Lucas Sims

[Jay212033]

Our pitching development has been lacking lately.

https://www.sportstalkatl.com/former...pmental-staff/

[50PoundHead]

I asked this a couple of days ago in a different thread, but didn't get an answer. Have the Braves had considerable turnover in their minor league instructional staff. Our team is relatively young, but a lot of them really don't appear to be schooled on some pretty basic things. Goes for both the pitchers and hitters. Wright was a perfect example tonight and when a brainiac like John Kruk is pointing it out, it's pretty obvious that someone needs to work with Wright on his approach.

[GeorgiaGirl]

This is probably why AA has reassigned and let go some guys in development recently. Sims just didn't really have a chance to work with the newer guys.

But when he said something, others have spoke up and have said that we've tried to typecast many of our young pitchers into sinker/change old school type pitchers. Honestly, that actually might be fair, because the first guy to really get off the ground running for us is a sinkerball/old school type pitcher.

[Garmel]

Both Sims' and Allard's xFIPs are not good. They haven't developed at all it seems.

[TheBravos]

He will come down to earth soon. I love it when he has his first good (small sample size) performance and starts talking smack. Some pitchers that used to be here... I remember having good stuff. I remember Sims throwing straight fastballs but having a bulldog mentality (that I liked). Kinda like a Wilson with less talent.

[Enscheff]

It’s hard to say for sure because we don’t have access to the MiLB statcast data that tells what “guys are good at”, but I haven’t seen evidence at the MLB level that the Braves typecast pitchers. I mean, I’ve seen Soroka with a sinker, Newk with a 4 seamer, and Touki and Fried with hammer curves, so it’s not like they try to make everyone Tom Glavine.

Having said that, there is probably something wrong with the Braves pitching development. I have yet to see any of them increase velocity like we seemingly witness with other organizations. I have yet to see any of them add pitches outside of Fried adding a slider...which happened at the MLB level. I have yet to see any pitcher with control issues improve that control in any meaningful way. Wright is essentially the same exact pitcher he was on draft day.

There was always BP risk with Sims. The fact a failed starter is having success in the BP shouldn’t be very surprising to anyone.

[CyYoung31]

It’s hard to say for sure because we don’t have access to the MiLB statcast data that tells what “guys are good at”, but I haven’t seen evidence at the MLB level that the Braves typecast pitchers. I mean, I’ve seen Soroka with a sinker, Newk with a 4 seamer, and Touki and Fried with hammer curves, so it’s not like they try to make everyone Tom Glavine.

Having said that, there is probably something wrong with the Braves pitching development. I have yet to see any of them increase velocity like we seemingly witness with other organizations. I have yet to see any of them add pitches outside of Fried adding a slider...which happened at the MLB level. I have yet to see any pitcher with control issues improve that control in any meaningful way. Wright is essentially the same exact pitcher he was on draft day.

There was always BP risk with Sims. The fact a failed starter is having success in the BP shouldn’t be very surprising to anyone.

This. All of it.

And also, Sims stinks.

[Deester11]

It’s hard to say for sure because we don’t have access to the MiLB statcast data that tells what “guys are good at”, but I haven’t seen evidence at the MLB level that the Braves typecast pitchers. I mean, I’ve seen Soroka with a sinker, Newk with a 4 seamer, and Touki and Fried with hammer curves, so it’s not like they try to make everyone Tom Glavine.

Having said that, there is probably something wrong with the Braves pitching development. I have yet to see any of them increase velocity like we seemingly witness with other organizations. I have yet to see any of them add pitches outside of Fried adding a slider...which happened at the MLB level. I have yet to see any pitcher with control issues improve that control in any meaningful way. Wright is essentially the same exact pitcher he was on draft day.

There was always BP risk with Sims. The fact a failed starter is having success in the BP shouldn’t be very surprising to anyone.

You can't post a better response than all of this. I don't care if Sims has necessarily found "it" or not. I will say there is a combination of development issues and small stints that hide (for a while) issues. I think Wright is a great call Enscheff.

[50PoundHead]

It’s hard to say for sure because we don’t have access to the MiLB statcast data that tells what “guys are good at”, but I haven’t seen evidence at the MLB level that the Braves typecast pitchers. I mean, I’ve seen Soroka with a sinker, Newk with a 4 seamer, and Touki and Fried with hammer curves, so it’s not like they try to make everyone Tom Glavine.

