Do I believe in Kyle Gibson?
Not in his existence, but that he truly belongs in the starting rotation of a postseason team.
On Thursday Gibson made his seventh start since returning to the rotation after the trade of Jaime Garcia. He allowed two runs in seven innings; while he didn't get the decision, it was a quality start. His stat line for those seven starts is pretty good: 3.10 ERA in 40.2 innings.
A month ago I figured Gibson was slated to be nontendered this offseason (he has one more year of arbitration eligibility). Now I'm not so sure he should be discarded.
His numbers for the year are still ugly., even with his Augst-September improvement. His ERA is still well above 5 (5.19); his walk and strikeout rates remain subpar. But even with two demotions to Triple A Rochester, he's second on the team in starts and innings; unlike fellow members of the season-opening rotation Phil Hughes, Hector Santiago and Adalberto Mejia, Gibson's been able to take the ball.
He has long been a frustrating pitcher to watch. He has a quality two-seamer, and he chronically appears unwilling or unable to trust it for strikes. That has changed since the end of July. On Thursday he threw 95 pitches, 58 of them strikes. That is certainly a workable ratio.
One is tempted to speculate that watching Bartolo Colon, possessor of a much less imposing two-seamer, thrive by pounding the edges of the zone with that pitch has rubbed off on Gibson. Whatever the reason, he's surged. And the Twins certainly needed that, and certainly need it to continue.
Have patience with the young players ... they don't always get it but when they do it is no time to give up on them.
ReplyDeleteYoung? He's 29. He's had over 100 starts and over 700 innings and his performance remains far from achieving mediocrity. He's run into a random few good starts but I suggest not betting your home on it continuing. . . .
ReplyDeleteNot aware he was that old. I guess age is relative to our own ages. That makes him young.
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