6 year minor league FAs

[7Mo]

32 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I believe the O's need starters or long relievers that can give the O's some length on the pitching staff.     As 6 year minor leaguers all these guys are flawed.   I don't think age matters because they are stop gap pitchers who give a chance while the O's are developing their young starters.   Here is the best I found:

Here are three guys to consider:

Teddy Stankiewicz   2019  SP Boston, 26, 6-7,  3.85 ERA , 131 IP 108 K  1.381 WHIP AAA

Michael Peoples 2019 Clev, 28,  10-6, 3.98 ERA. 144 IP, 122 K,  1.286 WHIP AAA

Tim Adleman 2019  Det  32,  9-4  3.32 ERA  103 IP, 109 k  1.146 WHIP AAA

Just looking at last years numbers, I like Adleman but there is very little to find about him otherwise. He pitched in Korea in 2018. To me, 117 IP, 94 hits, 123 K's, .221 b/avg and 1.10 WHIP is worth checking into.

However, before the 2019 season, MLBTR was pretty brutal in their in Feb 2019 description:

The Reds and righty Tim Adleman have reportedly agreed on a minor league deal. The contract does not include an invitation to big-league camp, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com tweets.

Adleman, 31, spent last season with the KBO’s Samsung Lions, pitching to a 5.05 ERA with 137 K (54 BB) in 171 IP. Before heading to Korea, Adleman appeared in 43 games (33 starts) with Cincinnati from 2016-17, posting a career 4.97 ERA in 192 IP.

In his short big-league stint, the longtime minor-leaguer (who even spent part of the early decade in the Independent Leagues) didn’t really seem to belong – his middling fastball (90.5 career average MPH) was mostly allergic to missing bats, and his secondary stuff offered little in the way of relief. Adleman’s 1.97 career HR/9, no doubt inflated by the Pony League-esque confines of Great American Ballpark’s right field, plus his utter inability to keep the ball on the ground, ranked among the league’s highest during that span, and the Georgetown product again struggled with the gopher ball in his cross-pond foray.

[wildcard]

6 minutes ago, John Welch said:

Just looking at last years numbers, I like Adleman but there is very little to find about him otherwise. He pitched in Korea in 2018. To me, 117 IP, 94 hits, 123 K's, .221 b/avg and 1.10 WHIP is worth checking into.

However, before the 2019 season, MLBTR was pretty brutal in their in Feb 2019 description:

The Reds and righty Tim Adleman have reportedly agreed on a minor league deal. The contract does not include an invitation to big-league camp, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com tweets.

Adleman, 31, spent last season with the KBO’s Samsung Lions, pitching to a 5.05 ERA with 137 K (54 BB) in 171 IP. Before heading to Korea, Adleman appeared in 43 games (33 starts) with Cincinnati from 2016-17, posting a career 4.97 ERA in 192 IP.

In his short big-league stint, the longtime minor-leaguer (who even spent part of the early decade in the Independent Leagues) didn’t really seem to belong – his middling fastball (90.5 career average MPH) was mostly allergic to missing bats, and his secondary stuff offered little in the way of relief. Adleman’s 1.97 career HR/9, no doubt inflated by the Pony League-esque confines of Great American Ballpark’s right field, plus his utter inability to keep the ball on the ground, ranked among the league’s highest during that span, and the Georgetown product again struggled with the gopher ball in his cross-pond foray.

I agree,  My suggestion is please go find better.  if you can I will be glad for the revelation.   Here are some other 6 year minor league pitchers I looked at in my search:

Trevor Clifton   2018   SP  Cubs,   25,    4-3, 3.89 ERA,  69 IP,  56K.  1..356 WHIP  AAA

Donn Roach 2018   SP.  WS. 30.  9-2,  2.65 ERA,  95 IP.  61K,  1.221 WHIP AAA   

Jonathan Dziedzic 2018  KC 29,  8-9  3.94 ERA   139 IP, 96K,  1.321 WHIP AAA

Daniel Corsino 2018  LAD  29,   4-3  3.40 ERA   103 IP,  102 K,   1.200 WHIP AAA

Joe Gunkel  2019  Marlins  28,  8-2. 3.80 ERA   87 IP,   61 K ,     1.209 WHIp AAA

Chris Rowley  2018  SD  29,  5-6,  3.30 ERA,   101 IP,  63 K,   1.386 WHIP AAA

Dillon Overton 2018  SD  28, 7-2,  2.90 ERA,   80 IP,  48K,   1.140 WHIP AAA

Ryan Merritt  2018   TB   28, 3-3,  3.79 ERA,   71 IP,   52 K   1.178 WhIP AAA

 

 

[LookinUp]

On 11/4/2019 at 6:14 PM, Luke-OH said:

SInkerball, blah stuff guy.

