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Erbe back in Bowie!!!


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I haven't known BA to be particularly inaccurate with its MPH. I think the issue with Erbe has always been consistency - what day you catch him. Some days his FB is quite good (plus or even plus-plus) and some days it's low-90s.

Mechanics play a role. Obviously.

But the idea that the mid-90s+ reports are contrived by fanboys disguised as scouts seems unlikely to me.

I mean, BA is widely respected. They obviously ask more than one guy about velo.

I second this LJ, you cannot chalk it up to rumors when a few different games this year, reports came in that he was hitting high 90's. I remember specifically on either the last game he pitched before the DL, or the one before that he was throwing the hardest I had heard all year.....Inconsistency is what I chalk it up to......

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Have you seen him throw 93-95 consistently? I'm still waiting for someone to say they have, aside from BA I've just never been able to really pin down anyone who has. You have to remember who BA is talking to for a lot of their stuff, they talk to guys in the organization and ask them about players, so maybe it's Jordan, maybe it's Stockstill, maybe it's some other organizational scouts, but someone says, oh he's doing great, he's throwing this, and once they print it, people take it as gospel.

Maybe like you said, maybe he had a good day and was throwing harder, Britton had a day like that the other night, but would you go around saying Britton sits 93-95?

I'll know soon enough anyway, and then this entire discussion will be rendered moot one way or the other. Either he throws 93-95 or he throws 90-92, I'll let you know.

What gun are you using? My Stalker Pro II has been pretty solid and matched up with the other scouts around me for the USA/Guatemala series (they were using older Stalker models). Might run it through again next weekend when I'm down in MD -- definitely at the Under Armour Game at Wrigley in August.

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I second this LJ, you cannot chalk it up to rumors when a few different games this year, reports came in that he was hitting high 90's. I remember specifically on either the last game he pitched before the DL, or the one before that he was throwing the hardest I had heard all year.....Inconsistency is what I chalk it up to......

I went back through the stuff from the board and didn't see anything about him hitting high 90's, I'll talk to Mike tomorrow and see if it rings a bell for him though. I just know when I saw him in HS he wasn't hitting 95 like people said he was, and I've been trying to find someone that has actually seen him throw that hard consistently. Adam, have you or Mike seen this when you had him, or Dr. Shorebird either?

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I'm fine with all three staying at Frederick but I could understand Britton & Waring being promoted. I just can't understand why you'd think Henson would be promoted. He's been hitting better lately but he's still striking out about 33% of the time. He just changed positions from 3B to LF too. His latest hot streak has his average up to .250. Why in the world would you promote a guy who obviously still has quite a few issues to solve at the High A level?

Henson is the kind of hitter that is going to strike out no matter what level you put him at. He's not striking out because he's being fooled or beaten, he's striking out because he's swinging for the hard shots and the HR ball. I'm making a trip up to Frederick soon and I'll tell you if I see someone getting fooled by tough pitching, but I think he's just got a power hitter mentality.

That hitting better thing has coincided with him moving to LF, I think not having to worry about the INF has made it easier to concentrate on hitting. I'm not saying he will or should be promoted, but I'd like to see it and see how he does when he perceives himself as being challenged. See if he can amp it up to face the challenge so to speak.

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Since he's having some shoulder issues and we're not sure he's completely 100%, I think all you can prove is what velocity he's throwing now. It won't prove what he was throwing last year or 3 years ago. This could be another one for A. Vencil. He must have seen Erbe plenty in person last year.

You are absolutely correct there, I can't say if he was throwing that hard in between seeing him in HS and the injury. I think Dr. Shorebird would be a better person to ask because I think he had some injury issues all through Frederick and he may never have gotten ramped up there.

If I get a chance I'll just Erbe myself and see what his velocities have been like.

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What gun are you using? My Stalker Pro II has been pretty solid and matched up with the other scouts around me for the USA/Guatemala series (they were using older Stalker models). Might run it through again next weekend when I'm down in MD -- definitely at the Under Armour Game at Wrigley in August.

When I'm looking for exact numbers I just check in with whoever is charting pitches that day. I think it's Mariotti tomorrow.

Just not cost effective for me to buy my own yet you know?

LOVE the Stalker 2, saw a guy with one on Thursday it was nice. You coming in for some of the Bethesda Big Train games next weekend?

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When I'm looking for exact numbers I just check in with whoever is charting pitches that day. I think it's Mariotti tomorrow.

Just not cost effective for me to buy my own yet you know?

LOVE the Stalker 2, saw a guy with one on Thursday it was nice. You coming in for some of the Bethesda Big Train games next weekend?

