Ponson to be released

by jrbro on May 13, 2007 5:02 PM EDT

According to rotoworld Mr. Ponson will be released as early as today. Slowley seems to in-line to get the call. Baker and Garza also have to thought about. I would like to see the Twins send Baker and someone to Cinci for E. Encarnacion since he was just demoted. Cinci could use the young SP and the twins could really use a 3b. Seems to make some sense to me....

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hahahaha good one

krivsky may be a moron but hes not THAT stupid

by PooNani on May 13, 2007 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

Don't sell Krivsky short

He's TREMENDOUSLY stupid.

And tremendously bright. Just no place in between sadly.

"Strikeouts are good...groundballs are better. Home runs are okay...but walks SUCK!" Mike Caldwell

by Torncuff on May 13, 2007 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Krivsky

I'd bet Jesse Crain could net at least E. Encarnacion and Adam Dunn... after all, great RP's like Majewski are mighty hard to come by...

I'll be the first A+ prospect...

by ufoboy90 on May 13, 2007 5:45 PM EDT reply actions

Krivsky is solid

This trend of bashing Krivsky is getting old. I recall a time when everybody knocked on Kenny Williams.

Krivsky has acquired solid talent, some for virtually nothing. Brandon Phillips was an outstanding acquisition - stolen from Cleveland and their golden boy GM. David Ross, though off to a slow start, was an excellent acquisition. Scott Hatteberg was a good signing. The trade for Arroyo and the long-term signing of him and Harang were brilliant. The Reds, all of a sudden, have a tremendous starting rotation. What about Alex Gonzalez? Great signing. What about Josh Hamilton? If Beane acquired him, then he'd be universally praised. But since Krivsky did it, it must be luck, right?

Yes, giving up Kearns and Lopez for middle relievers wasn't a great idea. But are Kearns and Lopez really all that good? They are middle of the road players. I think Krivsky could've gotten more for them, but Majewski and Bray could eventually be just as good, and what about Daryl Thompson?

Instead of bashing the guy, why don't you take some time to look at the good things he's done.

by Spooneybarger on May 13, 2007 5:52 PM EDT reply actions

Kenny

Kenny's a good comparison to Krivsky. Both have their moments, and both have their regrettable moves. The difference is that I don't see the Reds winning the World Series anytime soon.

by limozeen on May 13, 2007 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

well

First, you can take time to look at the good, but you should just as well look at the bad too, or you wind up with an evaluation taken out of context which will be clearly biased.

Second, trading Kearns away was never really the problem. Everyone knew he was getting traded for about three years, and they waited and waited to trade and turned down offers, and then they finally make the trade, and thats all they got?

by wildthang on May 13, 2007 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Hard to blame

Hard to blame Krivsky for not trading Kearns earlier, he only had the job what a couple months when he dealt him. You could blame the past GMs of the Reds for not trading him but to blame Krivsky seems kind of ill placed.

by murraygd13 on May 13, 2007 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I bet...

...even Krivsky wouldn't predict that Hamilton and Phillips would become important parts of the team and Arroyo would have the success that he has had. Hamilton in Phillips were shots in the dark and basically purchasing lottery tickets and Krivsky was lucky enough to win twice.

Anybody can take a shot on a talented flame out, but it takes a real idiot to make the trade he did...not only did their offense fall apart after the trade, their pitching wasn't any better and still isn't. Trading "middle-of-the-road" players for NOTHING is not a good way to do business.

...And Alex Gonzalez was not a great signing, it's only been 6 weeks, he's bound to remember who he is.

No dude, Metsin07

by uga007 on May 13, 2007 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Why Not Perkins?

He's pitched well in relief, and got 4 innings in yesterday after Ponson left - Slowey's been fine, but hasn't Perkins earned a shot?

by Kranepool on May 13, 2007 6:11 PM EDT reply actions

Innings

When you go down to 11 pitchers, your starters need to be capable of giving you six. Perkins' longest outing since being called up is four innings. Given Rick Anderson's conservative nature, that means at best he'll let him have five innings in his next outing. Slowey, on the other hand, is coming off of two consecutive complete games. So he can give you six easily.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on May 14, 2007 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions

could be

remember they did that with Liriano last year but Perkins isn't in the stratusphere of Liriano. Perkins is a back of the rotation starter I think, but anyone is better than fatboy who should go pitch for the marlins in the pen. They need all the bodies they can get, they traded Julio for B.Kim today.

by Bravesin07 on May 13, 2007 6:18 PM EDT reply actions

hmm

I think perkins is more middle of the rotation kind of guy. Has some pretty good stuff, gets that fastball up around 94, can strike out guys. I think given a year or two of big league experience he can be a pretty darn good pitcher.

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn't know he could hit 94

I thought he was a soft tosser, who knows maybe he can be like Chuck James was for my braves last year.

by Bravesin07 on May 13, 2007 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

yup

hits 94 with regularity. Not a soft tosser at all.

Mr slowey is however.

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions

you watch Rodchester play?

Because everything I've read says that Slowey sits at 92-94

so....?

Go Pirates!!!

by cool hand Charlie on May 13, 2007 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

nope

Terry Ryan has just watched him though, and stated his fast ball sat usually around 90mph and got has high as 92.

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions

link?

Go Pirates!!!

by cool hand Charlie on May 13, 2007 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions

uh it was on a radio show

he does with chad hartman on kfan...

I follow the twins org very close...I've never once heard sloweys fastball being 94.... He rarely touches 92.

I think u might be thinking of scott baker he gets it up there 93-95....not mr. slowey.

Show me ANYTHING saying he touches 94...that just isn't true.

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

slowey

SethSpeaks: So, tell us more about your pitching style. What pitches do you throw? What would you consider your out pitch?