Not a big upside guy, but I like Jacob Barnes. He's a above average spin fastball guy with a near vertical spin axis that has been using his fastball poorly, down in the zone. Which is the worst place to locate a fastball with those qualities. I think he could be a solid middle reliever by just telling to throw to a different spot. 

I've been seeing this term "vertical spin axis" a lot lately. What exactly is that? How does it affect the pitch?

On 11/6/2019 at 4:58 PM, wildcard said:

Here is what I see:

The O's only have 5 starters and some of them are iffy.   Means, Bundy, Cobb, Wojo, and Brooks.   Cobb injuries and Brooks unproven status make this not enough  starting talent to get through the 1st half.  The 2nd half could see Cobb and/or Bundy gone.  The 2nd half may also see some of the Bowie crowd arrive.  But the O's need to get through he 1st half by adding starters.  

Akin could be ready in May but that is also iffy.   Kremer, Baumann, Lowther will have to shine bright in the 1st half to be deemed ready for the 2nd half.  Wells and Zimmerman are kind of guys that will probably be given a full year at AAA.  Fenter may need to be protected or not but he is not ready for the majors.

So the couple of open spots on the 40 man roster need to be guys that can offer length.  Starters would be preferable.

The pen has a lot of guys that can go an inning maybe two but there is not much length there either.   Harvey. Givens, Bleier, Castro, Tanner Scott, Carroll, Phillips, and Sulser are not thought of as 3 innings plus pitchers.   Same with Kline and Tate who have not proven themselves at AAA and probably begin there next year.   Muckenhirn may be considered for a  40 man roster spot because of his work at AA and he would only be the third lefty reliever on the 40 man roster.   But he also is a one to two inning guy and not ready for the majors yet.

All in all starters and long relievers should be and I think are at the top of Elias' list this off season.

Just a random "you're a good poster here" note to you, @wildcard. You really generate a lot of discussions, regardless of whether I agree or don't with your thoughts. Keep it up!

[7Mo]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I agree,  My suggestion is please go find better.  if you can I will be glad for the revelation.   Here are some other 6 year minor league pitchers I looked at in my search:

 

I wasn't trying to criticize your post. I was surprised at how critical MLBTR was about Adleman. 

[wildcard]

25 minutes ago, John Welch said:

I wasn't trying to criticize your post. I was surprised at how critical MLBTR was about Adleman. 

I didn't have in problem with your post.  Its true.  If he O's are going to go cheap  (and that seems like the plan) then the choices are all flawed.   They just have to sign enough of them that when one fails they can move to the next man up.

I hope for better choices in the 2nd half of 2020 when they start promoting some of the young starters.

[7Mo]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

I didn't have in problem with your post.  Its true.  If he O's are going to go cheap  (and that seems like the plan) then the choices are all flawed.   They just have to sign enough of them that when one fails they can move to the next man up.

I hope for better choices in the 2nd half of 2020 when they start promoting some of the young starters.

And look forward to maybe 2 Rule 5's. 

The Rule 5 possibles is a lot more fun.

[7Mo]

@wildcard

Eric Yardley, 29, 6'0", 63 IP, 60 H's, 14 BB's, 52 K's, .247 avg, 1.16 WHIP in AAA, released by the Padres

per MLBTR: 

Yardley, 29, made his MLB debut with San Diego in 2019. The Seattle University grad went undrafted and pitched in the independent Pecos League out of college before signing on with the Padres as a minor league free agent. He’s been in their system since 2013 and long posted sharp numbers without getting a call to the big leagues.

That changed this past season, as Yardley parlayed a 2.83 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, 0.42 HR/9 and 63.8 percent ground-ball rate in the extremely hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League into his first taste of the Major Leagues. The 6’0″, 165-pound sidearmer acquitted himself well, too, allowing just three earned runs on 12 hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.

As with many sidearm pitchers, Yardley isn’t going to blow anyone away with velocity. His sinker checked in at an average of just 86.2 mph in the Majors this season. But, as has been the case in Triple-A (both this season and in years past), Yardley was a ground-ball machine with the Padres, inducing grounders at a 64.1 percent clip in his limited sample of work.

