Komminsk on Bowie pitchers

[stef]

I didn't see this posted:

http://masnsports.com/2009/12/talking-bowie-baysox-pitching.html

Some interesting quotes!

[Hank Scorpio]

Great stuff in there.

Brandon Erbe: 5-3, 2.34 in 14 starts

The 21-year-old from Baltimore was recently added to the O's 40-man roster. In 73 Bowie innings he gave up just 44 hits for an average against of just .170.

He missed the end of the Arizona Fall League with a sprained right pinky finger. During the 2009 season, he missed two months with shoulder fatigue. He says his shoulder feels great now. Erbe was the O's 3rd round pick in 2005 and turns 22 on Christmas Day.

"I think he might have the highest ceiling myself. He has a great arm and great frame. His stride can get long, Larry McCall really worked with him on that.

"When he shortened up (his stride) there were days he was flat out un-hittable with probably the best stuff in the league. I like him alot, he's got a chance to be really good.

"I like him like Matusz, obviously I like Matusz the best but to me he's right behind there. After he had his shoulder thing he was 90, 91, before that he was up to 96. They do not get good swings on him, that tells me they don't see the ball off him."

Is he a tick above Arrieta? "I have him a tick or two (above Jake) myself, but that's just my opinion. I like Jake too, but Brandon a little more. I don't think I'd get rid of either one to be honest with you."

Luis Lebron: 1-0, 1.98 in 24 games with 9 saves

The 24-year-old righty from the Dominican first pitched for the O's in 2005. He missed most of 2008 with an injured elbow but came back big last season.

After going 2-3, 3.00 at Frederick, he was even better for Bowie, allowing just eight hits in 27 1/3 innings. Between the two clubs he fanned 91 in 60 1/3 frames.

He was the O's minor league pitcher of the month for August when he went 14 innings without allowing an earned run to go with 20 strikeouts. Lebron was the O's breakout player in the Minors this year and was added to the O's 40-man roster in November.

"He's going to be really good. I'd take him to big league camp and see what he can do. His fastball was up to 96, 97, maybe 98. His slider buckled left handed hitters, I mean lefties, I don't know how he did it but guys would jump out of the way from the left side on it.

"He's really calm and collected. If he made a few bad pitches he would adjust. He's got a chance to be pretty good, that kid."

How is his "makeup"? "Seemed good to me, he never said much, just went about his business. Nothing really fazed him. I think the guy has a serious chance. He started to put it all together and that's exciting. He has closer potential.

At the big league level? "Yes."

Troy Patton: 6-2, 1.99 in 11 starts

The lefty Patton, acquired in the December 2007 Miguel Tejada deal, had great numbers for Bowie. The 24-year-old allowed 50 hits in 63 innings. He moved up to Norfolk and went 1-3, 6.45 in nine starts. He was the organization's pitcher of the month for May, going 4-1, 2.17.

"I love Troy, he was a gamer, he pitched. For us he dominated without question, I don't know what happened at Triple-A. He can throw his pitches for strikes. He's still coming back from that shoulder surgery, he'll be okay. I don't worry about Troy, he's a real gamer and likes to pitch."

Was he throwing more in the 80's than 90's? "I don't remember what his gun was. He might have touched 90 or 91 a few times. Probably he was at one time (a harder thrower) but after the surgery he's probably more 88 to 90 now."

Is his style similar to Matsuz? "I don't know, it's hard to categorize Matusz with anyone, he's really special. Troy threw a really good change for us and his breaking ball was getting better. He's more of a finesse guy, kind of Tom Glavine-like for me. He has to hit his spots. Troy would pitch inside too, which was good, to get guys off the plate."

Ryohei Tanaka: 4-4, 3.00 in 21 games, 12 starts

Tanaka was signed out of Japan and joined the Baysox in early June. The righty pitched 13 scoreless innings in relief and had an ERA of 3.63 as a starter. He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League.

"He's got about 12 pitches he can throw for strikes. I think we wore him out starting him, he's more of a middle guy I think. He can pitch every day, he's resilient.

"Nothing overpowering, but he can throw several pitches and is a good kid that works hard. He can pitch. Probably like a typical Japanese pitcher, he throws too many strikes. That got him in trouble some and he wore down a bit at the end. He'd be a great bullpen guy I think.

"Some guys that would come down (from higher levels) said he had as good stuff or better than the guy in the big leagues. Our Japanese pitcher in the big leagues. (Koji Uehara).

"Somone said he had better stuff than Koji. I've never seen Koji throw in person but heard rumors from scouts and others that saw both of them that his stuff was as good or better (than Koji)."

