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

[bravesfanMatt]

Same deal with newcomb. He isn't liked by many bc of the huge price we paid to get him. Not fair to newcomb imo

Same with Wisler. We gave up Kimbrel and BJ to get him and people just don’t like him because of it. Shame really.

[thethe]

Same with Wisler. We gave up Kimbrel and BJ to get him and people just don’t like him because of it. Shame really.

Is that the deal with got the pick for RIley or Wentz?

[bravesfanMatt]

Is that the deal with got the pick for RIley or Wentz?

It is— Riley

[striker42]

I wish more people had a chance to see a player in person than just look at a stat line and proclaim a prospect as good or bad. Anderson DOES have control issues. He’s an over-the-top delivery type of pitcher and that’s not always repeatable. I would suggest he pitch at 3/4 angle but that’s me.

He becomes hittable when he can’t repeat his delivery and tries to groove a strike. He has to grow. I didn’t see a TOR but I saw at least a 3 which could be more if he harnesses his stuff. And I think he’ll be able to sit at 92-94 with more strength.

It’s anyones guess as to how he turns out. I’ve been encouraged and disappointed.

This isnt far from where I am. I think some envision Anderson as a flame thrower sitting at 95-96. That's his upper limit. I'm more with you expecting a guy working at 92-93.

I just don't see TOR from him and don't get why people talk about him as having that potential.

Ultimately, if he was a second round pick I wouldn't be disappointed. But at 3rd overall he's a let down. I can't help but think that the payoff for all those losses is a guy with major control issues and middle of the rotation potential.

[thethe]

Getting a number 3 pitcher at any point in the draft is a smashing success.

I get the desire to want to have that legit TOR guy when you pick that high but the odds are so overwhelmingly against that reality it would be tremendous if Anderson ended up being a 3.

[Southcack77]

Anderson's Last three starts:

17IP 10.5/9 K 3.18 bb/9 .150 Avg .88 WHIP 2.12 FIP 1.06 ERA .225 BABIP.

For the season:

31 IP 11.03 K/9 4.65 bb/9 .200 avg 1.26 WHIP 3.12 FIP 3.77 ERA .290 BABIP


Let's just see how he finishes the year before proclaiming him anything.

If he's the right handed Newcomb, that's far from being a necessarily bad thing.

[Southcack77]

This isnt far from where I am. I think some envision Anderson as a flame thrower sitting at 95-96. That's his upper limit. I'm more with you expecting a guy working at 92-93.

I just don't see TOR from him and don't get why people talk about him as having that potential.

Ultimately, if he was a second round pick I wouldn't be disappointed. But at 3rd overall he's a let down. I can't help but think that the payoff for all those losses is a guy with major control issues and middle of the rotation potential.

Honestly, around here I would say he is more underrated than overrated. I don't see many people talking about him or putting TOR on him. The genuine sense is more gloomy than that and he's rarely mentioned as a highlight player in the minors when people assemble their lists.

Just going back through twitter postings of Anderson's previous starts -- his last start one guy had him 93-95, hitting 96. Another had him 95-96 flashing plus change and curve.

A Previous start had him 93-94 flashing higher.

Sequence posted from another star showed him 92 on on one FB, 96 on another away.

The mid 90s stuff doesn't seem like its an anomaly. Seems to show in each outing.

We've seen Soroka's velocity play up as he's gotten older and more comfortable.

I'm not putting TOR on Anderson, I'm just saying he probably has better stuff than you are giving him credit for and he's still relatively young. In the draft, get pitchers in the first round have done much more than he has and the ones outperforming him aren't necessarily the big stuff guys. Those guys have been bad.

I sort of wanted the Braves to take a huge stuff guy and that would have been an error it appears.

[Super]

anderson has far better stuff than wisler. it's not close.

[striker42]

Honestly, around here I would say he is more underrated than overrated. I don't see many people talking about him or putting TOR on him. The genuine sense is more gloomy than that and he's rarely mentioned as a highlight player in the minors when people assemble their lists.

Just going back through twitter postings of Anderson's previous starts -- his last start one guy had him 93-95, hitting 96. Another had him 95-96 flashing plus change and curve.

A Previous start had him 93-94 flashing higher.

Sequence posted from another star showed him 92 on on one FB, 96 on another away.

The mid 90s stuff doesn't seem like its an anomaly. Seems to show in each outing.

We've seen Soroka's velocity play up as he's gotten older and more comfortable.

I'm not putting TOR on Anderson, I'm just saying he probably has better stuff than you are giving him credit for and he's still relatively young. In the draft, get pitchers in the first round have done much more than he has and the ones outperforming him aren't necessarily the big stuff guys. Those guys have been bad.

I sort of wanted the Braves to take a huge stuff guy and that would have been an error it appears.

