Is ReyLo back in consideration for the starting rotation next season?

[chw42]

1 minute ago, asindc said:

All of which means hitters are having a more difficulty recognizing his pitches, which of course is a sign that he has tweaked his release for the better.

Yeah that was one of the things Katz tweaked in his delivery. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

3 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

I get it, you're really smart.  And I'm not.  I don't want to feel like a dufus, so I'm just gonna stay with the basics that my brain can comprehend.

He has pitched better.  He has looked better.  He has allowed fewer hits and fewer walks.  He is striking out a decent amount of dudes.  I'm not saying he should start opening day.  I'm saying he deserves consideration.  This was make or break year for him.  He rose to the occasion.  Tip of the cap to him.

The guy who got douchey at someone responding to them was you, not me pal.

I didn't say anything demeaning to you or about your post. I merely commented on the context. I'm sorry that appeared to hurt your feelings and wish you the best in your future therapy sessions to overcome said Trauma.

[Stinky Stanky]

17 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

But he's not throwing more strikes.

His zone percentage is actually below where it was in 2019 and he's not really generating more swings and misses. He's had a cupcake schedule in terms of his match-ups and been put in a perfect position to perform a little better. His BABIP against is 213 which is really what is driving his success for the most part; that and the walk rate decline, but it doesn't seem that his walk rate improvement is sustainable. He's getting quite a few more swings outside the zone, but I'm not sure how long that will really last, and he's getting fewer swings on pitches in the zone.

Rolling into next year with Reylo as your 5th starter would be a bad idea IMO; I think he can be depth for the rotation but he shouldn't be counted on.

This makes sense to me, except for the assumption about the walk rate decline.  But he does look like a different pitcher and I like it.  While it lasts.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

4 minutes ago, asindc said:

All of which means hitters are having a more difficulty recognizing his pitches, which of course is a sign that he has tweaked his release for the better.

Or it means that he's faced poor teams, and that a lot of his appearances so far have been only seeing a lineup 1 time through. His numbers as a starter are significantly worse than his numbers as a reliever.

Of his 202 batters faced, 136 of those have come on the first time through the order (nearly 70%). Meaning a majority of hitters are not seeing him twice.

[turnin' two]

7 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

The guy who got douchey at someone responding to them was you, not me pal.

I didn't say anything demeaning to you or about your post. I merely commented on the context. I'm sorry that appeared to hurt your feelings and wish you the best in your future therapy sessions to overcome said Trauma.

Man, all I did was say that I was gonna agree with you.  I didn't want you all worked up.  My bad chief.  

[Greg Hibbard]

wait a second, regarding the notion of the "cupcake" schedule...

last four starts were CIN, OAK, LAA, CLE, which has an average winning percentage of .504...

18.1 IP, 19 H, 4 BB, 9ER, 17K

IDK, I'd take those numbers from a fifth starter against above average teams. 

[Colome's Hat]

1 minute ago, Greg Hibbard said:

wait a second, regarding the notion of the "cupcake" schedule...

last four starts were CIN, OAK, LAA, CLE, which has an average winning percentage of .504...

18.1 IP, 19 H, 4 BB, 9ER, 17K

IDK, I'd take those numbers from a fifth starter against above average teams. 

And the Cubs were coming off a streak of scoring 10 or more runs in consecutive games and he shut them down for five perfect innings.

[asindc]

33 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Or it means that he's faced poor teams, and that a lot of his appearances so far have been only seeing a lineup 1 time through. His numbers as a starter are significantly worse than his numbers as a reliever.

Of his 202 batters faced, 136 of those have come on the first time through the order (nearly 70%). Meaning a majority of hitters are not seeing him twice.

As noted above, CIN, OAK, LAA, CLE are not the dregs of MLB.  Even if they were, Lopez was awful against everyone the last two years, so his recent performances represent improvement.  The salient question isn’t whether he is pitching better lately (he is, of course), it is whether or not he can sustain it well enough to be relied upon going forward.

Edited September 29, 2021 by asindc

[kwill]

I think the question is what the hell has gotten into his arm. I think it's obvious that he is throwing more strikes which is great. But, It's easy to throw your fastball in the zone when you are pumping 96,97,98. Last year his fastball was always 91-94. 

I think he could develop a changeup to go with his slider but if Rodon is not going. to pitch in the playoffs is there a better 4th starter than Reylo. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

4 minutes ago, asindc said:

As noted above, 

CIN, OAK, LAA, CLE are not the dregs of MLB.  Even if they were, Lopez was awful against everyone the last two years, so his recent performances represent improvement.  The salient question isn’t whether he is pitching better lately, it is whether or not he can sustain it well enough to be relied upon going forward.

ReyLo gave up 7 runs to the Angels, and the Indians have the 20th ranked offense in MLB and he couldn't get through 4 innings against them in the last start.

