Quote:
Originally Posted by HokieRed
I'm more surprised by Wood's being left off than Heisey's. Doesn't mean I think Wood's a top 100 prospect but he is a lefty who had about as good a season as any starter in the minors last year.
|
Actually he was the MiLB AA pitcher of the year. It would count for something ya'd think...
Wood is vastly underrated IMO. He has produced solid if not spectacular numbers at ever single level of the minors.
His rookie league stats were:
2 - 0 with a 1.29 ERA in 14 games and 49 Innings
His first full season stats at Dayton were:
27 starts 140 Innings 3.66 ERA
On a Pitching staff that included Cueto, Fisher, Ondrusek, Valiquette and Jeff Stevens who brought us Phillips...
The lineup included Bruce, Denove, Tatum, Janish and Rosales.
Alot of 40 Man Roster talent on that 2006 team.
IMO the 90 Inning jump in workload from 2005 to 2006 is what did his arm in for those 2 years in a row.
In 2007 he started 12 games and had a very weak line of:
12 starts 46 Inn and a 4.86 ERA
In 2008 he did very well as a repeat in Sarasota...
9 starts 47 Innings 2.70 ERA
We all know how bad he was at Chattanooga...
17 starts 80 Innings 7.09 ERA
Arm fatigue lead to bad mechanics and lead to quite a few MPH lost off his fastball and not giving his Plus Plus change the same affect.
One more year removed from arm surgery in 2009 and a retooled delivery added 3 to 5MPH back to his fastball (88 to 91) made his change more effective. Lead to a record setting AA season of:
19 starts 119 Innings 1.21 ERA
Followed by a solid AAA debut:
8 starts 49 Innings 3.14 ERA
I really believe he became a pitcher last year for the first time in his career. I see no reason with the offense he has behind him this year in AAA as well as other AAA Veterans in the Rotation with him (Lehr, Lecure, Klinker, Maloney) He won't feel the pressure of being an ace and will be able to relax and instead of trying to be too fine with his pitches, he can just pitch.
His stuff translates well IMO to the Reds staff in 2011.
With 4 fireball arms in Cueto, Bailey, Volquez and Chapman... a soft tossing lefty could be a perfect compliment to the staff. Think Tom Browning on a staff of Rijo, Jackson and Armstrong.
A rotation of:
Cueto
Volquez
Chapman
Bailey
Wood
has the "potential" to develop into a top 3 rotation in baseball.