7/29/10

Cutnpaste - Armondo Rodriquez, Brain Bannister, Nick Evans, Wilmer Flores... and Darin Gorski

Armondo Rodriquez:



link  - •Armando Rodriguez has a 3.03 ERA, striking out 87 in 95 innings while walking 34. He's not quite as impressive as the other pitchers on the staff. He also has an extreme flyball rate, like Gorski. At 22, I don't think he has much projection left despite a slight frame, and he's only throwing 90-92 with average at best secondary offerings, so earlier reports of his ceiling as Mejia-esque are probably unfounded. But wait and see. Stock is holding.

Brain Bannister:


7-28 from: - link  - Bannister brings up a bunch of great point. He certainly will be an asset in a team’s front office someday. If you are going to bring in someone with the ability to understand advanced metrics it really should be those who have some experience on the ball field. Unlike most advanced writers, it appears Bannister understands how metrics are a tool, not an ideology. They understand the player drives the numbers, not the other way around. As for pitching to contact, I agree with Bannister, you can only do it for periods at a time, but the great pitchers know how to make those periods of success longer. I am not pitching coach but I always have subscribed to working fast, good mechanics, and location. That should give you the best chance of success even with a high contact rate.



Nick Evans:



7-28 from: - link  - He's like those other guys you just mentioned, more of an older offense-only guy who doesn't really project as a regular. He has a better track record than Campbell, Duda or Ratliff, but he's a righthanded-hitting first baseman with average power, and there's not a huge market for that.






Wilmer Flores:



7-29 from: - link  - Wilmer Flores SS/2B (Mets) Venezuela 3.675 - He is still listed generously as a shortstop but he will bulk up and have to move to a position where his lack of range won’t hurt him. He’s got the bat for third, but won’t overtake David Wright so second base or a corner outfield is ripe for him. Since he turns 18 in August the Mets have plenty of time to find his position. He was a $750,000 signing for the Mets.






Darin Gorski:


link  - Gorski's been pretty average in Savannah, and that doesn't really bode well for his future. He doesn't get a ton of strikeouts, he doesn't have phenomenal control, he's an extreme flyball pitcher. Pretty boring stuff from a Sally League pitcher. I'm really not a fan at all, but he's only thrown 62 innings this year, so it's possible he's got more in the tank than he's shown. But he turns 23 at the end of the season, so he's not young for the level, either, and he might be due for a repeat performance in Savannah next season. The stuff is still sub-par, high-80s heat, but it's the low ground ball rate (34%) that's especially distressing—Gorski was billed as a sinkerballer. You could argue his stock is falling, but I'll stick with holding for now.

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