2008 Draftees Relievers To Starters?
by Deech on Dec 26, 2008 2:47 PM EST
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PrintFeel free to add if there is anyone that's still up in the air to be converted from a reliever to a starter. What's the latest on these guys? Starters or relievers, short term and long term? Will any of these guys not work as a starting pitcher but succeed if moved back to the pen? I keep getting mixed reports of these players roles from the 2008 draft...
Bryan Price, P (BOS)
Ryan Perry, P (DET)
Josh Lindbom, P (LA)
Jay Jackson, P (CHC)
If there are any similar player, please share.
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Carlos Guitierrez, and Shooter Hunt as well
Twins Prospects…..
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 26, 2008 3:30 PM EST reply actions
Shooter Hunt?
What do you mean? Hunt was a starter in college and started his pro career as a starter?
Hunt
The Twins would be insane to switch him to relief. He looks like he is going to be an innings eater that can dominate, and those types are rare commidities.
Your right, It was at Virginia
before he transfered to Tulane where he pitched from the Pen, coming off of soreness or something.
so his games pitched in 2006 were from the bullpen….He was starter full time in 2008
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 29, 2008 5:47 PM EST up reply actions
hunt
was the best righthander in college this season, better than scheppers, better than crow, he may not have the upside, but he is a starter
by IHateMitchMustain on Dec 26, 2008 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
Yup
Shooter is difficult to hit. Great stuff, just needs to improve the consistency.
Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!
Gutierrez is being converted to a starter...?
16 G, 0 GS last season. Miami’s closer in college… Did the Twins say they were going to try this in 09?
Yep
They say he was only closing in Miami because he was coming off surgery and they had a full rotation already. Twins think he will be more valuable as a starter.
"I couldn't do that. Could you do that? Why can they do it? Who are those guys?"
Jay Jackson
is likely going to be worked as a starter. Has a low-mid 90’s fastball that can probably inch up a little more on the velo, a good slider, and has mixed in a curve and a change that show promise.
Another Cubs guy, Dan McDaniel, was filthy, but is likely to stick in the pen. I’d love to see the Cubs try him as a starter, but he’ll probably be put in the pen. He’s not that far behind a guy like Cashner, IMO, in terms of stuff.
Cashner
I’ve heard mixed reports on what the Cubs are going to do with Cashner. On the one hand, I’ve heard the Cubs want to get him innings and see if he can keep his stuff at a high level as a starter. On the other hand, I’ve heard the Cubs want to fast track him to the majors as a reliever. I think the former is more likely to occur than the latter in the short run, but nothing’s set in stone quite yet.
by Outshined_One on Dec 26, 2008 5:00 PM EST up reply actions
My guess
is that they’ll have him throw extended outings. They may even use him the way they did Ceda last year (start the year as a starter, then move to the pen) to try and get him to improve his secondary pitches. Long run, though, I think he’s a pen arm.
+1
I think his future is in the bullpen as a lights out reliever.
Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!
Ditto
Although, I’m keeping my fingers crossed on his future as a starter.
by Outshined_One on Dec 26, 2008 11:15 PM EST up reply actions
Chris Carpenter is an interesting case
Didn’t get off to a particularly good start. I imagine we’ll try him as a starter first, due to the lack of starting depth in the system.
Arnold Leon
Not a 2008 draftee but young enough to be. The A’s used him as a reliever last year but he has the stuff to be a starter, and I would hope they give him a place in the Stockton or MIdland rotation next year.
Leon
All I’ve heard is rave reviews of his stuff, but I’ve never seen a detailed scouting report on what he throws. Does anybody have access to one – and why is he considered starting material? Number of quality pitch types? I’ve heard he has small frame and slight stature.
5' 11" 180 lbs, according to Melissa
Lockard at Scout.com. She says he has a low 90s FB, slider and change, all of which are at least usable. The A’s might move him to AA as a reliever or keep him at A+ as a starter.
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Dec 27, 2008 7:32 AM EST up reply actions
I'm going to go out on a limb..........
Craig Kimbrel of the Braves was a starter in JUCO and put up eye popping numbers. He’s a dominant reliever but his mechanics are not bad I would like to see the Braves consider it. He has a mid – upper 90s FB, a wicked slider and a developing change. His size may take him out of consideration though(5’11") plus the Braves drafted a 6’4" version of him in the same draft in J.J. Hoover.
Hunter
Could be a real steal in the draft for the A’s.
scouting report on Hunter?
is he a power type? I know he was injured – would a move to the pen help preserve the arm?
by oakballnack on Dec 31, 2008 10:38 AM EST up reply actions
BA from when he was healthy
His thunderbolt fastball arrives at the plate from 93-97 mph and has touched 100 in relief outings. As a starter, he has no difficulty maintaining velocity into the sixth and seventh inning, when healthy, and he challenges both good and average hitters with his four-seam in all situations and all counts. Hunter’s high-70’s to low-80’s curve has nasty downward break, though he has inconsistent control of the that pitch. Hunter’s command is spotty and causes him to get behind batters and run up high pitch counts.
But then he went and hurt himself. A more recent update from Arizona by way of Ask BA:
In Arizona, Hunter’s velocity crept up some more, as he pitched in the low 90s more often and hit 94-96 mph more regularly than he had since hurting his elbow. His hard breaking ball also showed improvement, and the A’s also worked on refining his unorthodox mechanics.
Bryan Price
Is a Starter
to answer one of your questions:
Chris Mellen: Bryan, you were a reliever back at Rice and now the Red Sox have converted you to a starting pitcher. Can you talk about what the transition to being a starter has been like?
Bryan Price: I prepared to be a starter prior to this season for Rice, but ended up in the bullpen so it’s not entirely new. You have to get used to the routine, slow yourself down on the mound, and stuff like that. As a reliever, you can go right at the hitter. As a starter it’s about pacing yourself, monitoring more of what you’re doing, and getting into a rhythm. You have to watch yourself a little more. I wouldn’t say hold back, but more like pacing yourself to go deep into a game.
http://soxprospects.blogspot.com/2008/09/q-with-bryan-price.html
I will warn you that sometimes the Sox like to start off good RP prospects as starters to let them work on their secondary pitches, but plan seems to be starter for now.
Kyle Weiland
Price’s teammate in Lowell (and one of their third round picks), Kyle Weiland, is in pretty much the same boat as price. Weiland is the all-time saves leader at Notre Dame, but is being used as a starter, at least for the time being.
2 mets i can think of
brant rustich was drafted in ’07 but was limited to about 20 ip due to injury, so he fits. he was used out of the pen his last couple years at UCLA but began starting games consistently in ’08 and looks like a starter going forward, probably in st lucie. with a fb that hits 95, a solid slider and a developing change he may last as a starter if he can only stay healthy.
the other is kyle allen. obviously he started in high school but following the draft the mets were using him out of the pen, probably just to limit innings. he did make a couple starts in ’08 and looks to start going forward, probably in savannah. already has 3 secondary pitches right out of high school, he could be a 24th round steal.
by Rob Castellano on Dec 27, 2008 12:06 PM EST reply actions
Lindblom
was actually a reliever his last year in college and has been a starter in the Dodgers org so far. The Dodgers have already said they are going to try and keep him as a starter. He was terrific as a starter in limited time in the org last year and the Dodgers are looking at him as a fast mover through the system. Imo he ends up as a starter because the Dodgers already are loaded with quality young relievers and plus he seems to pitch better as a starter. Either way he will get some time at the Mlb level this season.
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