Having said that, there is probably something wrong with the Braves pitching development. I have yet to see any of them increase velocity like we seemingly witness with other organizations. I have yet to see any of them add pitches outside of Fried adding a slider...which happened at the MLB level. I have yet to see any pitcher with control issues improve that control in any meaningful way. Wright is essentially the same exact pitcher he was on draft day.

There was always BP risk with Sims. The fact a failed starter is having success in the BP shouldn’t be very surprising to anyone.

Agree. I'm not seeing a pitch-to-contact approach uber alles with the younger guys. The Roy Clark drafting strategy seemed to basically draft big arms early (and arguably too often). I wonder what is up with Bryse Wilson. They rushed him up and now he's sitting there in Gwinnett. He's an example that makes me wonder what is going on.

[Southcack77]

Sims is taking smack about being allowed to rely more on one pitch out of the bullpen?

GTF out of here.

[NYCBrave]

First off, Sims isn't even a starting pitcher anymore. So why is he even talking when he failed at being one?

Second, I really do think there is an issue with the Braves developing young pitchers.

[CJ9]

Glad people are finally starting to realize that we suck at developing pitching.

[thethe]

Soroka/fried are almost aces.

Now touki/wright seem to be taking off.

Anderson/davidson in the immediate pipeline.

How much pitching has to be developed before the braves dont stink at it?

[Carp]

Kid can't even use they're and their correctly.

[CJ9]

Soroka/fried are almost aces.

Now touki/wright seem to be taking off.

Anderson/davidson in the immediate pipeline.

How much pitching has to be developed before the braves dont stink at it?

When we can point to more than two good pitchers out of the million we acquired in the rebuild and don’t have to say things like “seem to be taking off” and also referring to other prospects in the pipeline.

[Heyward]

Glad people are finally starting to realize that we suck at developing pitching.

This isnt true, at all.

[Enscheff]

Soroka/fried are almost aces.

Now touki/wright seem to be taking off.

Anderson/davidson in the immediate pipeline.

How much pitching has to be developed before the braves dont stink at it?

You can’t make this stuff up folks haha.

[TheBravos]

When we can point to more than two good pitchers out of the million we acquired in the rebuild and don’t have to say things like “seem to be taking off” and also referring to other prospects in the pipeline.

Soroka and Fried are more than “taking off”

Touki and Wright haven’t really gotten a shot to work things out until now.

Newk...you got me there, but he is elite in the pen...so definitely not a bust.

Folty was an All Star. You can’t say he was a bust, although short stint and disappointing loss of velo.

Anderson Davidson & Muller...the Jury is still out.

Ynoa just beginning and looks promising.

Allard and Wentz were traded for bullpen pieces that have worked out nicely. Allard has done well and Wentz was also until he had Tommy John.

Weigel was absolutely killing it until he had Tommy John and I still expect him to at least be a great bullpen arm.

Wilson should end up being a great Bullpen arm and that’s originally what he was drafted for and Minter has also found his way.

The Main one that really hurts is Gohora. I still don’t understand what happened to that guy. BUST.

Sims and Wisler traded for Duvall...has worked out nicely. Sims was a high pick that was never really thought to have worked out...but he’s still in the league. Not a bust. Wisler was definitely disappointing. He would be second on the list behind Gohora if disappointment...but...he’s still in the league and doing decently AND we actually got something for him. Not a bust.


Many others were added for depth, but most were really not expected to be anything more than a lottery ticket. Even some of those turned out though (like John Gant).

Who did I miss? I just don’t see this trail of complete failure. There will always be injuries and busts and especially in pitching. I think they have done above average. Could they have Gotten lucky and done better...sure. Not too bad though and especially with drafted players.

[Carp]

When we can point to more than two good pitchers out of the million we acquired in the rebuild and don’t have to say things like “seem to be taking off” and also referring to other prospects in the pipeline.

I mean Folty was at least a league average pitcher prior to this year. Not everyone has to be an ace to be considered a success.

The only pitchers we really failed to develop that we spent significant resources on were Gohara (weight issues), Wisler, Blair, Allard, and Sims. Newk may be a bust. But such is the nature of pitching prospects. If you have 10 top 100 pitching prospects, even hitting on 4 of them would mean you're beating the odds.

[Super]

Sims is a 26-year old failed SP with a 3.92 FIP and 4.14 xFIP in 7.1 IP as a RP this year.
he's 26 and has been a decent RP in 7.1 innings. congrats guy.