Author Topic: Following the Minor League Teams (2009) (Read 191513 times)

Spinman · « **Reply #1100 on:** June 01, 2009, 09:26:59 pm »

If Boras has him sign fast, Strasburg will be in the Rotation in AAA by July 1st.
But if it gets drawn out he might not get into any rotation and just work short starts in the minors.

Spinman · « **Reply #1101 on:** June 01, 2009, 09:30:42 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on June 01, 2009, 09:24:41 pm

Pete Orr is a warrior.

It TomTerp Time
Tomterp is a warrior!!!

PANatsFan · « **Reply #1102 on:** June 01, 2009, 09:31:20 pm »

TomTerp time with a baseball bat?

tomterp · « **Reply #1103 on:** June 01, 2009, 09:32:03 pm »

Quote from: Spinman on June 01, 2009, 09:11:09 pm

The also want to limit innings in the minors so they can use them in the Bigs. Most guys are on a 170 to 200 inning count for a year.

Nolan Ryan has led the Texas Rangers in a totally different direction. The whole objective of pitching conditioning throughout the system is to groom starters to be capable of pitching 9 inning games. The Rangers have had some surprisingly good pitching at times this season, and that's a place where good pitching is usually scarce, but you've got to applaud the old school approach to trying to develop the endurance of young arms.

tomterp · « **Reply #1104 on:** June 01, 2009, 09:33:44 pm »

Quote from: PANatsFan on June 01, 2009, 09:31:20 pm

TomTerp time with a baseball bat?

I'm more the Mark Belanger type with a bat.

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #1105 on:** June 01, 2009, 09:55:01 pm »

Danny Espinosa is rapidly heating up again. 3/4 tonight with 3 Singles and a HBP.

Over his last 5 games: 9/17 (.529), 1 Double, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, 4 Runs, 4 BBs, 2 Ks.

His BA is back up to .259 on the season.

JMUalumni · « **Reply #1106 on:** June 01, 2009, 10:03:40 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on June 01, 2009, 09:32:03 pm

Nolan Ryan has led the Texas Rangers in a totally different direction. The whole objective of pitching conditioning throughout the system is to groom starters to be capable of pitching 9 inning games. The Rangers have had some surprisingly good pitching at times this season, and that's a place where good pitching is usually scarce, but you've got to applaud the old school approach to trying to develop the endurance of young arms.

The whole baseball community is watching Ryan and the Rangers closely to see if the approach pays off. I like what he is preaching. Condition yourself to pitch 9 innings ALL year long. In games at the minor league level, imagine that you have to go one more inning than when you get pulled. Mentally being able to pitch 9 innings is almost as important as physically being able to do it.

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #1107 on:** June 01, 2009, 10:10:37 pm »

Rizzo has lost his mind. What the hell is up with the lack of promotions?

Why is Everts still in Potomac? You could say the same thing for several players. It's not rushing them if they are dominating at the level they are at. We are 2 months into the season.

JMUalumni · « **Reply #1108 on:** June 01, 2009, 10:12:45 pm »

Quote from: sportsfan882 on June 01, 2009, 10:10:37 pm

Rizzo has lost his mind. What the hell is up with the lack of promotions?

Why is Everts still in Potomac? You could say the same thing for several players. It's not rushing them if they are dominating at the level they are at. We are 2 months into the season.

I doubt much movement will be done until the short-season teams start up. That is the norm for most systems. We have been accustomed to other methods in past years due to a dearth of farm talent and a gunslinger GM.

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #1109 on:** June 01, 2009, 10:18:42 pm »

Quote from: JMUalumni on June 01, 2009, 10:12:45 pm

I doubt much movement will be done until the short-season teams start up. That is the norm for most systems. We have been accustomed to other methods in past years due to a dearth of farm talent and a gunslinger GM.

I understand that quite well but this just feels like a waste. Several guys are long due promotions and probably a few deserve demotions.

Meyers, Milone, Everts, Severino and Rooney to AA. Solano, Zinicola, to AAA. Norris, Frias, Engles, Rodriguez, Phillabaum to A+.

Short-season teams start up in a few weeks. A plethora of moves better be made by then.

Spinman · « **Reply #1110 on:** June 02, 2009, 06:31:53 am »

http://www.syracuse.com/chiefs/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1243933050261940.xml&coll=1

This article sums up what I have been saying about Balester and McCatty all year.
Nice outing Bally. Kudos to Pitching coach Steve McCatty.

balzig777 · « **Reply #1111 on:** June 02, 2009, 10:16:15 am »

Quote from: Spinman on June 01, 2009, 09:11:09 pm

The also want to limit innings in the minors so they can use them in the Bigs. Most guys are on a 170 to 200 inning count for a year. If they have an average of 11 pitches per inning they will let them go past the 7th inning. Just the facts.

So when the guys in the bigs reach their respective limits, they are shut down and they bring up guys from the minors to "get their chance" after they have also pitched as many innings, and when they have trouble from a dead arm or whatever, the team then writes them off. sounds fair...........

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #1112 on:** June 02, 2009, 10:27:31 am »

For those of you who like bringing up pitchers quickly when they are young after they have had a drop of success and let them learn at the majors, please look at the quotes below from McCatty about Balester. Basically, the early promotion last year cost him about a year due to screwed up mechanics. My guess is that the Nats will wait to call Balester up until Detwiler or Zimmermann struggles enough that management decides to send one down for the AAA season JZ/RD should be having at this age.

