Steve Davis: Is Ubaldo A Keeper?
Is there a more puzzling player in baseball than Ubaldo Jimenez?
He gets yanked from the rotation, and if he didn't have such a lucrative contract, he would have gotten fired by the Orioles. So, what's he do? After one lousy bullpen outing, the Orioles are forced to stick him back in the rotation, and he throws one of his best games of the year. Then, the Orioles, without another option, start him again Tuesday, and he pitches 5 innings of 3 hit, 1 run ball and wins his second straight. It's the first time he's won 2 in a row since last September.
So, now what?
Give him another start, for sure, but probably more. If he stinks the next time, it doesn't mean he won't be excellent for 2 games after that. He is not just inconsistent, he is maddeningly inconsistent. Yet, for all his woes, and his ERA is an astronomical 6.6, the Orioles are 8-7 in games he starts Meantime, Kevin Gausman's ERA is 3.9, plenty good for an AL East starter, and the Orioles are only 5-8 in his games. Go figure.
Ubaldo sure can be tough to watch, but it's not as tough to win with him as you would think.