 

 

Jacob Barnes, 29, 6'2", released by the Royals, someone Luke had mentioned above in this thread: "Not a big upside guy, but I like Jacob Barnes. He's a above average spin fastball guy with a near vertical spin axis that has been using his fastball poorly, down in the zone. Which is the worst place to locate a fastball with those qualities. I think he could be a solid middle reliever by just telling to throw to a different spot. "

Per MLBTR: Barnes, 29, recorded a combined 3.54 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and 0.8 HR/9 in 147 1/3 innings for the Brewers from 2016-18. The 2019 season was an all-out nightmare, however, as he was clobbered for an ERA just shy of 7.00 in 19 2/3 innings as a Brewer before allowing 13 runs (12 earned) in 13 innings with the Royals. Barnes’ 93.7 mph average fastball in 2019 was down three full miles per hour from its peak. Perhaps correspondingly, he’s experienced a six percent drop in swinging-strike rate and an eight percent dip in his opponents’ chase rate on pitches outside the strike zone.

[wildcard]

39 minutes ago, John Welch said:

@wildcard

Eric Yardley, 29, 6'0", 63 IP, 60 H's, 14 BB's, 52 K's, .247 avg, 1.16 WHIP in AAA, released by the Padres

per MLBTR: 

Yardley, 29, made his MLB debut with San Diego in 2019. The Seattle University grad went undrafted and pitched in the independent Pecos League out of college before signing on with the Padres as a minor league free agent. He’s been in their system since 2013 and long posted sharp numbers without getting a call to the big leagues.

That changed this past season, as Yardley parlayed a 2.83 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, 0.42 HR/9 and 63.8 percent ground-ball rate in the extremely hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League into his first taste of the Major Leagues. The 6’0″, 165-pound sidearmer acquitted himself well, too, allowing just three earned runs on 12 hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.

As with many sidearm pitchers, Yardley isn’t going to blow anyone away with velocity. His sinker checked in at an average of just 86.2 mph in the Majors this season. But, as has been the case in Triple-A (both this season and in years past), Yardley was a ground-ball machine with the Padres, inducing grounders at a 64.1 percent clip in his limited sample of work.

 

 

Jacob Barnes, 29, 6'2", released by the Royals, someone Luke had mentioned above in this thread: "Not a big upside guy, but I like Jacob Barnes. He's a above average spin fastball guy with a near vertical spin axis that has been using his fastball poorly, down in the zone. Which is the worst place to locate a fastball with those qualities. I think he could be a solid middle reliever by just telling to throw to a different spot. "

Per MLBTR: Barnes, 29, recorded a combined 3.54 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and 0.8 HR/9 in 147 1/3 innings for the Brewers from 2016-18. The 2019 season was an all-out nightmare, however, as he was clobbered for an ERA just shy of 7.00 in 19 2/3 innings as a Brewer before allowing 13 runs (12 earned) in 13 innings with the Royals. Barnes’ 93.7 mph average fastball in 2019 was down three full miles per hour from its peak. Perhaps correspondingly, he’s experienced a six percent drop in swinging-strike rate and an eight percent dip in his opponents’ chase rate on pitches outside the strike zone.

They may add something as relievers but they are not starters or long relievers.  I think the O's have to add starters to the current 40 man roster.

Would you rather have these two than the relievers the O's have on the 40 man roster?   Here are 10: Harvey, Givens, Bleier, Castro, Tan Scott, Phillips, Carroll, Tate, Kline, Sulser?

[Luke-OH]

6 hours ago, LookinUp said:

I've been seeing this term "vertical spin axis" a lot lately. What exactly is that? How does it affect the pitch?

So this is a big part of the surge in pitcher strikeout rates over the past few seasons. Vertical spin axis means that the fastball has primarily backspin which imparts lift on the pitch relative to the spin rate. Fastballs don't actually rise, but it's rise vs where a spinless pitch at the same velocity would end up. Pitches with above average rise or hop or ride as it's often called in scouting terms have a higher potential for missing bats than fastballs with horizontal life of similar velocity. 

Edit: the term spin axis can be a bit confusing, spin direction is probably more descriptive of what we're actually talking about, but spin axis is the more commonly used term. 

Here is a video that explains it in a digestible manner. 

 

[weams]

Some info in here.

https://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2019/11/08/predicting-future-orioles-dicey-future-jones-markakis-wieters-minor-league-free-agentsgue-free-agents/