Passan highlights Royals passing on Chris Sale

[Demonpenz]

Nailed the **** out of Soria and Perez though

[CaliforniaChief]

Why are you guys so down on Starling?

He's batting a mighty .114 with 1 HR in Wilmington. Bunch of negative Nancies around here.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I was pretty much always convinced they ultimately took him because he was local.

It did seem like at the time when he was picked it was heavily influenced by him being local.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Why are you guys so down on Starling?

He's batting a mighty .114 with 1 HR in Wilmington. Bunch of negative Nancies around here.

If I recall correctly the local radio had national guys and scouts even mention that he had holes in his swing and it would require work to get him to recognize pitches and location to shore up his hitting throughout the zone.

I definitely came away questioning what they saw worth their 1st pick other than his potential for ++ power- which still assumes he isn't a constant strike out causality because major league pitchers are going to just feed you fastballs down the pipe like it's batting practice. I think he was also noted as really struggling with the curve or change up- can't quite remember.

[CaliforniaChief]

Just perusing the stats from our minor league affiliates, the only hitter that looks like anything promising is Eibner. He's mashing right now.

Giavotella is hitting. Colon is awful.

In AA, Cuthbert is average. Bonifacio is struggling.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Just perusing the stats from our minor league affiliates, the only hitter that looks like anything promising is Eibner. He's mashing right now.

Giavotella is hitting. Colon is awful.

In AA, Cuthbert is average. Bonifacio is struggling.

Small sample size, and stats are much less important in the minor league setting than scouting reports.

For example, Mondesi and Dozier are not producing anything eye popping in Wilmington (where no one really produces anything eye popping), but the scouting reports on each are rave-worthy.

Most of the Royals offensive talent in the minors is at A+ or lower. Above that, you're really only talking about Eibner, Bonifacio and Cuthbert.

I haven't seen any reports on Boni or Cuthbert since this season started. Reports on Eibner have been good.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

To be completely fair, the only pitchers with guarantees of durability are submariners. The body is not designed to throw a baseball overhead.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

To be completely fair, the only pitchers with guarantees of durability are submariners. The body is not designed to throw a baseball overhead.

A buddy and I were discussing arm issues (since the Royals have had so many). We wondered why no pitcher has ever thrown like a fast-pitch softball player. We decided that the mechanics won't work pitching off a mound. That was just a back-of-a-napkin theory.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Stewie

A buddy and I were discussing arm issues (since the Royals have had so many). We wondered why no pitcher has ever thrown like a fast-pitch softball player. We decided that the mechanics won't work pitching off a mound. That was just a back-of-a-napkin theory.

You can't generate enough speed. You have a lot more leverage when throwing the ball overhead, but the muscles in your rotator cuff are not strong enough to do it with regularity.

It's a Faustian bargain.

[TheNoob]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You can't generate enough speed. You have a lot more leverage when throwing the ball overhead, but the muscles in your rotator cuff are not strong enough to do it with regularity.

It's a Faustian bargain.

Ya seems that longer and longer you pitch the are gets considerbly unless you take hgh like clemens hah

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You can't generate enough speed. You have a lot more leverage when throwing the ball overhead, but the muscles in your rotator cuff are not strong enough to do it with regularity.

It's a Faustian bargain.

Interesting. I remember a story about a softball pitcher that approached 100 mph and pitched (a baseball, I assume) to Willie Mays, Boog Powell and a bunch of other MLB stars and struck them all out. He must have been a freak.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Stewie

Interesting. I remember a story about a softball pitcher that approached 100 mph and pitched (a baseball, I assume) to Willie Mays, Boog Powell and a bunch of other MLB stars and struck them all out. He must have been a freak.

It's also worth noting that it's easier to manipulate the spin on the ball when throwing overhand. There is a much larger variety of breaking pitches available to someone with an overhead motion.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Stewie

Interesting. I remember a story about a softball pitcher that approached 100 mph and pitched (a baseball, I assume) to Willie Mays, Boog Powell and a bunch of other MLB stars and struck them all out. He must have been a freak.

At men's or women's distance?

[Nickel D]

Jeff Passan wrote "...arsenal."

[Chiefspants]

Knowing our luck, he would have blown out his arm if he came here (after we "cleaned up" his delivery and forced him to stop throwing the slider for a curveball).

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I'd never bitch at a system for having a guy use a curve over a slider. If you want TJ, the slider is the quickest path to it. Fastball, curveball, change.