[McLovin]

Regarding Tanaka having better stuff than Koji - Dave Trembley probably has better stuff than Koji. But Koji can consistently hit a gnat on the outside corner.

[Jammer7]

This is great stuff. We'll see what plays out, but to say Erbe is a tick or two above Arrieta....that's pretty high praise. I still say Arrieta will be a very solid #2-3 starter. Nice to have depth.

I really like the comments on Lebron. We need that kind of guy...and soon. Not sure Mickolio will ever be the guy we would like him to be as a closer.

[byrdz]

Is it me or do many here feel that Erbe should be in the pen? I'm asking because I feel like that idea has been thrown around some. From these reports it sounds like that'd be the last thing you want to do.

"I like him like Matusz, obviously I like Matusz the best but to me he's right behind there."

[Arthur_Bryant]

Regarding Tanaka having better stuff than Koji - Dave Trembley probably has better stuff than Koji. But Koji can consistently hit a gnat on the outside corner.

"Stuff" is more than velocity. It's also movement.

"Stuff" is basically anything that helps you to miss bats.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Is it me or do many here feel that Erbe should be in the pen? I'm asking because I feel like that idea has been thrown around some. From these reports it sounds like that'd be the last thing you want to do.

It's been thrown around because that's what comes back from scouts. That, and the fact that his durability is in question--he may not be a 180-plus innings type of pitcher.

[byrdz]

It's been thrown around because that's what comes back from scouts. That, and the fact that his durability is in question--he may not be a 180-plus innings type of pitcher.

Gotcha. Well sounds like he'll get a chance to prove he can be a starter.

By the way, he's very candid in his descriptions of these pitchers, I like it.

.

[SurhoffRules]

It's been thrown around because that's what comes back from scouts. That, and the fact that his durability is in question--he may not be a 180-plus innings type of pitcher.

Would someone please let me know what the durability issues we keep referring too are and when they started? Since he was drafted at age 18 he's thrown 30, 114, 119, and 150 innings until this year where he had a few issues and was limited to 86. Until this season, I can only remember people wanting him in the pen because they thought it would help limit his wildness issues and might make him into and upper 90s pitcher. Somewhere in the last 8 months everyone seems to be saying that his durability was always in question. I don't know, maybe I'm misremembering.

[Ruzious]

It's been thrown around because that's what comes back from scouts. That, and the fact that his durability is in question--he may not be a 180-plus innings type of pitcher.

I think what people forget about him - He was still just 21 years old all season, and AA hitters could barely touch him - as a starter. And Lebron really was virtually untouchable.

It's interesting that all these pitchers had their best performances at Bowie. Perhaps Komminsk provides an environment that helps them succeed?

[McLovin]

"Stuff" is more than velocity. It's also movement.

"Stuff" is basically anything that helps you to miss bats.

I know that. Stuff is also useless without control. My point is that Koji has unspectacular (and slow) pitches, but he puts them wherever he wants.

[Stotle]

Is it me or do many here feel that Erbe should be in the pen? I'm asking because I feel like that idea has been thrown around some. From these reports it sounds like that'd be the last thing you want to do.

The issue with Erbe starting isn't related to stuff -- it's related to the likelihood of him holding-up over the course of a full Major League season.

[Lucky Jim]

The issue with Erbe starting isn't related to stuff -- it's related to the likelihood of him holding-up over the course of a full Major League season.

I think the real story here is that folks have had concerns about Erbe's high-effort (and unorthodox) delivery for a while, so that this year's shoulder fatigue merely reinforced (or supported) those concerns.

Stuff has never really been the question - although like the vast majority of 17-18 year old draftees, his secondaries had a good bit of room for development before he could be considered a legitimate starter.

It's great that the results are what they are - a lot of us remained bullish on Erbe through his strugges two years ago, and saw a lot to be happy with re: his mediocre results last year. Now, we're hoping that he gets himself into starter shape and form. He's got the frame. Far stranger things have happened.

[DanS]

I would love to hear some opinions on Lebron. He has always had great strikeout numbers, but his walks were way, way high until last year. I saw him blow away the middle of Akron's lineup this year, and he looked great to me, but I have no expertise. What do the experts think of Lebron?

[Hank Scorpio]

I would love to hear some opinions on Lebron. He has always had great strikeout numbers, but his walks were way, way high until last year. I saw him blow away the middle of Akron's lineup this year, and he looked great to me, but I have no expertise. What do the experts think of Lebron?

Sometimes pitchers will experience dramatic fluctuations in their BB ratio.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/daniel-bard.shtml