Might be coming down with my wife to visit the folks -- that means I sneak away for some baseball when time allows. Have to be careful, though. Already scheduled trips to Wrigley in August, Arizona Fall League and Jupiter in October for the Wood Bat World Series. At some point she'll probably want me to start vacationing, you know, WITH her. :)

Regarding guns, yeah I feel you. Had to buy my own when I started taking on actual jobs. It's great to have one now, though it can get expensive. My folks were in town for dinner (stopping through NY) and I let my Dad clock me throwing sock balls in my living room. :)

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Might be coming down with my wife to visit the folks -- that means I sneak away for some baseball when time allows. Have to be careful, though. Already scheduled trips to Wrigley in August, Arizona Fall League and Jupiter in October for the Wood Bat World Series. At some point she'll probably want me to start vacationing, you know, WITH her. :)

Regarding guns, yeah I feel you. Had to buy my own when I started taking on actual jobs. It's great to have one now, though it can get expensive. My folks were in town for dinner (stopping through NY) and I let my Dad clock me throwing sock balls in my living room. :)

Ahhh, one of those. Don't risk it man, not worth sleeping on the couch ;) Save as many free passes as you can get for the big stuff. I thought about getting a Bushnell since they aren't that expensive just to have, but I'm worried about how good it'd be, and if it's worth it you know. Especially when I've never had trouble getting readings from other guys there. I'd love to have a Stalker, but when it comes down to that or going to the Outer Banks this year, I'm taking the latter. If and when I start getting paying jobs doing it, I'll shell out :) How hard can you crank up a sock ball? I know of some whiffle ball leagues I might have to recruit you for ;)

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Ahhh, one of those. Don't risk it man, not worth sleeping on the couch ;) Save as many free passes as you can get for the big stuff. I thought about getting a Bushnell since they aren't that expensive just to have, but I'm worried about how good it'd be, and if it's worth it you know. Especially when I've never had trouble getting readings from other guys there. I'd love to have a Stalker, but when it comes down to that or going to the Outer Banks this year, I'm taking the latter. If and when I start getting paying jobs doing it, I'll shell out :) How hard can you crank up a sock ball? I know of some whiffle ball leagues I might have to recruit you for ;)

Haha. Peak was 54, I think. I wouldn't do the Bushnell. Give me a call if you want to talk about some brands. Honestly, if your draft blog goes well you might get someone else to pay for you. :) Also, if you aren't already start talking to the scouts at the game. Not so much at the MiL games (they are a different branch of the scouting network). But you'll see the same scouts/cross checkers at the amateur games, and they can ultimately help you out if want to transition full time.

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Haha. Peak was 54, I think. I wouldn't do the Bushnell. Give me a call if you want to talk about some brands. Honestly, if your draft blog goes well you might get someone else to pay for you. :) Also, if you aren't already start talking to the scouts at the game. Not so much at the MiL games (they are a different branch of the scouting network). But you'll see the same scouts/cross checkers at the amateur games, and they can ultimately help you out if want to transition full time.

Sweet! Thanks man, I'll do that. I'm hoping things go pretty well with the blog, just randomly decided to do it one day and it started coming together, we'll see how it goes though.

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There are a couple ways that could play out.

a) Tillman to Baltimore, Matusz to Norfolk.

b) Tanaka back to the pen

c) Liz to the pen

We'll know for sure in a couple days, but I'd expect the all-star breaks to signify some roster changes. I'm kinda hoping to see Waring, Henson and Britton make their way to Bowie, but that might be a little too ambitious.

I don't know at Bluefield, but it's not really that important as it's pretty common to have starters work as long relief guys in the low-low minors.

Friday night Liz's line was 7.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 8K against Pedro Alvarez and Altoona Curve. He has pitched well for the Baysox since his demotion.

On Thursday Tanaka's line was 5.0 IP, 1 R (Unearned), 1 H, 4 BB, 2 K. Tanaka has been solid in the pen and as a spot starter. Versatile is the word I equate with him.

I personally think Mariotti (2-7) will be the odd man out. after last nights pounding it is safe to say he has some things to work on. Consistency is one item. Although his overall ERA is around 3.39 he seems to give up runs in bunches and then settles down.

Erbe will be watched by many today. I am not concerned with 92 to 94 as much as I want to see movement on the ball, a nice smooth delivery, and command of the strike zone with all 3 pitches. I will settle for 89 and a loss if the above can be accomplished.

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I went back through the stuff from the board and didn't see anything about him hitting high 90's, I'll talk to Mike tomorrow and see if it rings a bell for him though. I just know when I saw him in HS he wasn't hitting 95 like people said he was, and I've been trying to find someone that has actually seen him throw that hard consistently. Adam, have you or Mike seen this when you had him, or Dr. Shorebird either?

I consider touching 97 MPH high 90's

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89 mph would be a bad sign no matter how well he commands the strike zone. To me, 89 mph means something's still wrong with the shoulder.

Yes, that would be a horrible horrible sign. Kinda like when Guthrie last threw and he was barely touching 90. I had a bad feeling in my stomach because I thought his arm was hurt, but apparently he was just sick....

But regardless, even if he is throwing 89 with Maddux-like movement, thats not good.....

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I consider touching 97 MPH high 90's

Yeah but the only time I've ever seen that mentioned is when they talk about what he threw in HS (and when I saw him he never threw higher than 93). Like I said, I'm perfectly willing to accept that he has thrown that hard, I'm just looking for actual eye witness reports of it. And like Jim said, regardless what he threw then, now I'm more worried about what he was throwing in April and what he's throwing now. I'll see if I can catch up with someone who knows tonight or tomorrow.

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