Pitching out of the bullpen moderately than the rotation is “like playing a different sport,” Orioles reliever Bryan Baker mentioned. But Mike Baumann has dealt with that transition with aplomb.
The 27-year-old right-hander entered spring coaching as considered one of a dozen pitchers vying to be Baltimore’s 5 beginning pitchers, however late in camp, the Orioles elected to completely convert Baumann to a short-relief position. He’s since excelled, permitting one run over 10 1/3 innings, together with a scoreless ninth Wednesday as Baltimore shut out the Washington Nationals for a second straight sport.
“My thought was that if this is how I can help the team, then this is what I want to do,” Baumann mentioned. “If this is what you guys think I’ll be better at, then absolutely, I’d love to be able to help contribute.”
Although most of Baumann’s main league appearances coming into this season got here as a reliever, the potential for a return to beginning remained, and it was mirrored in his utilization. Nine of his 13 aid outings for the Orioles the earlier two years lasted a minimum of 30 pitches, a threshold he’s crossed solely as soon as in eight video games this season.
The change has required some adaptation. Drafted within the third spherical in 2017, Baumann has been regarded amongst Baltimore’s high pitching prospects lately, sharing the group’s minor league pitcher of the 12 months honors with Grayson Rodriguez in 2019. He was largely a starter in his minor league profession, with 11 of 14 aid outings throughout his climb up Baltimore’s system coming final 12 months with Triple-A Norfolk as he shuffled between roles.
But Baumann has had sources to regulate, saying he’s studied how Baker, left-handers Keegan Akin and Cionel Pérez, nearer Félix Bautista and different members of Baltimore’s bullpen have ready for his or her outings. Baker grew to become a full-time reliever after his first skilled season, saying it took his 22-year-old self a couple of month to get comfy. Describing Baumann as “a good watcher,” Baker mentioned Baumann’s attentiveness and maturity have allowed him to make that transition faster.
“When somebody gets going in the bullpen, he’s usually watching really closely and probably taking some mental notes,” Baker mentioned. “His attention to detail is pretty impressive. He’s picking everybody’s brains down there, picking up on little things that we do that he could possibly incorporate into his own routine.”
Added Akin, who made an analogous transition to the bullpen final 12 months: “If he has questions, he knows that the door’s always open for guys down there. But from what we’ve seen from him so far, it’s been pretty electric, honestly, so I think he’s doing just fine.”
Orioles outfielder Austin Hays performed with Baumann at Jacksonville University, the place the 6-foot-4 right-hander — fittingly nicknamed “Big Mike” — served as a starter. Hays mentioned he’s seen sharper command from Baumann this 12 months than he did in his earlier main league stints; Baumann is throwing strikes extra usually than both of his earlier main league seasons, with a first-pitch strike charge 14% greater than these two years.
“He’s been a starter, and he has the stuff of somebody that could be a late-inning guy, too,” Hays mentioned. “His stuff will play in any position, to be trustworthy with you.
“We always said it when we were at [Jacksonville]: He just looks the part of the big leaguer. He carried himself like a big leaguer, so now to see him in the big leagues doing that, it’s something that we talked about from the first couple times we saw him pitch. He’s right where he’s supposed to be.”
Among probably the most important modifications for Baumann in his new position is among the most beneficial expertise for any reliever: day by day availability. As a starter, he pitched as soon as each 5 video games, utilizing the times between to recuperate and prepare for his subsequent begin. Now, “every day, it’s just like, ‘Hey, I gotta pitch,’” Baumann mentioned. Relieving and its shorter stints permit for a “‘let it eat’ mentality,” as Baker put it, in comparison with what Akin described because the “cat-and-mouse game” of beginning and having to face the identical hitters a number of instances in a single outing.
“Sometimes as a starter, you feel like you gotta almost pace yourself,” Akin mentioned. “Not having that mindset and going out there and trying to throw it 100 every single pitch, to me, it’s more fun, honestly, and I think you’re seeing it with him.”
Despite the brand new position, Baumann mentioned he hasn’t modified a lot about how he’s pitched. He hasn’t skilled the rate uptick generally related to a transfer to the bullpen; his common four-seam fastball velocity of 95.6 mph is definitely a hair down from 2022, although he’s deployed that pitch extra usually in comparison with his begins on the finish of final season. His slider has remained among the many hardest thrown within the sport, based on Baseball Savant, however his curveball has emerged as a weapon, accountable for seven of his 10 strikeouts, together with each of Wednesday’s.
“It’s an incredible pitch, especially if you see it in the offseason,” mentioned beginning pitcher Tyler Wells, who educated with Baumann in Jacksonville, Florida, the previous two winters. “When we’re going through different main league-caliber hitters within the offseason, he’s making them look fairly ridiculous on them.
“Mike has incredible stuff, some of the best I’ve ever seen. A lot of the fruits of his labor are really showing now out of the ‘pen.”
Tigers at Orioles
Friday, 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com