Minor League Thread Part Deux
- Thread starter 50PoundHead
- Start date
It's basically the same velo that made him a first round pick and that had him on track as a top 100 overall prospect before the injury.
He still gets good movement out of it and has excellent command. And he gets plenty of swing and miss despite the lack of velocity. And more that, he knows how to pitch. He's a very smart pitcher.
I don’t doubt that. Most guys with poor velo know how to pitch because they would be out of pro ball if they didn’t. What separates him from the junk ballers that stall at AAA with nice ERAs but can barely break 90 so no one takes them seriously? Yes he’s got youth on his side, but that doesn’t guarantee he’s going to add velo. What separates him from an Alan Winans type? Hitters don’t expand as much the further you climb, and living in the zone with poor velocity is very difficult to do as a starter.
And yet, there are plenty of examples of current pitchers being successful despite a lack of velocity (Suarez, Lugo, Littel). Movement and command is king.
What separates them is control, command, and knowing how to pitch (i.e. setting up hitters).
Velocity doesn't always mean movement. And lack of velocity doesn't always mean no movement. We literally watched Maddux carve batters up for a decade throwing 89, and he had fantastic movement on his pitches, particularly his circle change.
WaitingFor2017
Well-known member
Lara: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K. Burkhalter relieved him.
Kelenic's OPS is now below .600 after 2 K today
Kelenic's OPS is now below .600 after 2 K today
zbhargrove
Well-known member
I'll never understand how a prospect can just lose it like Kelenic did... he raked at AAA when he was still a prospect and now he can't do anything, even in the minors. Was it a product of the PCL and the great hitting environment?
Maybe he was doing off-season work with Tatis and Profar ?
He’s just a head case.
Deester11
Well-known member
Kelenic's issues began with his "I belong" attitude and unwillingness to bend. I don't think he's a bad guy, but he was always "I'm HIM" before he earned it. He's had a lot of instructions...but I'm not sure what he's absorbed.
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
He has a lot of movement on his FB. He is very close to what he was throwing pre-injury so thats good in my opinion. We should look for a velocity boost next year. People were disappointed Ritchie didnt come back with more velocity after TJ but it was there the next season. Pitchers might come back 12 months after surgery but the full recovery time is 18 months. I am not worried at all about his FB. His future depends on the development of his breaking pitches and changeup. He will thrive off changing speeds and keeping hitters off balance. I think Schwellenbach needs to work with him on that splitter changeup thing.
WaitingFor2017
Well-known member
Waddell would be an upgrade over Luke Williams next year?
Your mom would be an upgrade over Luke Williams.
…and yet he still hasn’t gotten a sniff from the Braves. Perhaps they know something about him that we don’t…
He has solid EVs. He is walking just as much as he K's. He has the ability to play multiple positions, including playing SS in a pinch. I don't see what it could hurt.
This is the same Braves organization that played Ozuna with a bum hip. The same Braves organization that felt the need to call up Kimbrel for 1 game on the other side of the country, and then release him the next day. It's the same Braves organization that let Acuna play on a strained calf when he already has multiple repaired knees.
Perhaps you shouldn't put so much faith into this organization to make the best calls.
Edit. Reading it back, I realize that sounds a bit snide. I didn't mean it that way. Just jaded from the FO and Braves leadership.
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Deester11
Well-known member
First of all, we're not going to let Luke Freaking Waddell tear us asunder!
That said, he's serviceable and a little bit of do everything average maybe better. I'd have promoted him a million times over Luke Williams. That doesn't say much, but Waddell deserves a shot.
Carp ain't wrong doe....lol
That said, he's serviceable and a little bit of do everything average maybe better. I'd have promoted him a million times over Luke Williams. That doesn't say much, but Waddell deserves a shot.
Carp ain't wrong doe....lol
Eric Hartman is still red hot. Last 113 PAs since returning from the IL he is hitting: .293/.366/.465 (.831 OPS). .400 wOBA and 143 wRC+. I wish we had statcast data on him.
John Gill also has a little power surge recently. It appears In his last 8 games he has a line of .382/.432/.765 (1.197OPS). 6 of his 13 hits during this span have gone for extra bases, including 3 homers.
John Gill also has a little power surge recently. It appears In his last 8 games he has a line of .382/.432/.765 (1.197OPS). 6 of his 13 hits during this span have gone for extra bases, including 3 homers.
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jpx7
Very Flirtatious, but Doubts What Love Is.
They’ve promoted him very slowly throughout his career. Maybe he’s a rare case of someone they’ve identified as needing slower development. Either way, getting any position-player value from the farm right now would be huge, given the bat-barrenness of the upper minors.First of all, we're not going to let Luke Freaking Waddell tear us asunder!
That said, he's serviceable and a little bit of do everything average maybe better. I'd have promoted him a million times over Luke Williams. That doesn't say much, but Waddell deserves a shot.
Carp ain't wrong doe....lol