Brandon woodruff

[messageboardsuperhero]

Like I said before, Butch is on cloud 9. He has brought in 10 new pitchers to a not so bad staff. He just has to develop them. This will be his most exciting fall. Lots if quality arms to choose from.

There are so many pitchers on the staff that I'm excited to see develop. Trevor Fitts (had a phenomenal summer), Myles Gentry, Will Cox, Preston Brown (also had a great summer), JM Shelly, etc. and these aren't even counting all the new guys.

I also can't wait to see how the Canadiens have progressed. I expect both to start full time this year. Hann can play literally any position on the infield, except obviously 1B. The newcomers in the lineup will be fun to follow too (ie, Humphreys, Collins, Vickerson, etc.). These are going to be exciting fall practices.

[Todd4State]

Anyone remember five years ago when it was Nick Routt and pray for rain?

[messageboardsuperhero]

Anyone remember five years ago when it was Nick Routt and pray for rain?

That and a heavy dose of Tyler Whitney and Forrest Moore. Those were dark times.

[Todd4State]

I'm a huge lindgren fan but he won't be a first rounder. Great year or not. He was topping out at 91 on the cape. But I agree he's a big time guy. I do think he's the best pro on our staff so I guess I'm really agreeing w you.

IMO it's Woodruff assuming he's healthy. When he was actually healthy he was dominant- see the South Alabama game. Even as a freshman, he was the guy we turned to for the SEC title game. And he pitched very well against Tyler Beede who is going to be a first round pick.

And I say that without ever having seen Paul Young pitch. I think Holder has a decent shot as well even though he is pretty much a relief only guy. He has a MLB quality curveball. Fitts is going to have a shot as well depending on how much he improves. I think it's just a question of Fitts locating his fastball a little bit better and maybe refining a third pitch.

Wes Rea really helped himself in the CWS. He had a Cape Cod League invite but chose to rest up. I think he has a big year at the plate for us. I think he is a top 10 round pick for sure with his combination of power and defense.

Demarcus and CT need to have Adam Frazier type seasons for us. But someone will give both of them a chance. How they play will determine how high they go.

And down the road, I'm thinking we'll see Dakota Hudson, Austin Sexton, Vance Tatum, Zac Houston, Glenn Irby, Daniel Garner, Gavin Collins, Reid Humphries, Kyle Hann, and Jacob Robson all get mentioned in the near future. Oh- and I forgot that Joey Swinarski is on the team too now.

[Will James]

Ross is lucky so we should not pitch him because he is due to suck**

About 5% true.

[Will James]

CT needs to learn what the hell balls and strikes are.

[Todd4State]

CT needs to learn what the hell balls and strikes are.

No, he needs to get and stay healthy so he can get his swing right. You could tell he was really trying to compensate at times last year. I think he knew he wasn't 100% and so he tried to do some squirrely things at times inside outing pitches- and sometimes those weren't strikes. I'd like to see him pull the ball more and use the whole field next year as well. If he stays healthy and uses the whole field- he could be every bit as good as Frazier was last year.

[missouridawg]

he could be every bit as good as Frazier was last year.

I'd settle for the true freshman version of CT himself. If he stayed healthy, I think he would've broken Jeffrey Rea's hits record.

[EEdawg15]

Until Lindgren develops a change-up to feature against righties, he will be a relief type pitcher. Even if they give him the start, without a 3rd pitch he cannot got through the order twice much less 3 times. In every start that I saw him pitch last year, which was more than a few and from different angles of view, the lack of a third pitch crippled him in innings 3, 4, and 5. His slider is uber nasty, but two pitches are not enough to shut down a big time SEC lineup two times through the order.

[AlSwearengen]

I remember a few times last year, announcers mentioned that coaches told them in interviews that Ross Mitchell and Bracewell performed better when they came off the bench as opposed to starting for whatever reason. I think Mitchell keeps the role that he had last year b/c of several factors that make him perfect for that role. In my opinion, based on what I have seen, if Lindgren does develop a change up, he will be really really good. Woodruff stays healthy and he has first round talent and size. Holder needs a third pitch, even if it is a cut fastball to be a starter. He really doesn't need a changeup b/c his curve is so good, but a change would be gravy. Fitts needs to do something with his fastball. Todd mentioned location and I was thinking movement. He has a good curve, but everytime he threw his fastball in the cws, it got smoked. To me, if Gentry becomes consistent and gets really good command of what he is trying to do, he can be very good.

One thing is certain though, we should be able to find enough good performers because we have alot of viable candidates.

[Jacksondevildog]

The same could be said about Holder. He needs a third pitch before he can become a great starting pitcher.

Until Lindgren develops a change-up to feature against righties, he will be a relief type pitcher. Even if they give him the start, without a 3rd pitch he cannot got through the order twice much less 3 times. In every start that I saw him pitch last year, which was more than a few and from different angles of view, the lack of a third pitch crippled him in innings 3, 4, and 5. His slider is uber nasty, but two pitches are not enough to shut down a big time SEC lineup two times through the order.

[Lefthandersrule]

The way these Coaches run the pitching staff the Starter is not necessarily the guy who get the lion share of the innings. Look at last years starters vs. bullpen numbers and you will see they are quick to pull a starter the second he gets into any trouble, leaving the starters with very short outings. They dont let them pitch out of trouble like most teams do.

Look at Stratton's Junior year, he was not a starter until right before the SEC weekends started. He was the second pitcher used in the first game of a series out of the pen. Ross's numbers will show you that from last year.

The way we use our pitchers it really does not matter who goes out there first. Unless your no hitting the other team, your coming out if any trouble comes to light.

With that said, it would be hard pressed at this point to say who the starters and relievers are because they are not even pitching yet in practice.

