Baltimore Orioles: Andrew Triggs – Secret Sidearmer
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Why would the Baltimore Orioles not like another sidearm pitcher coming up through the ranks? It has certainly worked well with Darren O’Day, so well that he is considered the top free agent relief pitcher on the market this year.
Not only has it been a success for O’Day’s incredible four years in Baltimore (23-8, 1.92 ERA), the next sidearmer up — Mychal Givens — came to the Orioles from AA Bowie and was far from overmatched in the big leagues (1.80 ERA in 30 innings). He looks to be a likely critical piece in the O’s 2016 bullpen.
But there has almost been a secret lurking just two steps down in the minor leagues — down there on the same team that Givens came from. Yes, another reliever with a lower arm slot — a fellow named Andrew Triggs. You might have heard about him for the first time just yesterday when the Orioles added him to the 40-man roster so as to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Let’s take a skeptic’s approach to this analysis …
So why should we think he can do even what Mychal Givens did?
Actually, the reason to think he could contribute in similar fashion as did Givens is because he did the same thing Givens did … for the same team … in the same season! Triggs took over the closer duties after Givens was brought to Baltimore.
Compare the stats of the two players at Bowie in 2015 …
| G | IP | ERA | WHIP | Sv | HR | SO/W | |
| Givens | 35 | 57.1 | 1.73 | 0.942 | 15 | 1 | 4.94 |
| Triggs | 43 | 61.0 | 1.03 | 0.869 | 17 | 0 | 6.36 |
It is no wonder that Bowie had a championship season! Triggs’ numbers are actually a bit better than what Givens did. Heck yea — the Orioles had better protect this guy! Seriously, look at those numbers, even if you’re not a stats person. It is not a small sample size and is very impressive.
So why haven’t we heard about this guy before?
Triggs has only been in the Orioles organization for this past season, having been obtained from the Royals for cash considerations at the end of spring training. He was a 19th-round pick by Kansas City out of the University of Southern California in 2012.
In his four years in the minors, Triggs has had good success all along the way. His career ERA in 152 games is 2.02. He was drafted twice by MLB teams before the Royals got him at age 23. But Triggs was a collegiate scholar who redshirted and got his degree as well as some graduate level studies toward a MBA. Triggs earned Pac-12 Conference All-Academic honors from 2009-12 and in 2012 was the Pac-12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
He’s already age 26, so why should he develop now?
For the record, let it be known that Darren O’Day did not accomplish much before this same age. At the same point, the current 33-year-old O’Day was floundering on the edge of the big leagues, having nothing of the stellar collegiate background of Triggs, and a decent (though not lights-out) minor league ERA of 2.76. He then broke through with three good years in Texas before his four great campaigns with the Orioles.
But Triggs hasn’t even pitched at the AAA level!
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Well, not much. But he did join the Royals’ AAA affiliate Omaha at the end of the 2014 season to be a part of their postseason run. The Thrashers went on to win the AAA championship (not just of their PCL, but of all of AAA baseball) by beating the Pawtucket Red Sox. In that final game, Triggs pitched scoreless 7th and 8th innings, giving up one hit and striking out four.
(In that game, Paul Janish was the shortstop for Omaha. The starting pitcher was a fellow named Christian Binford, who is from Hagerstown, Maryland. Hey, you can’t get this stuff just anywhere!)
OK, but he can’t take the space of O’Day!
Can he help to replace Darren O’Day? Actually, he could wear his uniform. Both are 6’4” … though Triggs is 10 pounds less. But maybe he can get some donuts from Kevin Gausman and bulk up!
Next: No shame for Machado in finishing 4th for MVP
There are no guarantees that anyone coming up from the minor leagues is going to necessarily pan out in the majors. But you certainly want to see these sorts of numbers in prospects. But hold it; how can this be? Isn’t it true that the Orioles’ farm system is totally decimated?