SATURDAY MINORS THREAD 5/12/18: No. 1s in spotlight

[smootness]

Almost all the top 15 picks are let downs.

If your expectations are such that almost everyone fails to meet them, then your expectations are foolish.

[smootness]

Just because others in the draft have been terrible as well doesn't mean Anderson hasn't been a let down. It just means there were lots of let downs. That first round is looking brutally bad.

My comps were based more on scouting reports. Sims is a similar guy. Good fastball velocity, good curve, good changeup, no idea where the ball is going. And Sims has had 10+ K/9 at multiple stops, including higher levels than Anderson is at now.

Also, wasn't Sims caught in the bus wreck at A+?

The bus wreck was Carolina the following year.

And Sims has never posted a K-rate as high as the one Anderson produced last year and is producing again this year beyond rookie ball. He only got back to 10+ once he was 22+.

[Southcack77]

The bus wreck was Carolina the following year.

And Sims has never posted a K-rate as high as the one Anderson produced last year and is producing again this year beyond rookie ball. He only got back to 10+ once he was 22+.

with much higher walk rates than Anderson has had so far.

[striker42]

Sims and Anderson having divergent years at A+ doesn't make the comparison invalid (especially since Sims K rate rebounded). They had very similar lines at A, have similar arsenals, and both struggle mightily with control.

Comparing Anderson to Sims doesn't mean they have identical career paths. But if Anderson doesn't figure his control out he's gonna end up more like Sims than the starter people want.

[smootness]

Comparing Anderson to Sims doesn't mean they have identical career paths. But if Anderson doesn't figure his control out he's gonna end up more like Sims than the starter people want.

I don't think anyone would disagree with you.

Almost every single 20-year-old pitcher, no matter where they were drafted, has plenty to work on before they are ready to be major league starters.

[striker42]

If your expectations are such that almost everyone fails to meet them, then your expectations are foolish.

Or it could be a particularly bad group. The first round of the 2016 draft looks rough. So many guys have disappointed to this point.

[smootness]

Or it could be a particularly bad group. The first round of the 2016 draft looks rough. So many guys have disappointed to this point.

That's a fair point.

But most who call Anderson a let-down also at least insinuate we should have taken someone else...but it looks like there was really no one else to take, at least no one that other teams thought worthy of drafting that highly, either.

Anyway, I find it almost impossible to call a 20-year-old pitcher posting a K-rate of 11 per 9 for the second consecutive year at an age-appropriate level to be a let-down in any way, regardless of where he was drafted. You obviously disagree. But he is showing some very good tools and traits, and he has others to work on. But he seems to have enough to work with that he could wind up being a very good, very productive major league pitcher.

[Southcack77]

That's a fair point.

But most who call Anderson a let-down also at least insinuate we should have taken someone else...but it looks like there was really no one else to take, at least no one that other teams thought worthy of drafting that highly, either.

Anyway, I find it almost impossible to call a 20-year-old pitcher posting a K-rate of 11 per 9 for the second consecutive year at an age-appropriate level to be a let-down in any way, regardless of where he was drafted. You obviously disagree. But he is showing some very good tools and traits, and he has others to work on. But he seems to have enough to work with that he could wind up being a very good, very productive major league pitcher.

I agree. It's weird to take a young pitcher with that kind of K rate with scouts talking about three plus pitches and then put a comp of MLB failures on him. Yeah, that's what happens to most minor leaguers, but that's not generally the conversation at this point. It's about possibilities and Anderson to me has not disappointed in showing his possibilities.

I absolutely will take a #2 or #3 SP out of the third pick in the draft. That's a real big hit, particularly in a draft that wasn't very good.

[striker42]

That's a fair point.

But most who call Anderson a let-down also at least insinuate we should have taken someone else...but it looks like there was really no one else to take, at least no one that other teams thought worthy of drafting that highly, either.

Anyway, I find it almost impossible to call a 20-year-old pitcher posting a K-rate of 11 per 9 for the second consecutive year at an age-appropriate level to be a let-down in any way, regardless of where he was drafted. You obviously disagree. But he is showing some very good tools and traits, and he has others to work on. But he seems to have enough to work with that he could wind up being a very good, very productive major league pitcher.

That there weren't any clearly better options is something I'll admit. If Senzel had been there at 3 it would be different.

[striker42]

It's strange to go back and re-read what was said about Anderson when he was drafted. A lot of talk about his exceptional control. Less about his stuff.

[smootness]

It's strange to go back and re-read what was said about Anderson when he was drafted. A lot of talk about his exceptional control. Less about his stuff.

Yeah, a lot of his apparent appeal at the time was his simple, repeatable pitching motion and his feel for pitching. Now he almost seems more of a typical pitching prospect who has good stuff but has to harness it.

Interesting.

Hopefully at some point his repeatable pitching motion helps and he's able to harness what may now be better stuff than when he was drafted.

[ball4life32]

It's strange to go back and re-read what was said about Anderson when he was drafted. A lot of talk about his exceptional control. Less about his stuff.

I’ve seen in a few different places that the Braves aren’t concerned with Anderson’s control. This is what Kiley said a couple months ago:

“Anderson works up in the zone at 92-95, touching 97 mph with elite extension that allows it to play even quicker, but a combination of corralling his rising velocity along with minor-league umpires has impacted his walk figures. Expect that to be fixed sooner than later. Otherwise, his main concerns are the consistency of his offspeed stuff and remaining healthy.”

[striker42]

I’ve seen in a few different places that the Braves aren’t concerned with Anderson’s control. This is what Kiley said a couple months ago:

“Anderson works up in the zone at 92-95, touching 97 mph with elite extension that allows it to play even quicker, but a combination of corralling his rising velocity along with minor-league umpires has impacted his walk figures. Expect that to be fixed sooner than later. Otherwise, his main concerns are the consistency of his offspeed stuff and remaining healthy.”

Blaming the walks on minor league umps seems thin. Especially with the problems continuing. I think the control issues are legitimate. Just gotta hope he figures it out.