How do we not have a Tyler Mahle thread?

[dougdirt]

I regret nothing.

That 8th grade haircut tells us that this is a lie.

[M2]

Mahle's fun to watch right now. Fantastic use of a 4 seamer, and a changeup that plays well off of that. Not sure how his career will go. Will he be more than a solid starter? More than a Mike Leake? I think that slider is going to have to make some gains, eventually. And, of course, he's going to have to stay healthy. Has been nice and durable through the minors, and his mechanics are great, so there's reason for optimism there.

Leake never had anything like his K rate. The guy, performance-wise, that I think he's more likely to mirror is Latos ... except without the borderline personality.

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That 8th grade haircut tells us that this is a lie.

I didn't even have an 8th grade haircut in the 8th grade.

[Kc61]

Redszone is pretty tough on Romano over a middling April, he’s still just 24.

The concerns about Romano trace back to his minor league stats. He did have one terrific year at AA. But generally was not a high K pitcher and allowed a relatively high number of baserunners.

So it's more than just April.

[mth123]

Yesterday they were saying Mahle leads the majors in called third strikes. I think that actually is kind of a bad sign. He has a deceptive delivery and guys have trouble picking the ball up so they get fooled. I just wonder how much of that is because they guy has had 11 big league starts and a lot of hitters are just now seeing him for the first time. More familiarity will likely lead to being fooled less often and that K rate may drop. I just don't see him holding a 9.6 K/9 rate. My expectations for Mahle are based on a still adequate 7.5 to 8.5 K/9 number once he settles in.

[Tom Servo]

The concerns about Romano trace back to his minor league stats. He did have one terrific year at AA. But generally was not a high K pitcher and allowed a relatively high number of baserunners.

So it's more than just April.

No I'd say it's mostly April considering the majority were fairly encouraged by his 2017 and had him making the rotation out of spring training.

Romano had a 7.2 K/9 in the minors, and so far it's 6.7 in the big leagues. That's workable. He's not a finished product.

[M2]

Yesterday they were saying Mahle leads the majors in called third strikes. I think that actually is kind of a bad sign. He has a deceptive delivery and guys have trouble picking the ball up so they get fooled. I just wonder how much of that is because they guy has had 11 big league starts and a lot of hitters are just now seeing him for the first time. More familiarity will likely lead to being fooled less often and that K rate may drop. I just don't see him holding a 9.6 K/9 rate. My expectations for Mahle are based on a still adequate 7.5 to 8.5 K/9 number once he settles in.

Could be, or could be a sign that he's capable of doing evil things out on the mound.

[mth123]

The concerns about Romano trace back to his minor league stats. He did have one terrific year at AA. But generally was not a high K pitcher and allowed a relatively high number of baserunners.

So it's more than just April.

I don't know. Romano clearly had a light go on in the middle of 2016. I think his seasons prior to that have little to do with who he is now. His 2017 started off with an injury and some of those small sample AAA stats reflect that. He clearly picked up steam last year as he got farther away form his early season injury. I think he's never going to be a high K guy, but I think he can get by as a solid back end guy based on 6 to 7 K/9 and a bunch of ground balls. Probably needs a better MI than Gennett and Peraza for that to work though.

I have hopes that a similar light goes on for Stephenson or Reed and it's why I want them on regular rotation turns in AAA and not wasting away in the big league pen until it becomes absolutely necessary.

[Kc61]

No I'd say it's mostly April considering the majority were fairly encouraged by his 2017 and had him making the rotation out of spring training.

Romano had a 7.2 K/9 in the minors, and so far it's 6.7 in the big leagues. That's workable. He's not a finished product.

Romano - including his good AA season - had a 4.21 ERA, a 1.41. WHIP, and a 7.2 K rate in the minor leagues. Against minor league hitters.

The current average K rate for a major league starter is 8.35 -- against major league hitters. A 1.4 WHIP is barely acceptable against major league hitters -- and Sal's was that against minor leaguers.

Whatever encouragement people have had, he needs to strikeout more and allow fewer baserunners or he's going to have difficulty.

[Tom Servo]

Not sure what "majority" was encouraged enough to ignore his minor league numbers.

Romano - including his good AA season - had a 4.21 ERA, a 1.41. WHIP, and a 7.2 K rate in the minor leagues. Against minor league hitters.

The current average K rate for a major league starter is 8.35 -- that's against major league hitters. A 1.4 WHIP is barely acceptable against major league hitters -- and Sal's was that against minor leaguers.

Ohhhhhhhh yes, I forgot about your bizarre "Guys need to learn how to pitch out the bullpen and Romano is one of them" thing right before Romano busted out in AA.

I generally consider you a good-faith actor here but you obviously seem a bit infatuated with your Romano in the bullpen idea and you let it cloud the fact that, to date, Romano has made 23 MLB starts and been mostly solid.

[Mitri]

At worst a very good #2?

At worst?

I like Tyler Mahle and all, but I think you're overselling this.

Those were hot takes, but I'll stick with it on Mahle. A vg #2 would assume he's in the top, say, 40 SP in the league? I think he could be there as early as next season. No reason to bet against him from what we've seen so far this season.

[dougdirt]

I didn't even have an 8th grade haircut in the 8th grade.

I was referring to the haircut you had as an 8th grader. That I never saw, but I'm imagining something terrible because it was my joke and that makes it work out much better.

[Kc61]

Ohhhhhhhh yes, I forgot about your bizarre "Guys need to learn how to pitch out the bullpen and Romano is one of them" thing right before Romano busted out in AA.

I generally consider you a good-faith actor here but you obviously seem a bit infatuated with your Romano in the bullpen idea and you let it cloud the fact that, to date, Romano has made 23 MLB starts and been mostly solid.

Whether a starter or reliever Sal needs to miss more bats and allow fewer base runners. Or he will have difficulty succeeding.

And Romano as a potential reliever is an idea that did not begin with me.

[marcshoe]

I was referring to the haircut you had as an 8th grader. That I never saw, but I'm imagining something terrible because it was my joke and that makes it work out much better.

I was in the eighth grade in 1976, and I was a Pete Rose fan.

'nuff said.

[Rolando]

Whether a starter or reliever Sal needs to miss more bats and allow fewer base runners. Or he will have difficulty succeeding.

And Romano as a potential reliever is an idea that did not begin with me.

This is spot on Sal has to get a lot better at avoiding base runners

[corkedbat]

We were trying not to give him extra arbitration ammunition...but well...some people...