Slowey: I guess for me its all about throwing strikes. Staying ahead of the batter and keeping them on the defensive makes pitchers look better than they are. A 2-0 fastball coming in at 95 looks slower than a 1-2 fastball at 88 on the hands. I really throw a lot of fastballs, almost 80% this year in the minors, batters tend to get themselves out a lot more than I do. I guess I just try to make a "good" pitch every pitch. And then I only try to make a perfect pitch when I really have to. It keeps the hitters from getting their pitch.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/news/261234.html
discussing how slowey throws 88-92mph

How about a shout-out for all the guys who don't have a dominating fastball! Kevin Slowey is your posterboy! His fastball has average velocity but his command is extraordinary. Whether or not he will be successful in the Majors will depend on the advancement of his secondary pitches. If either his breaking pitch or changeup becomes a plus offering, his command will allow him to be a very good Major League pitcher.

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

slowey

2. Kevin Slowey, rhp, Twins (High Class A Fort Myers)
Kevin SloweySlowey might not have dominant stuff, topping out at 92 mph with his fastball, but with his secondary stuff--including a much-improved changeup--the 22-year-old righthander is shutting down hitters across the FSL. Slowey, a second-round pick out of Winthrop last year, struck out 10 and allowed one run on three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Tigers. The 10-spot brings Slowey's strikeout-walk ratio to an almost unreal 44-2 in just 35 innings, but consider the source. The 22-year-old righthander is simply giving a repeat performance of last year, when he led NCAA Division I in strikeout-walk ratio (134-13 in 136 innings), and after signing, he improved that ratio in his pro debut last season (84-8 in 72 innings).

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

FROM TODAYS PAPER, Jim Rantz quote

"... Slowey is a young righthanded pitcher that can locate the ball, he can move it in and out, he can change speeds. He does not walk anybody and he's been in the zone, and he just is obviously a very good competitor. And his track record has always been he throws the ball over and he comes right at the hitter. He'll touch 90-91 [miles per hour], but his key is that he hits his spots consistently."

* when asked about potential pitchers twins might bring up*

by hotshotschamp on May 13, 2007 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Two seamer

Slowey is almost exclusively a sinkerball pitcher. He throws the sinker between 90 and 92. When he throws the four seamer, he can hit 94. But he doesn't use it much at all. Still, I don't characterize anyone who sits above 90 as a "soft tosser". Guys who sit in the low to mid 80s are soft tossers. Sinker ballers who throw in the low 90s have above average sinkers from a velocity perspective.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on May 14, 2007 12:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Slowey's a sinkerball pitcher?

Ouch. His ball certainly must not sink much, considering he's an extreme flyball pitcher.

by Sulla on May 14, 2007 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

slowey

sinkerball pitcher....havent heard that about him

by hotshotschamp on May 14, 2007 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Just look at his stats

Scott Baker was also an extreme flyball pitcher with a mediocre fastball. I wouldn't be surprised if Slowey had some of the same probles as Baker at the major league level.

by Sulla on May 14, 2007 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Then you're not paying attention

First of all, there's a difference between a sinker ball pitcher a la Brandon Webb and a guy who throws a two seam fastball a lot. Slowey is a guy who throws a two seam fastball a lot. If you follow scouting reports on him, you would know this. One scout in the AFL last year, for example, said "nasty sinker." He has tended to throw it more since joining the Twins organization, perhaps because that's what the organization wants him to do.

And as for his GB/FB splits, he was pretty even in his first full year (118/112 at Beloit), but the last two years, he's produced more significantly ground balls than fly balls every year. Last year at Fort Myers, his GB/FB ratio was 182/146. At New Britain, it was 134/98. This year at Rochester, it's 90/72.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on May 14, 2007 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Source

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/pl/458/458713.html

Check it out for yourself. He has never been a fly ball pitcher. He's not an extreme ground ball pitcher, but he's produced more ground balls than fly balls since his first full season, and significantly more as he moves up the baseball food chain.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on May 14, 2007 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

That's where I got my stats

I'm not seeing the same info that you're seeing.

by Sulla on May 14, 2007 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

BIP

Add up all the ground balls put in play and add up all the fly balls put in play. The former is significantly greater than the latter. It's not that hard, really.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on May 14, 2007 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions

:rolls eyes:

You're saying that Slowey has allowed a total of 90 GB in play this year, correct? The stats that I'm looking at list a total of 45 GB in play for this year.

by Sulla on May 14, 2007 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Are we looking at the same thing?

Are you looking at this?

by Sulla on May 14, 2007 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry

I misread the chart somehow. I don't know how. My apologies.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on May 14, 2007 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Scott Baker

can you give me a scouting report on him? Why did he struggle so much his first time in the majors and what you expect from him in the future?

thanks!

by pedrophile on May 13, 2007 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Baker

Bakers problem is he doesn't keep the ball down, lets too many get up in the zone, the hitters alley and they tag him.

His potential is a #4/#5 starter.

He does have good velocity on his ball, can get it up to 95mph and has some good stuff, just hasn't put it all together yet.

I'm not sure he will be a twin much longer unless he really does something this year.

by hotshotschamp on May 14, 2007 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions

thanks!

by pedrophile on May 14, 2007 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions

another take on Baker

Baker doesn't walk any and has an out pitch. I don't think he's going to be an amazing pitcher, but his strikeout rate has improved every time he's repeated a level. I thought after 2005 that he had #2 upside, which maybe was a pipe dream, but I don't think it's out of the question that Baker could be a 7 K/9 pitcher with good control who gives up too many homers (a righthanded Chuck James).

by limozeen on May 14, 2007 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions