Author Topic: Mets find elbow "issue" in Kumar Rocker exam  (Read 3901 times)

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Offline Mattionals

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Rocker had another start last night and did well again. 32 strikes in 47 pitches, 5K's. Topped out at 97 mph.

What could he have in his arm that would be bad enough to scare the Mets, but allow him to hit 97-99? One of those partial UCL tears that some guys play with for years?


Maybe he is like R.A. Dickey and doesn't have a UCL in his elbow?

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
If he releases medicals and they are clean he'll go super high. There aren't other pitchers in the top 5 right now. If he doesn't, not sure how early he could go. I wonder if he could selectively release medicals to control where he lands.

Always loved Kumar. Would love to draft him and shove the ball up Cohen's ass for years.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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If he releases medicals and they are clean he'll go super high. There aren't other pitchers in the top 5 right now. If he doesn't, not sure how early he could go. I wonder if he could selectively release medicals to control where he lands.

Always loved Kumar. Would love to draft him and shove the ball up Cohen's ass for years.
if his meds were clean, or explainable, would you take him over the position players they've been talking about?

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
I haven’t heard comparisons between draft classes yet and that’s where I get lost. That said he’s a very complete college pitcher that throws in the upper 90s and had success at the highest level of competition.

But what I can’t figure out is why he slid last year. He went from presumptive 1-1 to top 5 and got drafted at 10 (iirc). Was that all due to medical, were there indicators, etc.

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
Actually BRB lol. Callis talks on this on the latest MLB podcast

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
Ok he slid last year because his stuff and velo fluctuated. Callis obv scoffs at him going top 10 unless medicals are released and checks out. We will never know if medicals are released. He has 4-5 more starts to prove he is more consistent.

Also the Mets were unwilling to even offer him a reduced offer because “they were scared he would take it”. They had to make an offer so offered him $0.

I’m a pitching guy and hate the Mets, so I’m always going to be higher on him than the experts. I still think the idea of him being around in the second or third is insane.

Offline Slateman

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if his meds were clean, or explainable, would you take him over the position players they've been talking about?
Like clean medicals AND he's still pitching like this? Oh freak yes. I dont know how you get medicals before the draft unless he offers them. And even then, I feel like teams might not trust it. But if you're talking about Rocker being like we all thought he was in April 2021, then hell yea you take him at 5.

Offline Slateman

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Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
Listened to the rest, lol.

One thing Callis said that I thought I'd share for those of you who don't watch CBB much - paraphrasing -

Quote
Kumar pitched Vandy to a CWS title his freshman year and helped get them to the title game last year. He's one of the great big game pitchers in NCAA history.

Also Callis pondered and came up with the obvious - if there was no cloud over Kumar he would be the #1 pitcher on the board.

Offline Slateman

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Was that really in question? He was the consensus Number 1 overall pick coming into last season.

Offline UMDNats

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I think the only reason he slipped was prospect fatigue and the fact that his own teammate ended up looking like a superstar. Maybe teams had a hunch/bad feeling about his medicals but likely we'll never know what the actual issue was.

Offline Slateman

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I think the only reason he slipped was prospect fatigue and the fact that his own teammate ended up looking like a superstar. Maybe teams had a hunch/bad feeling about his medicals but likely we'll never know what the actual issue was.
He slipped because he lost a ton of velo as the season went on. The only team that saw his medicals was the Mets

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
Was that really in question? He was the consensus Number 1 overall pick coming into last season.

Not in my mind, but fans have lost the plot on how good he is and Callis did have to ponder like he had never considered it before.

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
He slipped because he lost a ton of velo as the season went on. The only team that saw his medicals was the Mets

This. Also maybe obvious but he lost velo on both his fastball and his slider. So when you review his starts now pay attention to both. His slider is much better in the high 80s than the low 80s and teams are watching his velo on both pitches.

Offline Slateman

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Does trading draft picks start now? Cus I'd be willing to bet we could sucker someone into trading a first round pick for Cruz or Bell, and then use that first rounder on Rocker

Offline imref

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5 starts: 20IP, 1.35 ERA, 32Ks, 4BBs

It will be really interesting to see where he goes in the draft. Could the Mets take him again?

Offline Mattionals

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5 starts: 20IP, 1.35 ERA, 32Ks, 4BBs

It will be really interesting to see where he goes in the draft. Could the Mets take him again?


Doubtful. I think if he is healthy, he's the best arm in the class. I'm honestly wondering if the Nats should take him at 5th overall.

Offline welch

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Take him at 5th. If he fails a medical exam, that's no big deal. The Mets get their 10th round pick back in this year's draft. So, for the Nats, that would be a number 5 and a top-three in the 2023 draft.

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
It’s not necessarily a top 3 pick. I think the top 6 picks are lottery.

Offline imref

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Rocker agrees to a $5.2 million bonus with Texas, about $2.5 million under slot.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Probably didn't have a ton of leverage here. If Rocker becomes the stud a lot of people expect him to be, the Rangers are going to make out like bandits.

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
I hope he does, rooting for him! And against the Mets.

Offline Kevrock

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  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
I'll always wonder if we would have taken him at 5.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Me too...

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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I'll always wonder if we would have taken him at 5.
this kind of sounds like a deal that was in place before the draft.  Huge bonus money available to TX for later picks.