Poll: Top HS pitcher in draft
Who do you think is the best HS pitcher in the draft this year?
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0 recs |
43 comments
Comments
Porcello
by Bravesin07 on May 5, 2007 6:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Eric Hurley
by fewgoodcards on May 5, 2007 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This appears
by SBcaptain2 on May 5, 2007 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
from that list
Rick Porcello
Jack McGeary
Blake Beavan
Jarrod Parker
Matt Harvey
Phill Aumont
Madison Bumgarner
Neil Ramirez
Michael Main
by npurcell on May 5, 2007 6:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i would say
- Porcello
- Harvey
- Aumont
- Bumgarner
- Beaven
- Parker
- Smoker
- Main
- McGeary
- Ramirez
by fewgoodcards on May 5, 2007 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good list
by slurve on May 5, 2007 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uh
by doublestix on May 5, 2007 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uh, we'll see
by slurve on May 5, 2007 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fair
I still think though, that he'll be a pitcher first. 18 year olds that throw 99 don't grow on trees. He might be Colt Griffin, or he might be Joel Zumaya.
by doublestix on May 5, 2007 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
True
I think there is a 50/50 chance he will get drafted as an OF, he just oozes plus tools. He reminds me of Josh Hamilton when he was coming out - just a sick athlete that can do anything on the field.
by eazyb81 on May 6, 2007 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think
by SBcaptain2 on May 5, 2007 6:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Porcello
6'5" projectable frame, smooth delivery that he repeats well, easy mid-90's gas, excellent breaking pitches, reportedly great makeup - there isn't much not to like about the kid. Looking like he may be Josh Beckett version 2.0.
by eazyb81 on May 5, 2007 8:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I Chose Porcello
by Dfarth on May 5, 2007 8:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
video
by fewgoodcards on May 5, 2007 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can't find this
by Dfarth on May 5, 2007 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
link
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/events/draft_report/y2007/index.jsp?mc=harvey
by fewgoodcards on May 5, 2007 9:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for the Link
by Dfarth on May 5, 2007 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Harvey...
The one problem I do have is that he comes straight over the top. Because of his height, it really gives his fastball and curveball a great plane. Still, I think it leaves him suspectible to shoulder problems. You need to be very strong, flexible, and in terrific shape to be doing that for long.
by SenorGato88 on May 6, 2007 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Over the Top
By contrast, Blake Beavan never gets his arm higher than his ear. He keeps the shoulder tucked in low. He certainly isn't asking his rotator cuff to pull his arm up, but does that put more stress on the elbow?
by DrBGiantsfan on May 6, 2007 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Underhand
by DrBGiantsfan on May 6, 2007 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've heard this too
by slurve on May 6, 2007 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Its not like
The stats dont mean a thing (unless they are bad).
The scouting reports aren't as detailed as they are for minor leaguers, unless you subscribe to PG or something, and I doubt anyone here as seen more than 1 or 2 of em. Certainly not half of that list.
Its just about what you hear about em at this point, so its impossible to really say.
by nms on May 5, 2007 9:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
true
by SBcaptain2 on May 5, 2007 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't go that far
The best kids travel all over the country during the summer to go to tournaments in Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, etc, so there have been many opportunities to see these kids play besides actually going to their high school. I went to the Joplin games this year and saw just about every kid on this list (I don't think Aumont was there), and i'm sure I wasn't the only one.
by eazyb81 on May 6, 2007 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No offense...
by templeUsox on May 5, 2007 10:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
So this Porcello is a better prospect
by Bravesin07 on May 5, 2007 10:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yes
by kaisertown on May 6, 2007 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Price + Porcello
Porcello looks special, I'm going to try to catch a few Seton Hall Prep games this month to watch him and his teammate.
by SenorGato88 on May 6, 2007 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Seton Hall Prep
Less than a month left in their season, so I would hurry and get to a game if at all possible.
by eazyb81 on May 6, 2007 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not a...
Maybe its just the draft video, but he really telegraphs his curveball and it almost looks like hes pushing his fastball to keep it down.
