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Thread: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

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    The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Hey, folks, here is an artilce on Saarloos from the guys at The Hardball Times. The artilce is by Sal Baxamusa and I e-mailed asking him for permission to link it here. Also, I sent Sal the link for RedsZone and he responded, "By the way, the discussion at Redszone is very interesting. Some smart fans over there! Sal"


    Enjoy.
    http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/ar...-captain-kirk/


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    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Thanks for the link. We're also discussing this article on the ORG side.
    http://www.redszone.com/forums/showt...=54133&page=12
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool View Post
    Thanks for the link. We're also discussing this article on the ORG side.
    http://www.redszone.com/forums/showt...=54133&page=12
    Yes and we scooped Sal!
    "This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by bianchiveloce View Post
    Hey, folks, here is an artilce on Saarloos from the guys at The Hardball Times. The artilce is by Sal Baxamusa and I e-mailed asking him for permission to link it here. Also, I sent Sal the link for RedsZone and he responded, "By the way, the discussion at Redszone is very interesting. Some smart fans over there! Sal"


    Enjoy.
    http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/ar...-captain-kirk/
    Nice article.

    From what we see from his pitch count, it looks like he is the type of pitcher that gets ahead in the count (61% first pitch strikes), and gets the hitter to go after the sinker, and gets the groundball. If he keeps the ball down in GABP, I think he can be successful. Since he seems to be a "control reliant" pitcher, he is going to have really bad days when he gets the ball up, and probably really good ones where he is a mystery with the sinker, and we will just have to ride the wave. I hope the projections of just under 5 aren't that accurate. I think with probably one of the better defensive infields in the NL, he can do much better.

    Nice read though.

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    I think Sarloos at least has some intrigue about him. Sure he's struggled in the majors, and doesn't have huge stuff on the surface, but what he does have is some major success in college and the low minors, so maybe he is that guy who can surprise us, I don't know. Either way, IMO, having him is a lot more interesting than not, regardless of the perceived upside.
    School's out. What did you expect?

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    Bullpen or whatever RedEye's Avatar
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Ah yes... a 'grounder-inducing junkballer'... just what we need. At least he's not a 'flyball-inducing junkballer' (Milton?)
    “Every level he goes to, he is going to compete. They will know who he is at every level he goes to.” -- ED on EDLC

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by RedEye View Post
    Ah yes... a 'grounder-inducing junkballer'... just what we need. At least he's not a 'flyball-inducing junkballer' (Milton?)
    He's a grounder-inducing junkballer, but he's not your run-of-the-mill junkballer.

    Most guys you associate into this category are guys that are A.) Past their prime, B.) Coming off (or have had at some point) major reconstructive surgery or a medical condition of some sort, C.) Middling talent that has never wowed anyone at any level, or D.) Some combination of all three factors.

    Recent "junkballers" in the Reds rotation -- guys like Milton and Wilson especially -- have fallen into one of the above categories. Saarloos doesn't meet any of those criteria. He's succeeded in both college and the minors, never (as best as I can tell) had to go under the knife, and is coming into what should be his age-prime years.

    Those factors give me a small amount of hope that he might flourish under different instruction than he has been getting in Oakland, a different pitching environment, a different league, etc. It's a small hope, but it's certainly a better hope than praying Eric Milton's knees spontaneously grow back.
    Cincinnati Reds: Farm System Champions 2022

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    You know his story Redsland's Avatar
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor View Post
    Those factors give me a small amount of hope that he might flourish under different instruction than he has been getting in Oakland, a different pitching environment, a different league, etc.
    The Dick Pole Factor, eh?

    Makes all the routine posts.

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by Redsland View Post
    The Dick Pole Factor, eh?
    I got that in college. I used Topical Cream to get rid of it.
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by Redsland View Post
    The Dick Pole Factor, eh?



    I think I saw that movie.

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Not saying they're the same, but at a quick glance, Saarloos' numbers look a lot like what Arroyo did in Boston in 2004 -- except he keeps the ball on the ground more. When Bronson misses bats, he's more effective, but he's been marginally effective even when he's not missing bats. We certainly he's not blowing fastballs past people.
    Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

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    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by RedsManRick View Post
    Not saying they're the same, but at a quick glance, Saarloos' numbers look a lot like what Arroyo did in Boston in 2004 -- except he keeps the ball on the ground more. When Bronson misses bats, he's more effective, but he's been marginally effective even when he's not missing bats. We certainly he's not blowing fastballs past people.
    I assume you meant Arroyo's 2005 season, because Arroyo's 2004 was worlds better than anything Saarloos has done in the majors.

    And even Arroyo's 2005 would represent a huge improvement for Saarloos in terms of K/BB and K/9.
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Guys like this can do better than get by, look at Jamie Moyer in his latter years. His stuff was more poop than stuff, but he understood the art of pitching and got solid results more often than not. And he was further up the rotation than Saarloos.

    I wonder if he could develop a solid change-up which could help him alot with K's when he needs them. My guess is he doesn't already have one or his K's would be better already. If he can develop that to be 6-8 miles off of his "Medium-Fast Ball" than he can have very good success as a 4th or 5th starter.

    Other than that he is more a fill in starter/ long reliever type at best.
    "You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."

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    This one's for you Edd Heath's Avatar
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by bianchiveloce View Post
    Hey, folks, here is an artilce on Saarloos from the guys at The Hardball Times. The artilce is by Sal Baxamusa and I e-mailed asking him for permission to link it here. Also, I sent Sal the link for RedsZone and he responded, "By the way, the discussion at Redszone is very interesting. Some smart fans over there! Sal"


    Enjoy.
    http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/ar...-captain-kirk/
    Sal must not get out much.

    Hi Sal!
    Some people play baseball. Baseball plays Jay Bruce.

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    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
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    Re: The Hardball Times on Saarloos

    Quote Originally Posted by Heath View Post
    Sal must not get out much.

    Hi Sal!
    Maybe we drew his interest with our 3000-page threads about "The Trade".

    Either that, or the 275 different trade proposals we come up each week with that involve Adam Dunn.
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful


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