[Lefthandersrule]

I'm a huge lindgren fan but he won't be a first rounder. Great year or not. He was topping out at 91 on the cape. But I agree he's a big time guy. I do think he's the best pro on our staff so I guess I'm really agreeing w you.

"he was topping out at 91 on the cape" I would like to know where you got that information from. He was just rated in the Two Top Prospect Lists for the Cape Cod league and I don't think that topping out at 91 would get that.

BTW, I'm a huge lindgren fan also and was getting breakdowns of every start this summer.

[EEdawg15]

"he was topping out at 91 on the cape" I would like to know where you got that information from. He was just rated in the Two Top Prospect Lists for the Cape Cod league and I don't think that topping out at 91 would get that.

BTW, I'm a huge lindgren fan also and was getting breakdowns of every start this summer.

I have no clue what he was topping out at this summer. However, to say that 91 from the left side would not be "Top Prospect" material, in a general sense and not talking specifically about lindgren, is simply not true. I specifically heard MLB announcers talking about the shift in baseball due to the post steroid era. One MLB scout was quoted as saying that scouts and teams used to rave over a guy throwing 98 to 99, where as now they rave about guys throwing 95-96. So when you have a lefthander throwing 88-92 with the body build that could easily sustain more core muscle, the arm action that has the potential to produce a great change-up, and a plus slider, it's not ridiculous to think those attributes could have a guy as a top rated draft prospect.

[Todd4State]

The way these Coaches run the pitching staff the Starter is not necessarily the guy who get the lion share of the innings. Look at last years starters vs. bullpen numbers and you will see they are quick to pull a starter the second he gets into any trouble, leaving the starters with very short outings. They dont let them pitch out of trouble like most teams do.

Look at Stratton's Junior year, he was not a starter until right before the SEC weekends started. He was the second pitcher used in the first game of a series out of the pen. Ross's numbers will show you that from last year.

The way we use our pitchers it really does not matter who goes out there first. Unless your no hitting the other team, your coming out if any trouble comes to light.

With that said, it would be hard pressed at this point to say who the starters and relievers are because they are not even pitching yet in practice.

I'm not exactly sure that's what they wanted to do with the pitching staff. It's just that they had the brains to not leave a guy out there too long and then they also realized that we had some guys that could eat enough innings and hand it off to Holder. Kendall Graveman was used conventionally. Stratton was used conventionally and while yes, he started out in the bullpen- I feel certain he would have been in the rotation at some point no matter what. Had Woodruff been healthy, I have no doubt he would have been used conventionally.

[Todd4State]

I have no clue what he was topping out at this summer. However, to say that 91 from the left side would not be "Top Prospect" material, in a general sense and not talking specifically about lindgren, is simply not true. I specifically heard MLB announcers talking about the shift in baseball due to the post steroid era. One MLB scout was quoted as saying that scouts and teams used to rave over a guy throwing 98 to 99, where as now they rave about guys throwing 95-96. So when you have a lefthander throwing 88-92 with the body build that could easily sustain more core muscle, the arm action that has the potential to produce a great change-up, and a plus slider, it's not ridiculous to think those attributes could have a guy as a top rated draft prospect.

If you want to sound cool in front of a bunch of scouts, say "you know, it's not so much about velocity as it is about location and movement." I will say that velocity gives you a little bit more room for error though.

[EEdawg15]

If you want to sound cool in front of a bunch of scouts, say "you know, it's not so much about velocity as it is about location and movement." I will say that velocity gives you a little bit more room for error though.

First off, I'm not trying to impress anyone. I have no affiliation with any scouts of any kind. I'm just a lifelong baseball fanatic who has played ball my whole life. Secondly, I never once even hinted at location and movement. I merely pointed out that velocity is not the only factor that makes a pitcher a top rated prospect. You are correct though, velocity does give a pitcher more room for error especially in college. The pro level is a whole nother animal that i know you are aware of, but the pro level, or scouting for the pro level, was the point of interest. I was not disputing whether he is or is not a top prospect, nor was I disputing that velocity is not a highly touted attribute. I simply stated that velocity alone does not make or break a pitcher's prospects.

[Todd4State]

First off, I'm not trying to impress anyone. I have no affiliation with any scouts of any kind. I'm just a lifelong baseball fanatic who has played ball my whole life. Secondly, I never once even hinted at location and movement. I merely pointed out that velocity is not the only factor that makes a pitcher a top rated prospect. You are correct though, velocity does give a pitcher more room for error especially in college. The pro level is a whole nother animal that i know you are aware of, but the pro level, or scouting for the pro level, was the point of interest. I was not disputing whether he is or is not a top prospect, nor was I disputing that velocity is not a highly touted attribute. I simply stated that velocity alone does not make or break a pitcher's prospects.

I wasn't trying to call you out at all- I was actually agreeing with you. What I typed was what I hear baseball people say all the time- almost to the point where it's kind of funny.

[Will James]

I wasn't trying to call you out at all- I was actually agreeing with you. What I typed was what I hear baseball people say all the time- almost to the point where it's kind of funny.

Kind of like 5 tool player.

[Homedawg]

"he was topping out at 91 on the cape" I would like to know where you got that information from. He was just rated in the Two Top Prospect Lists for the Cape Cod league and I don't think that topping out at 91 would get that.

BTW, I'm a huge lindgren fan also and was getting breakdowns of every start this summer.

I too saw he was on a prospect list. And I will repeat e will e a good draft pick, just not a first rounder. He's not a HIGH velocity guy. And I'm not saying he throws slow. Just that he was at 91. That's about what he was here. Every blue moon I saw him hit 92 here. Sorry I won't reveal my source bc I don't think I should. Believe me or not. I'm ok w that.