David Hernandez coming back from the DL

[2131andBeyond]

David Hernandez pitched an inning last night in Bowie, striking out the side. He will pitch again Monday. If he has no health issues after that outing, he could be given a rest day on Tuesday and then be activated Wednesday.

Where would you like to see him used in the bullpen for the rest of this season and the future? Should his outings/innings be limited? Is he officially done as a starter in Major League Baseball?

[BuckMagic]

Home runs are going to be a problem and he doesn't have the control to become a starter. His future is in the bullpen, likely as a 7th inning guy.

[2131andBeyond]

Home runs are going to be a problem and he doesn't have the control to become a starter. His future is in the bullpen, likely as a 7th inning guy.

Homeruns are a problem with Simon, so at least we know Hernandez is better.

And he will get a lot of work in the offseason in to deal with mixing up pitches better. Remember, he came into the year as a starter, and as a starter, the mix up is different. While as a starter you have to hold back from throwing everything at each guy to continue to be effective, a reliever can mix it up and be a lot more effective.

I believe if he can learn to truly mix in his off speed stuff, he could be really successful in a 7th or 8th inning role, assuming he can keep command under control.

[CamdenRevival]

9 HRs in 70+ innings isn't as bad as a lot of people on the team. And I think it can go down over time. He likes to work high in the zone and he just needs to know when he can get away with that and when he can't.

I am convinced Hernandez has closer stuff. I can't remember an Oriole who gets as many swings and misses as Hernandez. His stuff can be overpowering, but he's never been a reliever before. It's an evolution, just like it was for Rivera and Papelbon--both started the ML careers as starters. But those guys got the mindset. They loved the thrill of the kill. Hernandez's battle will be consistency and mental approach. But he can do it--just like he did when he gave up that leadoff triple to Austin Jackson in Detroit. He stepped up and dominated the Tigers. His stuff is THAT good and, long term, I'd trust his stuff for the 9th inning.