Oakland and Cincy are fine.

[CentralChamps21]

You have 3 guys you can rely on to be good and give you 160+ innings in Gio, Lynn and Cease.

You have one guy you can count on to give you the innings but not to be good in Keuchel.

You have one guy you can count on to be good but not likely the innings in Kopech.

Then you have a total wild card in Lopez.

Barring keeping Rodon or acquiring another starter, I think they might rotate Kopech, Lopez and Keuchel through the 4-5 spots to start the season and let things sort themselves out.

[joejoedairy]

He deserves to be on the team, which is quite a leap from where he was. I think his best role is a long reliever and spot starter. 

[chitownsportsfan]

He def deserves a spot on the roster. He's had some good BABIP luck but also his stuff is clearly improved. We'll see if he can maintain this new velocity next spring. If he can I have no issues with him and Dallas competing for the 5th starter role.

[Harry Chappas]

He will be in the conversation for a spot in the rotation as a 4/5.  He has warranted that with his short arm release that is working.   They are getting what they need out him.  If he can hit 98/99 every other start and spot a slider he will be fine. 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Harry Chappas

[kleedawg]

Ideally, Lopez is our long man/6th starter next year.

I believe we trade Keuchel (yes we can trade him, but prolly better to explain that as another topic like winter meetings), Have Kopech enter rotation and either retain Rodon or sigh a FA pitcher.

Assumming Rodon, for arm maintenance we'd want to limit Kopech's innings as well as Rodon's (prolly should just quotes myself from Rodon thread explaining this in detail). 

The first month is full of off days so Lopez is long man/dh starter. After April you can start him instead of Kopech one week and Rodon the next to keep them fresh as they build up stamina.

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by kleedawg
grammar

[Superstar Lamar]

He can take over Kopech's role from this year when Kopech becomes a starter next year...or maybe he takes crochet's role when crochet takes kopech's role

[pcq]

The closest info we have on Rodon is that he is a three inning guy which opens the door for Lopez to finish up. 

Edited September 29, 2021 by pcq

[southsider2k5]

I have a feeling that pitching injuries will be a thing again next year. Hopefully the Sox add another starter after Rodon leaves, and still stretch out both ReyLo and Kopech.  They will need them.

[SpringfieldFan]

21 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Or it means that he's faced poor teams, and that a lot of his appearances so far have been only seeing a lineup 1 time through. His numbers as a starter are significantly worse than his numbers as a reliever.

Of his 202 batters faced, 136 of those have come on the first time through the order (nearly 70%). Meaning a majority of hitters are not seeing him twice.

Yeah, facing poor teams was a real break for him after posting that 7.62 ERA facing all those Ruths and Gehrigs in the AAA gauntlet...

[Bob Sacamano]

22 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

But he's not throwing more strikes.

His zone percentage is actually below where it was in 2019 and he's not really generating more swings and misses. He's had a cupcake schedule in terms of his match-ups and been put in a perfect position to perform a little better. His BABIP against is 213 which is really what is driving his success for the most part; that and the walk rate decline, but it doesn't seem that his walk rate improvement is sustainable. He's getting quite a few more swings outside the zone, but I'm not sure how long that will really last, and he's getting fewer swings on pitches in the zone.

Rolling into next year with Reylo as your 5th starter would be a bad idea IMO; I think he can be depth for the rotation but he shouldn't be counted on.

This. With Kopech likely sliding into Rodon's spot (assuming he's gone), you're going to need more than 5 starters any way. Plus injuries happen.

[Snopek]

13 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

I have a feeling that pitching injuries will be a thing again next year. Hopefully the Sox add another starter after Rodon leaves, and still stretch out both ReyLo and Kopech.  They will need them.

Yep. Let's not put ourselves in a situation where Lambert or Stiever are making a bunch of starts for a title contender. Depth is not a luxury, it's a need.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

22 hours ago, Colome's Hat said:

Did anyone read about the key to ReyLo's breakthrough?  Apparently he had eye surgery.  Apparently he had blurred vision or something and it was so bad he couldn't actually tell what signs the catchers were putting down.

I'm not so sure about it being the key. I certainly think it helped. But I would imagine it was a combination of things. Seeing clearly is always a good thing  but making changes that need to be made physically until they become 2nd nature  probably meant more.

Bob Gibson said he couldn't see very well in the documentary Fastball. I'd recommend this to anyone that hasn't seen it. A must for baseball fans who dig the history of the hardest throwing pitchers in baseball history. It also has some of the last film of Tony Gwynn and Ernie Banks.

It should also give you some idea on just how very difficult it is to hit once the fastball speed is very high.

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[hi8is]

22 hours ago, asindc said:

salient

This was the official Word of the Day on June 23rd in 1994.