no mistake about it, he will probably take some lumps as hitters adjust; but if he, Matusz, Arrieta and Guts can stay healthy for most of this year, the Orioles are going to be a force to be reckoned with every night….. at least until the 7th inning.

"I put a pepper rub on the scallops so you have a little contrast. You have sweetness from the coconut oil and a little acidity from the splash of lemon." – Luke Scott

by zknower on May 5, 2011 6:12 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Yes because in the 7th inning

We will bring in ALFREDO SIMON AND NO ONE WILL EVER TOUCH HIM HE IS AWESOME

Wait… he’s not up here, yet? …Soon enough

drools

"Here's a bold prediction: The Orioles will go undefeated in games this year in which Guerrero drives in the 10th run."

by DonovanM on May 5, 2011 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

you're joking, right?

because Alfredo Simon sucks.

"I put a pepper rub on the scallops so you have a little contrast. You have sweetness from the coconut oil and a little acidity from the splash of lemon." – Luke Scott

by zknower on May 5, 2011 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha

yeah I tried really hard to get the sarcasm across with caps lock but eh

"Here's a bold prediction: The Orioles will go undefeated in games this year in which Guerrero drives in the 10th run."

by DonovanM on May 5, 2011 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions

But he is in the best shape of his life

by James (Lost in Boston) on May 7, 2011 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Prison Yard Shape.

Fan-dabby-dozy.....tastic.....

by Jonny Pops on May 10, 2011 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Couldn't have said it any better.

Less big words and more exclamation marks

by Astronaut Mike Dexter on May 6, 2011 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

if the Hobgoblin ever becomes anything as a starter, anything at all, this rotation is set for the next 8 years.

"I have fear, but I am not afraid."
Music City Miracles Hall Of Fame, Class of 2010

by danielreese05 on May 5, 2011 7:42 PM EDT reply actions

FTFY

if ~~the Hobgoblin~~ either Rick VandenHurk or Chorye Spoon ever becomes anything as a starter, anything at all, this rotation is set for the next 8 years.

Because the Hobgoblin ain’t even going to break AA ball.

"I put a pepper rub on the scallops so you have a little contrast. You have sweetness from the coconut oil and a little acidity from the splash of lemon." – Luke Scott

by zknower on May 5, 2011 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions

poor Hobgoblin :(

"I have fear, but I am not afraid."
Music City Miracles Hall Of Fame, Class of 2010

by danielreese05 on May 5, 2011 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Such a wasted draft pick.

"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King

by duck on May 5, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Matt Hobgood has a better chance than Spoone or VandenHurk

Free Nolan Reimold!

by Andrew_G on May 5, 2011 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Matt Hobgood

has a better chance than I do. Not exactly a compelling argument though, is it?

"Here's a bold prediction: The Orioles will go undefeated in games this year in which Guerrero drives in the 10th run."

by DonovanM on May 5, 2011 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions

seems to me that he’s got talent, he just really shit the bed coming out of high school by not conditioning himself properly which led to injury and might pay with his career.

"I have fear, but I am not afraid."
Music City Miracles Hall Of Fame, Class of 2010

by danielreese05 on May 5, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

reply

fail

"Here's a bold prediction: The Orioles will go undefeated in games this year in which Guerrero drives in the 10th run."

by DonovanM on May 5, 2011 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Not

really

"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King

by duck on May 6, 2011 7:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Well he's obviously got

some talent but it’s not fun to hate on guys with some talent.

"Here's a bold prediction: The Orioles will go undefeated in games this year in which Guerrero drives in the 10th run."

by DonovanM on May 5, 2011 11:07 PM EDT reply actions

Britton has been the unexpected bright spot

Arrieta has been the bright spot that we were looking for.

Before the season several of us said the free agent signings didn’t matter, the meaning of this season still came down to whether we see the needed emergence & development of Matusz, Arrieta, Weiters and Jones. Do they turn from young promising core into solid, proven core? (And with that answer, we learn whether there’s really hope for this organiation or we’re still at scratch.)

Arrieta is starting to show us his answer.

Like a bad, suave dude. You know what I'm sayin'. COOL. SC 7/24/08

by 33 on May 7, 2011 9:41 AM EDT reply actions

point well taken about the young core, etc.

never said that Arrieta’s early on success was unexpected, rather that it hasn’t garnered a lot of attention perhaps because of other things, Britton’s early on success being one of those things.

"Here's a bold prediction: The Orioles will go undefeated in games this year in which Guerrero drives in the 10th run."

by DonovanM on May 7, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

agree although it's still frustrating to see the team overall suck regularly

wieters has made huge strides defensively and improved offensively, Dr jones marginally the same, arrieta displays better control so far, even andino has come out of nowhere to be awesome at least as often as he sucks. the future is not totally lost yet.

"Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition."

by Luke E on May 8, 2011 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions

That is a good way of looking at it

It frustrates me when you put it that way to think that perhaps if our FA signings had panned out we could have a much better record right now. But the better way of looking at it is that the players who will be around for a few years are some of the most consistent and reliable on the team right now. We can just try again with hopefully better FA bats next year.

Less big words and more exclamation marks

by Astronaut Mike Dexter on May 9, 2011 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions