While it’s the idea that every player on the Shorebirds improves as the season wears on, the long grind of the season also proves to weed out players from roles which may not suit them. Such seems to be the case with Mark Blackmar, who was a bust as a starting pitcher but has been a success as a reliever over the last month or so.
The splits are telling enough for the 21-year-old Texan, who was drafted in the 16th round two years ago out of Temple College in that state. As a starter, Mark was 1-5, 6.84 in 11 outings (50 innings) with a 1.92 WHIP. Over his last eight outings as a reliever, Mark is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 25 innings, with a much better 1.12 WHIP.
So the overall numbers don’t look all that great and probably won’t translate well when the agate type of the 2013 season is set; for example, Blackmar would have to hurl another 13 scoreless innings this season just to get his ERA for the year under 5. (As it stands, his ERA for the season is 5.86 to go with a 3-6 record, 100 hits allowed in 75 innings, and a reasonably good 42/24 strikeout/walk ratio.) But the improvement should be obvious and it will give the Orioles an opportunity to set Mark up for success, perhaps as a reliever here or in Frederick.
While it wasn’t so pronounced in Aberdeen last season, there were signs that Mark would be a better pitcher in small doses, particularly when it came to control. As a starter for the IronBirds Blackmar’s strikeout/walk ratio was 14/16 but in relief it was 15/7. The same applies this season as Mark went from a 23/20 ratio as a starter to 19/4 as a reliever. Perhaps he has a more aggressive mindset out of the bullpen, but whatever the case the change is pronounced enough to perhaps convince the organization Mark would serve best out of the ‘pen in the future.