Rule 5: Orioles Select Mac Sceroler, RHP (Reds) Nephew of Ben McDonald

[HowAboutThat]

On 12/11/2020 at 2:46 PM, wildcard said:

He could have had three.  Asa Lacy.

I know nothing about Lacy, but odds are he’ll miss time fairly soon with TJ. It’s like a Rite of Passage with some of these guys.

[HowAboutThat]

9 hours ago, Frobby said:

No, I don’t think it was a rah rah statement.   I’m trying to remember exactly how it came up and exactly what Elias said.   It was something like, “with the strides Means made at the end of the season, we think he can be a top of rotation starter.”   So, it wasn’t a 100% definitive statement.  But it certainly was very complimentary.    

Means really did finish the year in very impressive fashion.   Of course, so did Brian Matusz in 2010.   
 

I will give you a dollar if you never again mention that name. Every single time I see his picture,I think of Alfred E Newman and “What? Me worry?”
And I silently answer,” yeah you damn sure better worry.”

And yet he has a WS ring, because of one awful start where he didn’t finish three innings. 
go figure.

[wildcard]

Ben McDonald interviewed about his nephew, Mac Sceroler

https://pressboxonline.com/2020/12/14/ben-mcdonald-nephew-mac-sceroler-excited-for-opportunity-with-orioles/

Scroll to the bottom of the article for the audio.

[wildcard]

“I’ve been communicating with the front office a little bit, and they are very big on analytics now,” Sceroler said. “I’ve had a few conversations and we talked analytics. I learned some stuff about me that I didn’t know. I’m super excited to learn more about me I didn’t know, if you know what I mean.

“They pretty much told me they had looked at my TrackMan data and they like how my fastball-curveball combo plays."

https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2020/12/in-spring-hell-try-to-make-jump-from-florida-state-league-to-al.html

 

[Number5]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

I learned some stuff about me that I didn’t know. I’m super excited to learn more about me I didn’t know, if you know what I mean.

I had a similar experience when I was about 12 years old.

[Ruzious]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

“I’ve been communicating with the front office a little bit, and they are very big on analytics now,” Sceroler said. “I’ve had a few conversations and we talked analytics. I learned some stuff about me that I didn’t know. I’m super excited to learn more about me I didn’t know, if you know what I mean.

“They pretty much told me they had looked at my TrackMan data and they like how my fastball-curveball combo plays."

https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2020/12/in-spring-hell-try-to-make-jump-from-florida-state-league-to-al.html

 

Oh great, the kid's already given out our secret strategic moneyball advantage.  

[Just Regular]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

“I’ve been communicating with the front office a little bit, and they are very big on analytics now,” Sceroler said. “I’ve had a few conversations and we talked analytics. I learned some stuff about me that I didn’t know. I’m super excited to learn more about me I didn’t know, if you know what I mean.

This won't feed the feeling about pitchers becoming drones piloted by front offices.

"Today you'll be aiming for 2 innings, throwing 20 fastballs, 16 curves and 4 of Pitch 3.  Batter 1's profile is FCFC, batter 2 is FFF3F, batter 3 is CFCF3F.   Your fielders may scurry between each pitch, but don't worry - that's on us, not you."

[wildcard]

I think Elias is trying to expand the number of starters he has long term.   If two pitches will allow Sceroler to stay in the pen in 2021, then he can go to AAA  to improve his off speed pitches to start 2022.  Then maybe he can compete for a starter role in the 2nd half of 2022.

Same can be said for Tyler Wells.

Means, Kremer, Akin, Rodriguez, Hall,  Baumann, Lowther, Wells, Wells, Sceroler, Zimmerman.  Eleven starter  possibilities by the end of 2022.  With that many possibility the chances are better that the O's can find 5 or 6 good one.

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I think Elias is trying to expand the number of starters he has long term.   If two pitches will allow Sceroler to stay in the pen in 2021, then he can go to AAA  to improve his off speed pitches to start 2022.  Then maybe he can compete for a starter role in the 2nd half of 2022.

Same can be said for Tyler Wells.

Means, Kremer, Akin, Rodriguez, Hall,  Baumann, Lowther, Wells, Wells, Sceroler, Zimmerman.  Eleven starter  possibilities by the end of 2022.  With that many possibility the chances are better that the O's can find 5 or 6 good one.

I hope that’s not his plan for the 2 rule 5 guys.

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I hope that’s not his plan for the 2 rule 5 guys.

Its the best reason I can think of for exposing Pop.   He was willing to give up a reliever with potential because he expect there would be potential long term starters in the Rule 5 draft. 

[jabba72]

Speaking of Ben Mcdonald, I remember his first career start almost like it was yesterday. 4 hit, 85 pitch shutout. Talk about the sky being the limit. I remember thinking I'd be watching shutouts for the next 10 years. That was kind of the high point of his career in a way, or at least that half rookie season. 

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Its the best reason I can think of for exposing Pop.   He was willing to give up a reliever with potential because he expect there would be potential long term starters in the Rule 5 draft. 

I really hope he didn’t think that.  That’s awful if he did.