But like I said I'm going to try to catch at least one of both of these guys starts.
by SenorGato88 on May 6, 2007 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Delivery
So, what is better, low arm slot or over-the-top, or does it matter?
by DrBGiantsfan on May 5, 2007 11:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Tom House
Here's what Tom House had to say on the subject of arm slots, based on work he did at the National Pitching Association lab in San Diego, taken from a BP Q&A. It's about pitching mechanics, and not directly related to these prospects, but I thought it's interesting and relevant:
There is no perfect forearm angle. Over-the-top works for about 25% of the pitching population. Most pitchers are three-quarters. That would be why to our eye they appear to be most the appealing, because we see the most of that. Twenty percent throw sidearm and there's about 3-5% that throw below sidearm, the submarine guys. But all of the them are equally efficient, based on what the arm does relative to the spine, relative to release point, if into foot-strike you have balance, posture, opposite and equal, hips deliver shoulders, shoulders deliver arm. The arm belongs to the kid, not to you and me and us to dictate what the arm slot should be. So long story short, leave the throwing arm alone; it's genetically predetermined.
by delomir on May 6, 2007 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Generalizations?
by DrBGiantsfan on May 6, 2007 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
what you said
Keep in mind House's comments were taken out of context; his main point is that there's no reason to tinker with someone's arm slot based on some sort of prototypical delivery. If someone's not getting results with what he's doing, though, carefully experimenting with a change might be advisable.
As for GMs' preference, of course results are the bottom line. I've heard sidearmers do statistically have more pronounced platoon splits than overhand pitchers, which makes a lot of sense intuitively, and factors like that might lead to pitchers of certain slots to be drafted lower than others (absent evidence that the particular pitcher may be an exception). But yeah, that is a consideration.
Also, just to be clear, House doesn't say that the pitcher's whole delivery is all genetic. The rest should be adjusted and optimized (ideally at a young age). It's just the arm slot that really doesn't really matter mechanically, and changing it from what a pitcher naturally does without good reason probably does more harm than good.
by delomir on May 6, 2007 1:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Movement
Sanchez isn't the only scouting report I've ever read. A common theme in scouting reports that I have read is that lower arm slots tend to flatten out breaking pitches so if that's wrong, there are a whole lot more people out there who know a whole lot more about the game than I do who are wrong too.
Once again, the question of whether it's wise to mess with a delivery that a pitcher is comfortable with is totally separate from the question of which delivery is more desirable. Perhaps it doesn't matter, a possibility I raised in my original post on this subject. I tend to believe that it is advantageous for a team to have pitchers with a variety of deliveries so as to give opposing batters different looks.
Just thinking about HOF or certain future HOF pitchers, it seems to me that the majority throw over-the-top. Randy Johnson throws low 3/4 but Clemens, Pedro, Maddux all over-the-top. Thinking back to pitchers from the past, Seaver, Gibson, Koufax...all over-the-top. Marichal could and did throw from any angle, but he was mostly over-the-top from what I remember.
I just thought it was interesting to see all these tall pitchers in those videos at least partially neutralizing their height asset by throwing from a lower arm slot.
by DrBGiantsfan on May 6, 2007 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Preferences
I might also add that Tim Lincecum's story, as it pertains to his dad teaching him his delivery would tend to dispute House's theory that it's all genetic.
by DrBGiantsfan on May 6, 2007 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My Opinion
I feel like the 3/4 arm slot is preferred to the over-the-top or sidearm deliveries because it is more conducive to 2-plane break on breaking pitches. Over-the-top seems to lead to 12-6 curves and sidearm seems to lead to flat sliders or slurves. The 3/4 arm slot seems to lead to the 1-7 or 11-5 break that makes it effective against both righties and lefties. In addition, I believe that the 3/4 arm slot leads to a bit more action on the fastball as it is spinning at an angle rather than straight downward. JMHO
by Dfarth on May 6, 2007 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
FB Movement
by DrBGiantsfan on May 6, 2007 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I Agree About the Downward Plane
by Dfarth on May 6, 2007 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't Want to Start a New Diary
I got a chance to watch Jess Todd today and he dominated once again (coming 1 out shy of a shutout). If he could have finished it - it would have been his third complete game in a row. Todd started the season in the Razorback bullpen but has since moved to the rotation and is dominating as a starter (after struggling in relief). I wish I had his numbers since he has moved to the rotation.
Jess is a big hard throwing righty with the chance for 2 plus pitches - a FB that can reach the mid-90's and a great slider. After today, here is his season line:
67.3IP 63H 23ER 20BB 85K 1HRA 5S 2CG 3.07ERA
Those numbers are even more impressive when you factor in that he struggled as a reliever. I originally thought that Jess would be drafted in 5th-7th rounds but I'm guessing his recent performance as a starter is improving his draft stock. I wouldn't be surprised to see him as high as the 3rd round. Anyways, just someone to keep an eye on...
by Dfarth on May 6, 2007 12:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Can't say I've read
Having never seen any of them with my own eyes, I probably like the sound of Bumgarner the best - LHP who can spin it at 95 with some movement, but who has good control. He has no secondary pitches, but he can learn those in the minors, as long as he doesn't have a delivery which wouldn't be conducive to both maintaining his control and developing secondary pitches (in which case he'd drop in my book).
by Brickhaus on May 7, 2007 6:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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