Can Gio hold it together all year?

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Gio stated before the season to Dusty that he wanted to be an All-Star in his hometown of Miami.  Gio has a 12 mill option for 2018 that is guaranteed if he hits 180 IP.  However, he's set to become a free agent in 2019 regardless at the age of 33.  So, he has to be motivated for one last big contract to close his career.

Last year Gio came out similarly and then was bad.  However, the last few seasons his peripherals seemed to show he wasn't quite as bad as the ERA indicated.  The fastball isn't what it was in his prime, but Gio does seem a bit more in control of his emotions at this stage in his career. 

Last year we won the NL East with Strasburg healthy only half the season, Gio being bad most of the year, and Ross also missing a lot of time.  We were plugging in guys for 2 of the 5 rotation spots and a 3rd starter, Gio, was sub par.

This lineup is going to be better than last season barring major health issues.  If Strasburg can stay healthy and Gio can be improved, then the rotation also will be better.  We'll see how the bullpen settles.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Has anyone compared good Gio's pitching motion, velocity, spin rates, etc... to bad Gio to find out how he loses it?   I don't know if his mechanics are better, he's fresher so his fastball is better, or what.

[Slateman]

Yes, he can. And Zim is gonna stay healthy all season too.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yes, he can. And Zim is gonna stay healthy all season too.

but you are never hitting the powerball.

[welch]

Mets post-game Jim Duquette says one difference in Gio is that Wieters has him using the change-up more.

[Optics]

He won't have an ERA in the 1s all year obviously but for a #4/5 SP which is what he is on this team now I think he'll be a very solid and respectable for us. He'll always walk guys but if he can at least give us 6 solid innings everytime(or most of the time)we'll be happy.

[nfotiu]

Has anyone compared good Gio's pitching motion, velocity, spin rates, etc... to bad Gio to find out how he loses it?   I don't know if his mechanics are better, he's fresher so his fastball is better, or what.

My non-scientific observations are that he is never very hit-able.  He gets in trouble when he walks to much or misses too much with his off speeds and gets down in the count.  Any time he can get most of his ptiches over the plate most of the time, he's a very good pitcher. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

FP mentioned that Gio is throwing the change to lefties this year, which is new. Got a few whiffs on it.

[More of #34]

All year is a long time but I sure like what I see so far.  It's the best I've ever seen from Gio.

[Squab]

Glancing at Pitch FX, he's throwing his fastball slower, but with more movement. His curveball is slower but more slurvy than in past years. More horizontal movement and less drop than in years past.

[Smithian]

He's our fifth starter. If he finishes the year with a sub 4 ERA we should be thrilled. After last season's hot start, need a couple months before I buy in.

[imref]

He's our fifth starter. If he finishes the year with a sub 4 ERA we should be thrilled. After last season's hot start, need a couple months before I buy in.

this.  There's no reasonably likelihood he maintains a sub-2.00 ERA.  But hopefully he's an effective #4/5 the rest of the way.

Of all Rizzo's trades, the Gio one might be the best.

[aspenbubba]

Of all Rizzo's trades, the Gio one might be the best.

I still like Turner and Ross for Souza better

[Slateman]

He's our fifth starter. If he finishes the year with a sub 4 ERA we should be thrilled. After last season's hot start, need a couple months before I buy in.

Whoa ... even Smithian isn't SSS on this one

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Gio isn't our 5th starter.  Ross is.  Regardless, of course he isn't going to be a sub-2 ERA guy all season.  By keeping it together, I mean being a fairly consistent guy who takes the ball every 5th day and gives you 6 innings and ends up in the mid 3's ERA.  That would be all we need from a 4th starter with this lineup.  I think he can do it.

[Smithian]

11 starts in and sporting a 3.03 ERA. Last year he was super hot after 8 starts and then fell apart for a month and a half so bad he should have been sent to the pen.

He's about a third of the way through the years and has been a really solid pitcher. With Roark having been shaky so far and the #5 spot not being filled consistently, Gio has been big for the club early. Outside of the Baltimore shelling has given the team a chance to win every time he's taken the mound.

[bluestreak]

He says he's really motivated to make the All-Star game this year because it's at home for him.

[varoadking]

He says he's really motivated to make the All-Star game this year because it's at home for him.

Won't have to pay shipping on his next order either...

[Slateman]

11 starts in and sporting a 3.03 ERA. Last year he was super hot after 8 starts and then fell apart for a month and a half so bad he should have been sent to the pen.

He's about a third of the way through the years and has been a really solid pitcher. With Roark having been shaky so far and the #5 spot not being filled consistently, Gio has been big for the club early. Outside of the Baltimore shelling has given the team a chance to win every time he's taken the mound.

His walks and homers are up. Peripherals say he won't stay there. Honestly it doesn't even matter to me, as his and Ross rotation spots are pointless at this point. Unless the Braves or Miami pull off a couple of monster trades, the Nats can win the division easily with the rotation they have. And in the playoffs, you don't care about your 4th and 5th starters.

[NatsAllThe Way]

His walks and homers are up. Peripherals say he won't stay there. Honestly it doesn't even matter to me, as his and Ross rotation spots are pointless at this point. Unless the Braves or Miami pull off a couple of monster trades, the Nats can win the division easily with the rotation they have. And in the playoffs, you don't care about your 4th and 5th starters.

I'm not sure the Mets can be ignored.  They refuse to lose for the last 3 games, and they're about to get Matz, Lugo and Cespedes back. 

[UMDNats]

this.  There's no reasonably likelihood he maintains a sub-2.00 ERA.  But hopefully he's an effective #4/5 the rest of the way.

Of all Rizzo's trades, the Gio one might be the best.

The trade for Gio is one that Rizzo absolutely does not get enough credit for. 15 WAR for us across 5+ seasons.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

His walks and homers are up. Peripherals say he won't stay there. Honestly it doesn't even matter to me, as his and Ross rotation spots are pointless at this point. Unless the Braves or Miami pull off a couple of monster trades, the Nats can win the division easily with the rotation they have. And in the playoffs, you don't care about your 4th and 5th starters.

I mostly agree with this.  Gio and Ross can easily get us a division title.  Typically you do use a 4th starter in the postseason, however.  That is unless you have a Mad Bum you start in Games 1, 4, and 7.  With that said, I'd be shocked if we added to our rotation barring injury. 

[Smithian]

His walks and homers are up. Peripherals say he won't stay there. Honestly it doesn't even matter to me, as his and Ross rotation spots are pointless at this point. Unless the Braves or Miami pull off a couple of monster trades, the Nats can win the division easily with the rotation they have. And in the playoffs, you don't care about your 4th and 5th starters.

Last year Gio's ERA was almost a run higher than his FIP. This year his FIP is significantly higher than his ERA. Peripherals can sometimes be too abstract. They are in this case.

[Smithian]

The trade for Gio is one that Rizzo absolutely does not get enough credit for. 15 WAR for us across 5+ seasons.

If Gio produces another 3 WAR season while starting 30+ then the trade and extension are an absolute steal.

[dcpatti]

...With Roark having been shaky so far and the #5 spot not being filled consistently, Gio has been big for the club early. Outside of the Baltimore shelling has given the team a chance to win every time he's taken the mound.

Those three first-inning taters were so out-of-character for Gio that a couple of analysts were wondering if the O's were anticipating Weiters' pitch selection, based on knowing his pitch selection style/methodology from his days as an O. Especially on that wacky one to Trumbo. That game is such an anomaly that you have to wonder if the O's took some lucky guesses or maybe Gio was tipping something.

I'm not sure the Mets can be ignored.  They refuse to lose for the last 3 games, and they're about to get Matz, Lugo and Cespedes back.

Cespedes has had a number of setbacks in his rehab that I'm not going to count him as "back" till 3 weeks after he's back.

Power hitter with cement hands and a history of injuries.  That is one dude who should have stayed in the AL.