WRT a future Futures Game, Kiley has us mocked to take Rainer and based on the little I've read about him, I'd be happy with that. Love the potential to be a pitcher if he doesn't hit, though obviously he goes 1.9 due to projecting as a SS.
If we go prep I like Rainer more than Griffin as a hitter probably Caminiti as a prep pitcher. Really think they need the best 3 or 4 college hitters with some power that can move quickly. Save some money and grab a prep or 2 in later rounds.
You know Cherington is going to go prep though. It just feels right because it's dumb.
EL's updated writeup on Kurtz _does_ make me second guess him some though:
"A gigantic individual with enormous strength, Kurtz's performance plateaued during his junior year at Wake, but he still clubbed more than 20 homers for the second consecutive season and posted a 1.294 OPS. Kurtz has plus power generated by high-effort swings that feature a back-side collapse. All of his weight stays on his rear leg as he leans into it to create lift. This is atypical of big league sluggers, whose weight tends to transfer to their front side during their swing. Kurtz's current style of hitting — huge, slow leg kick, bat wrap — leaves him very vulnerable on the outer third. To the eye, this will be a bigger issue in pro ball. The data is a little more reassuring — 87% z-contact%, 80% overall — than Kurtz's visual bat-to-ball evaluation. This is also a stiffer rotational athlete than the typical impact everyday player, and Kurtz's patience at the dish borders on passivity; he lets a lot of hittable pitches go by. Because he's locked in at first base, Kurtz has to mash to profile in an everyday capacity. Here's he's projected to be more of a righty-mashing platoon option than a top 20 player at his position."
EL makes good points but from my eye he got pitched around a lot. Pitchers stayed off the plate away at all 3 levels high, middle and low. Kurts likes the ball middle in more and would let hitable pitches go. Not usually for strike 3 though, I saw some clear balls get called strikes. Pitchers only came in on him for a few weeks during the season, he hit 14 homeruns in 10 games during that stretch.
I think he was pitched around so much this past year it hurt his average and strikeout numbers. When pitchers attacked him in the zone he usually made them pay, but he would wait for his pitch (passive).
My one concern is facing quality lefties, I really never saw him face many. I also agree he's a bit stiff but so was a lot of big guys at younger ages (Judge and Thome).
Off topic. What is wrong with Shim? In two years he has pitched, what about eight innings. Is this another pirate disaster or is he really hurt and if so what is his injury and prognosis? Pirates keeping secrets or no one can get info on him.
Don’t ever confuse me with an English teacher, but the article says Matthew’s is a LHP, but it says RHP next to his name. I’m confused.
WRT a future Futures Game, Kiley has us mocked to take Rainer and based on the little I've read about him, I'd be happy with that. Love the potential to be a pitcher if he doesn't hit, though obviously he goes 1.9 due to projecting as a SS.
If we go prep I like Rainer more than Griffin as a hitter probably Caminiti as a prep pitcher. Really think they need the best 3 or 4 college hitters with some power that can move quickly. Save some money and grab a prep or 2 in later rounds.
You know Cherington is going to go prep though. It just feels right because it's dumb.
EL's updated writeup on Kurtz _does_ make me second guess him some though:
"A gigantic individual with enormous strength, Kurtz's performance plateaued during his junior year at Wake, but he still clubbed more than 20 homers for the second consecutive season and posted a 1.294 OPS. Kurtz has plus power generated by high-effort swings that feature a back-side collapse. All of his weight stays on his rear leg as he leans into it to create lift. This is atypical of big league sluggers, whose weight tends to transfer to their front side during their swing. Kurtz's current style of hitting — huge, slow leg kick, bat wrap — leaves him very vulnerable on the outer third. To the eye, this will be a bigger issue in pro ball. The data is a little more reassuring — 87% z-contact%, 80% overall — than Kurtz's visual bat-to-ball evaluation. This is also a stiffer rotational athlete than the typical impact everyday player, and Kurtz's patience at the dish borders on passivity; he lets a lot of hittable pitches go by. Because he's locked in at first base, Kurtz has to mash to profile in an everyday capacity. Here's he's projected to be more of a righty-mashing platoon option than a top 20 player at his position."
EL makes good points but from my eye he got pitched around a lot. Pitchers stayed off the plate away at all 3 levels high, middle and low. Kurts likes the ball middle in more and would let hitable pitches go. Not usually for strike 3 though, I saw some clear balls get called strikes. Pitchers only came in on him for a few weeks during the season, he hit 14 homeruns in 10 games during that stretch.
I think he was pitched around so much this past year it hurt his average and strikeout numbers. When pitchers attacked him in the zone he usually made them pay, but he would wait for his pitch (passive).
My one concern is facing quality lefties, I really never saw him face many. I also agree he's a bit stiff but so was a lot of big guys at younger ages (Judge and Thome).
Just in case, to repeat from the rundown thread, Skenes to start ASG.
Off topic. What is wrong with Shim? In two years he has pitched, what about eight innings. Is this another pirate disaster or is he really hurt and if so what is his injury and prognosis? Pirates keeping secrets or no one can get info on him.
Pec strain last year, shoulder injury this year. Appears to be on the Brennan Malone career track.
Coulda swore that I saw something where he didn’t pitch much his last year in Korea too
He had an elbow injury before the Pirates signed him.
do we know if Bubba is the starting pitcher for this game?
Probably won’t know that till game time. Only a seven game so I’m sure everyone is just going one inning
starting pitching in the allstar game and starting pitching in the futures game is quite a statement
That would definitely be something