Garrett Olson vs. Matt Garza

Here's an interesting comparison:

Garrett Olson was born in the fall of 1983, and was drafted out of college last year.  This is his age 22 season.  

His overall stats in rookie, low A, high A, and double AA are:

196 IP, 167 H, 54 ER, 12 HR, 59 BB, 198 K, 2.48 ERA.

3.4 K/BB ratio, 9.1 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and .6 HRs/9.

Matt Garza was also born in the fall of 1983 and was also drafted out of college last year.

220 IP, 154 H, 60 ER, 14 HR, 53 BB, 243 K.

9.9 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, .57 HR/9, and a 2.45 ERA.

So Garza's rates are slightly better, and his ERA is basically identical. The big differences are that Olson has been pretty consistent, whereas Garza was just ok last year and totally dominant this year, and that some of Garza's #s are at AAA.

The point isn't that Olson is as good as Garza, but it's interesting that the comparison isn't ridiculous.  I think Olson should be taken a bit more seriously as a prospect.