Eric Hurley

by John Sickels on Jan 22, 2009 10:53 AM EST

Here is the book comment on Eric Hurley, obviously written before the news that he is out for 2009 with shoulder problems.

Eric Hurley, RHP, Texas Rangers

Bats: R Throws: R HT: 6-4 WT: 195 DOB: September 17, 1985

I think my biggest weakness as a prospect evaluator is that I’m sometimes too reluctant to lower the rating on a guy that I’ve liked in the past. Hurley’s weaknesses were exposed last year, and I don’t think I paid enough attention to the warning signs that were popping up in 2007, namely his excessive home run rate and fly ball tendency at Oklahoma. I gave him a Grade B+ last year, but I think B- would have been a better grade. In any event, Hurley continued to give up too many homers and fly balls in ’08, and this hurt him at the major league level. He was also hampered by hamstring and shoulder problems, doesn’t throw as hard as he used to, and enters 2009 as a huge question mark. Hurley is still young, and still has enough arm strength and movement on his pitches to be an effective major league moundsman. I don’t think conditions in Texas are really ideal for him; a change of scenery may be necessary for him to thrive. Grade C+.

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And now

he’s toast. I thought he had a shot to be a Rick Helling type for Texas in the middle of the rotation somewhere, and it’s definitely sad to see a guy you’ve followed for several years go down.

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by t ball on Jan 22, 2009 11:35 AM EST reply actions

Hurley vs Danks

Couldn’t we have said the same thing about Danks at the same point of his career? Too many fly balls. Too many homeruns.

Developing a cutter seems to have helped Danks. It would have been interesting to have seen how Hurley and the Rangers would have adapted. Despite the talent the Rangers have on the mound in the minors I wonder if there isn’t a systemic problem in the organization when it comes to developing pitchers.

by Montreal97 on Jan 22, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions

Lefties

have a bit easier time of it in that park, so I think Danks would have been better, but the cutter he got in Chicago has been key. The Rangers have made several personnel and systemic changes that should improve their track record, but the main thing is the amount of talent now compared to a couple of years ago. There is much, much more pitching depth than perhaps at any time in their history.

A few years ago they had DVD and not much else, so any injuries, trades, etc. were crippling. Now they have the depth to better weather an injury like Hurley’s. Him being gone doesn’t make a dent in their status as a top minor league system.

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by t ball on Jan 22, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions

Eh

Danks never had Hurley’s injury history. He also struck out significantly more batters and he’s picked up a little more velocity as he’s matured. Danks’ biggest flaw has always been command, specifically being too aggressive in the strike zone for his own good and lacking consistency with his curveball. The addition of the cutter (giving him a third pitch he can rely on) and the velocity jump, along with the expected general improvement in command, has turned him into a beast. Three plus pitches, and that doesn’t even include his curve, which is very inconsistent but shows impressive potential. I suspect he’s better suited for throwing a slider as his breaker rather than a curve, though.

Hurley wasn’t going to boast that kind of repertoire. Solid fastball, good slider, not much else. I don’t think the Rangers really developed him poorly – yes, his stuff did level off, but if his command had worked out he still would have been an interesting guy for the middle of a rotation. As it is . . .not prepared to say anything definite just yet, but it sure doesn’t look good.

by mrkupe on Jan 22, 2009 1:29 PM EST up reply actions

What injury history

Hurley, prior to last year, hadn’t had any injuries I was aware of.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jan 22, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

Don't feel bad

for liking a player and they fail or don’ t live up to it. I think we all do this as it is part of the fun. I have a gut feeling about some that get no attention at all like Jonathan Holt for Cleveland and Marcos Vechionacci for the Yanks. I still think these guys will have good MLB careers…I’m probably nuts but it’s fun to watch them.

by Matt Garrioch on Jan 22, 2009 9:27 PM EST reply actions

Sentiment

I kindof echo the sentiment about Hurley, nobody is 100/100 on their lists, just as top prospects aren’t 100% to make it. Hurley’s stuff was a bit exposed as he hit the higher minor league levels, but before this injury I felt he belonged in the 100-150 range. He could still bounce back, but the chances don’t look great. BTW, I don’t know anything about the 2 guys you mentioned, care to give an opinion about them? I’ve seen Holt’s name in passing, but that’s about it.

by killa on Jan 25, 2009 2:37 AM EST up reply actions