"Balester's struggles began last season when he made his major-league debut with Washington on July 8 at the age of 21. He started 15 games for the Nationals in 2008, going 3-7 with a 5.51 earned run average.

"When he went up to the majors, some observers compared Balester to Tom Seaver, whose powerful drop-and-drive technique resulted in a trademark dirt mark on his knee. Balester emulated Seaver's motion, but in doing so, Balester threw his pitching mechanics out of whack.

"'When he went up last year a lot of people called him a drop and drive pitcher,' McCatty said. 'There's not a whole lot of drop and drive pitchers in the big leagues. There are some, but not many.

"'Bally's 6-foot-6 and by dropping so low down, I told him he was pitching like he's 4-foot-4.'

"Balester struggled to find his natural motion in spring training. "

JMUalumni · « **Reply #1113 on:** June 02, 2009, 10:36:46 am »

I have no problem with guys getting called up for a month or two to the big leagues when they are young. They get a taste of what they have to do be up there. Also, they/coaches find out what they need to work on so they can do so in an arena where they are able to mess up with little consequence (i.e. AAA). What is to say Balester wouldn't have run into the same problems if he had stayed down for the extra year and then came up this year. Then he really would have lost a year. I chalk up last year to the developmental process.

In the same respect, while Detwiler is throwing pretty good up here, there are still a few things he could work on. I wouldn't mind them sending Ross back down to AAA for a few months and calling Balester up in his place. In the end, I think time in the big leagues + additional time spent in the minors afterwards can be very helpful to the pitcher's growth.

balzig777 · « **Reply #1114 on:** June 02, 2009, 10:47:12 am »

I agree that on the job learning is great as long as it doesn't mess the team up. As for numbers bally did as good or better last year than the young guys this year and he had 0 run support because we all know how well the team hit last year

NFA Brian · « **Reply #1115 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:40:13 am »

Home run #12 for Norris ... 3-run shot puts the Suns up 3-1

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #1116 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:42:31 am »

Quote from: NFA Brian on June 02, 2009, 11:40:13 am

Home run #12 for Norris ... 3-run shot puts the Suns up 3-1

already??? It's not even noon anywhere on the continental 48!

NFA Brian · « **Reply #1117 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:44:08 am »

Education day for the Crawdads

Battleship · « **Reply #1118 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:46:13 am »

Is McGeary pitching?

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #1119 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:47:17 am »

Quote from: NFA Brian on June 02, 2009, 11:44:08 am

Education day for the Crawdads

I see.

NFA Brian · « **Reply #1120 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:47:40 am »

Quote from: Battleship on June 02, 2009, 11:46:13 am

Is McGeary pitching?

Yes ... another mixed bag thus far

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #1121 on:** June 02, 2009, 12:10:27 pm »

Rooney to AA. Norris to A+. make it happen

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #1122 on:** June 02, 2009, 12:22:04 pm »

Quote from: JMUalumni on June 02, 2009, 10:36:46 am

I have no problem with guys getting called up for a month or two to the big leagues when they are young. They get a taste of what they have to do be up there. Also, they/coaches find out what they need to work on so they can do so in an arena where they are able to mess up with little consequence (i.e. AAA). What is to say Balester wouldn't have run into the same problems if he had stayed down for the extra year and then came up this year. Then he really would have lost a year. I chalk up last year to the developmental process.

In the same respect, while Detwiler is throwing pretty good up here, there are still a few things he could work on. I wouldn't mind them sending Ross back down to AAA for a few months and calling Balester up in his place. In the end, I think time in the big leagues + additional time spent in the minors afterwards can be very helpful to the pitcher's growth.

I think we agree. I'm a skeptic of the throw the young'ns to the wolves / survival of the fittest approach. Maybe I'm creating a strawman, but that is the flavor you see on some boards and threads. I think a spot start or a two - four week stretch is not bad develpmentally for anyone AA or above, because, as you say, it is good for the coaches to see the kid, perhaps pick up on somethiing they are doing, and to help focus the kid (especially pitchers) on things they are doing that they cannot do in the majors (e.g., slow breaking curves that are tipped by a different arm angle).

With Detwiler or Zimmermann in particular, a short time up helps but I would not want to see them stay up if they get beat up regularly. I would want them in AAA and ideally force our hand by dominating (K>IP>W+H). With Martis and Stammen, frankly, they're more cannon fodder and I don't care so much.

(moderators - feel free to move this to the main board if you think this is more about the majors than the minors).

Spinman · « **Reply #1123 on:** June 02, 2009, 02:02:09 pm »

Concerning Balester last year. I don't think the Nats had any other choice than to bring him up.
Bally got a taste of what the Big leagues are all about. I can bet when Cabrera was signed it took Balester by surprise. There went his spot. It is all working out for his good now. Balester looks solid and I know he is just waiting his turn which should come soon. Good problem for the Nats!
Bally is one step ahead of J Zimm and Detwiler as to the learning curve that was established with his call up last year.

Just as Balester will need patience with the clubs direction we as fans will need that same patience.

PANatsFan · « **Reply #1124 on:** June 02, 2009, 02:05:05 pm »

Wondering who will coach pitching at AAA now. . .