The Orioles (48-50) continue to debate whether Liz should remain a starter or evolve into a reliever. The idea of slipping him into a bullpen role gains momentum each time he struggles to keep his delivery compact as his innings increase in a game.
"I think it gives us an option," Trembley said. "There is not a consensus of opinion yet which direction we want to go with that, but that is an option."
Trembley has noted Liz's tendency to pitch backward in terms of strategy, working both sides of the plate early, falling behind in the count and bringing the ball to the middle. Trembley compares that pattern to "stepping in the ring of fire" and reminded his young starter to establish the fastball first and then expand the zone.
"He was trying to locate more in the middle of the plate and down [last night], either down in or down and away," said Trembley, whose team escaped last place in the American League East. "The times before, it looked like he was pitching on the chalk lines of both batter's boxes and then he'd fall behind and groove it. Tonight was more in tune with what we're talking about."
Liz threw two bullpen sessions since facing the Red Sox before the break. But the Orioles were just as interested in his head as his right arm.
"He just looked a whole lot more confident pitching here," Trembley said. "His ball-strike ratio obviously is not going to get him by at this level. He's going to get burned at some point because these guys are too good of hitters. They're going to make you pay for those walks. But as long as he located, he's headed back in the right direction."
roch.kubatko@baltsun.com