The 95-96 isn't a fluke, it's just when he reaches back. Too often people read a guy has a fastball that reaches 96 and they expect the player to sit at 96. Anderson seems to work in the low 90s but can reach back for more.

It's just anyone expecting Anderson to be a flame thrower will be disappointed. He has good, not great velocity.

anderson has far better stuff than wisler. it's not close.

People underrate Wisler's stuff. His fastball averages about 93 (similar to Anderson) and Wisler's slider is actually a very good pitch.

Wisler struggles with a third pitch while I think Anderson might end up with an average changeup. Hence, Anderson is Wisler with a chance at 3 pitches.

One difference is Wisler struggles with command and not control. He puts the ball in the zone but throws too many non competitive pitches.

Also, I could have gone even more gloomy and compared Anderson to Sims. That's not a bad comparison.

[Deester11]

When you say he has some control issues is that with all his pitches? Certain parts of the plate?

Depends. I’ve seen him miss away more than anything. He can elevate pitches due to his delivery naturally and he’ll miss high and tight to right handers. I think if he drops his arm angle and delivers 3/4 he’d hide the ball better and be more effective around the plate.

He does “flash” above average stuff more than not though. It’s not as good or bad as suggested. I just think the disappointment is the strategy and where he was drafted. If he were drafted lower, this board would be more excited. There is still a lot to like about him.

[smootness]

But at 3rd overall he's a let down.

This is insane, to be honest.

Again, let's run down all the guys taken right after Anderson in that draft:
Riley Pint
Corey Ray
AJ Puk
Braxton Garrett
Cal Quantrill
Matt Manning

Anderson is in no way, shape, or form a let-down.

In reference to comparisons to Wisler and Sims - Wisler never struck out close to the number Anderson is. And at age 20 in A+, Sims struck out 6.1 per 9. Anderson is almost doubling that.

[smootness]

I just think the disappointment is the strategy and where he was drafted. If he were drafted lower, this board would be more excited.

And I think that is driven entirely by the fact that he was ranked around 14ish coming into the draft, not based on his actual stuff or results at all. People were immediately disappointed that we 'reached' at 3 and that is still driving their disappointment with that pick.

If he had been ranked 5th coming into the draft with the exact same stuff and exact same results so far, people would be completely fine with it and would be optimistic about him.

[Super]

if anderson is a let down then almost everyone from that draft in the first 15 picks are as well.

[Hawk]

"life's a long song"

anderson is still a baby - i'm not ready to write him off as a let down yet.

[striker42]

This is insane, to be honest.

Again, let's run down all the guys taken right after Anderson in that draft:
Riley Pint
Corey Ray
AJ Puk
Braxton Garrett
Cal Quantrill
Matt Manning

Anderson is in no way, shape, or form a let-down.

In reference to comparisons to Wisler and Sims - Wisler never struck out close to the number Anderson is. And at age 20 in A+, Sims struck out 6.1 per 9. Anderson is almost doubling that.

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+?

[striker42]

if anderson is a let down then almost everyone from that draft in the first 15 picks are as well.

Almost all the top 15 picks are let downs.

[Super]

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+?

sims is a terrible comp.
anderson's A+ season at 19/20 is looking far, far better than sims'.
and sims doesn't have anderson's velo is secondary stuff.

[Super]

Almost all the top 15 picks are let downs.

lol ok bud.
the guy who just turned 20 in A+ is definitely a let down. ok.

[striker42]

sims is a terrible comp.
anderson's A+ season at 19/20 is looking far, far better than sims'.
and sims doesn't have anderson's velo is secondary stuff.

Comparing only A+ years doesn't give you the full picture. Sims has averaged 10+ K/9 at AA and AAA. Sims also did just as good if not better at A than Anderson.

Sims is a pretty good comp. We just have to hope Anderson figures out his control problems.

lol ok bud.
the guy who just turned 20 in A+ is definitely a let down. ok.

Saying a guy is a let down isn't declaring his career over. But if you think Anderson's Braves career to this point is everything you want from a number 3 pick, I have to disagree.

[Super]

Comparing only A+ years doesn't give you the full picture. Sims has averaged 10+ K/9 at AA and AAA. Sims also did just as good if not better at A than Anderson.

Sims is a pretty good comp. We just have to hope Anderson figures out his control problems.



Saying a guy is a let down isn't declaring his career over. But if you think Anderson's Braves career to this point is everything you want from a number 3 pick, I have to disagree.

sims still isn't a good comp. they are not similar pitchers. anderson has been far more difficult to hit and hit homers off of. he has far better velo. better secondary stuff. more ground balls. more success to this point in his career than sims had.

anderson has proven to be one of the better early picks of that draft.