Kevin Gausman Today, 2013

[weams]

Gausman's performance this year has been truly disheartening. I remember the scouting report when we drafted him. They noted his exceptional velocity. Perfect pitching frame. Mediocre at best fastball command and complete absence of a pro level breaking pitch.

Don't know who the scout was, but he was spot on. Nailed it.

We have got to change our philosophy. Instead of trying to develop fastball command, look for fastball command. Instead of trying to pray someone develops a breaking pitch, look for a breaking pitch.

No one ever said theses things. Find the link for this please.

[calmunderfire]

No one ever said theses things. Find the link for this please.

Already provided the link. Just moderate a few pages previous.

[skanar]

Gausman's performance this year has been truly disheartening. I remember the scouting report when we drafted him. They noted his exceptional velocity. Perfect pitching frame. Mediocre at best fastball command and complete absence of a pro level breaking pitch.

Don't know who the scout was, but he was spot on. Nailed it.

We have got to change our philosophy. Instead of trying to develop fastball command, look for fastball command. Instead of trying to pray someone develops a breaking pitch, look for a breaking pitch.

So when it comes to developing pitching, you want us to be the Twins?

[Malike]

No one ever said theses things. Find the link for this please.

http://baseballprospectnation.com/2012/04/06/scouting-report-kevin-gausman-rhp/

I think he linked this to Crazysilver earlier. I've never heard of that site.

[weams]

http://baseballprospectnation.com/2012/04/06/scouting-report-kevin-gausman-rhp/

I think he linked this to Crazysilver earlier. I've never heard of that site.

Yeah. I read it. I far prefer Tony's report. Also, that was not the only thing that I was objecting to.

[weams]

Already provided the link. Just moderate a few pages previous.

If you limited your trashing of the player to what was said there, I'd have no objection.

[calmunderfire]

If you limited your trashing of the player to what was said there, I'd have no objection.

There is nothing to object. I linked the report, which was a very accurate report by the way. Plus I didn't make anything up so there is nothing here that needs disciplinary action. Period.

[eb45]

You keep saying things have "come true" like scouting is looking into a crystal ball and seeing how things will be one year in the future. Gausman isn't the finished product. Duh and/or hello! A scouting report from a year ago is still pretty accurate? Big congratulations! You don't get any prizes for saying Gausman's command isn't where it needs to be, because it's not. He has very good control but his command needs to improve. He works too much in the middle of the plate, yes. That's very different from "not knowing where the ball is going".

Stick to the facts and stop bleating your hyperbole. People might take you seriously then.

[Stotle]

His AA numbers indicated that he was ready. He skipped AAA like most high prospects and that was a developmental flaw. Hindsight was 20/20.

These were the top 15 pitching prospects entering the year. I've bolded those that skipped triple-A:

1. Gerrit Cole

2. Dylan Bundy (giving you this one even though he was sent back to Double-A after like two major league innings, and the promotion was not intended to be long term.)

3. Zack Wheeler

4. Jose Fernandez

5. Tiajuan Walker

6. Jameson Taillon

7. Kevin Gausman

8. Shelby Miller

9. Tyler Skaggs

10. Trevor Bauer

11. Noah Syndergaard - N/A, hasn't graduated from Double-A, unlikely to skip

12. Chris Archer

13. Archie Bradley - N/A, hasn't graduated from Double-A, might skip

14. Aaron Sanchez - N/A, hasn't graduated from Double-A, unlikely to skip

15. Matt Barnes - N/A, hasn't graduated from Double-A, unlikely to skip

I see two Orioles arms and Jose Fernandez who skipped. What am I missing?

[jabba72]

Didnt Duquette say prospects need to pitch 500 innings in AA-AAA or something when he first became GM? Thats alot of innings. Not that I dont agree with it. Maybe he said 200 innings.

[calmunderfire]

You keep saying things have "come true" like scouting is looking into a crystal ball and seeing how things will be one year in the future. Gausman isn't the finished product. Duh and/or hello! A scouting report from a year ago is still pretty accurate? Big congratulations! You don't get any prizes for saying Gausman's command isn't where it needs to be, because it's not. He has very good control but his command needs to improve. He works too much in the middle of the plate, yes. That's very different from "not knowing where the ball is going".

Stick to the facts and stop bleating your hyperbole. People might take you seriously then.

He has no control. The report said he did not have control. It also said he's a high probability to fail. All accurate.

[Tony-OH]

He has no control. The report said he did not have control. It also said he's a high probability to fail. All accurate.

First off, let's look at the difference between control and command. Control is the ability to throw strikes, command is the ability to throw pitches where he wants to, basically the ability to throw quality strikes. Gausman has outstanding control, but below average command at this point. It is true that many of his scouting reports coming out of college talked about below average breaking pitches, and it's also true that remains an issue with him.

There are not too many players taken 4th overall that have many if any "high probability of fail" scouting reports from reputable scouts. Gausman was a disappointment this year, but partly because he was rushed up from Double-A before he was ready. It's way to premature to start calling him a failure of bust because he has a ton of talent. His fastball has a ton of movement and his changeup is a swing and miss pitch. For me, he needs to keep his fastball out of the middle of the plate and be able to throw a decent slider for strikes in order to get that pitch to become a valuable part of repertoire.

He has all the tools to become a valuable starting pitcher in the major leagues, but he needs time to develop. At worse, I could see him being converted into a Trevor Hoffman-type of closer, but that's a few years off.

[calmunderfire]

First off, let's look at the difference between control and command. Control is the ability to throw strikes, command is the ability to throw pitches where he wants to, basically the ability to throw quality strikes. Gausman has outstanding control, but below average command at this point. It is true that many of his scouting reports coming out of college talked about below average breaking pitches, and it's also true that remains an issue with him.

There not too many players taken 4th overall that have many if any "high probability of fail" scouting reports from reputable scouts. Gausman was a disappointment this year, but partly because he was rushed up from Double-A before he was ready. It's way to premature to start calling him a failure of bust because he has a ton of talent. His fastball has a ton of movement and his changeup is a swing and miss pitch. For me, he needs to keep his fastball out of the middle of the plate and be able to throw a decent slider for strikes in order to get that pitch to become a valuable part of repertoire.

He has all the tools to become a valuable starting pitcher in the major leagues, but he needs time to develop. At worse, I could see him being converted into a Trevor Hoffman-type of closer, but that's a few years off.

He's a suped of version of Jake Arrieta. Both have great fastballs, but Gausman's is a little stronger. Both have an exceptional off speed pitch. Change for Gausman, breaking pitch for Arrieta.

[xian4]

Looks as though he has been working on his command

Against Columbus tonight

IP 5 H 2 R 0 ER 0 BB 0 K 7 - 70 pitches, 50 strikes

[OFFNY]

.

KEVIN GAUSMAN O (vs. AAA-Columbus, 8/19)

IP:. 5

H:o 2

R:O 0

BB: 0

SO: 7

Pitches: 70 (50 Strikes, 20 Balls)

2013 ERA: 4.41 (AAA-Norfolk)

*****************

PITCHES BY INNING

91 (71 Strikes, 2 Balls)

12 (91 Strikes, 3 Balls)

15 (11 Strikes, 4 Balls)

21 (15 Strikes, 6 Balls)

13 (81 Strikes, 5 Balls)