2063.14 What’s Going On With Cummings?

[Krathan]

Felipe Cummings is currently in AAA pitching for the Richmond Panthers. He started the year in Charlotte after a fantastic Spring Training in which he went 3-0 with an ERA of 0.57 in 15.2 innings over 3 starts.

After allowing just 1 run in the entire preseason, Cummings allowed 5 runs in just 3 innings in his first start of the regular season. He then allowed 6 (3 earned) in 3 innings in his next start. Through 2 outings, he had allowed 4 home runs in just 6 innings. He then moved to the bullpen, making 5 appearances and allowing 7 runs and 3 home runs in 11 innings. He then made 2 more starts, allowing 8 runs in 10.1 innings, without giving up a homer. He allowed 2 runs on 2 home runs in his next 3.1 innings out of the pen before starting one more game, giving up 3 runs on 2 homers in 5.1 innings.

By the time he was sent back to Richmond, Cummings was 1-3 with a 7.00 ERA in 13 games, 5 starts. He had allowed 28 earned runs with 11 home runs in 36 innings. Since the start of the 2062 season, Cummings has allowed 24 home runs in 94.1 BBA innings pitched with an ugly HR% of 5.8. His career minor league HR% of 2.7.

Since being demoted, Cummings has made 7 starts in AAA. He has pitched better with Richmond this year than he has pitched since college. In those 7 starts, Cummings is 5-0 with an ERA of 1.91. He has allowed only 3 home runs in 42.1 innings. His K% is 23.7 compared to 15.4 with Charlotte this year. His BABIP in AAA is nearly 50 points higher than it was in Charlotte but his results have been markedly better with Richmond.

Is Cummings a AAAA pitcher? Is he done developing or will he get a late burst toward his potential? Has he just been a bit unlucky in Charlotte? I'm not quite sure what to make of him right now.

[RonCo]

Good question. He's clearly not grown o t those potentials.

[BaseClogger]

Shame he doesn’t have one more stamina because he’d be a gnarly RP conversion.

[Krathan]

Shame he doesn’t have one more stamina because he’d be a gnarly RP conversion.

I’ve thought the same thing.

[lordtoffee]

I don’t think you rushed him, so it could be a case of him maybe being an opener?

[Trebro]

Unfortunately, given how the game seems to work now, I don't think he'll grow into those final potentials, though it's possible.

The HRA 5 and not having enough stuff to overcome that, combined with being a neutral type pitcher, is killing him, I think.

The current game engine really seems to be unforgiving on the HRA rating at the BBA level in a way that it's not nearly as severe to even in AAA. Not sure why.