Cueto was a strikeout per inning guy in the minors though (and he was young at every level).Originally Posted by *BaseClogger*
Cueto was a strikeout per inning guy in the minors though (and he was young at every level).
Wow, did I read that wrong or is he saying better than Stephenson?
That's how I read it. That's just one scout though.
Barry On Baseball Also blogging at Banished to the Pen.
It wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be Stephensons equal. There is no denying his stuff and athleticism. If his learning curve is really that rapid, watch out IMO.
Lorenzen still on the BP radar, this note from Jason Parks in one of today's columns:
Michael Lorenzen, RHP, Reds (Double-A Pensacola)
In last week’s “Scout Quotes” article, it was mentioned by one industry source that Lorenzen had jumped to the top of the Reds system, above the mighty Robert Stephenson, one of the top right-handed arms in the entire minors. While I absolutely disagree with the opinion that Lorenzen is somehow a superior prospect to Stephenson, the reports so far this season have painted a much more pleasant picture of the former supplemental first round pick than I witnessed in camp. At the time, I thought the 22-year-old arm was highly athletic with an electric fastball, but I thought the delivery was stiff and the secondary arsenal underwhelming. It was a reliever all the way for me, an opinion that bordered on consensus at the time.
Fast-forward a few months and Lorenzen’s developmental progress is slowly winning hearts and minds, and several sources see not only a future starter but one with impact potential. I think the major-league outcome is still very abstract, as the delivery has some red flags that could limit effectiveness in longer outings; stays tall and stiff, with a deep ball pickup and rigid arm action. The command is below-average at present, and even though he can comfortably pump his fastball in the 93-95 range, he struggles with control when he overthrows in the elite velocity range. The slider could be a money pitch with big velocity and some tilt, the changeup has improved dramatically from what I saw this spring, and he’s even mixing in an occasional curveball to keep hitters off his high-intensity offerings. As a reliever, Lorenzen could eventually lock down a late-innings role and develop into a lethal setup option at the highest level. But his real value could come in a rotation, a projection that most doubted at the start of the day but one that is looking more possible with each passing start.
No question there is a lot to be excited about with Lorenzen. And just the Reds' arsenal of minor league arms overall.
Regarding Lively: I can't emphasize enough that he's doing what he's doing in a hitter's league. Look at the offensive numbers the Blaze is putting up.
More importantly, look at the numbers of the other four Blaze starting pitchers. They all have ERAs over 4, including three of them that have ERAs well over 5:
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats...=true&sid=t423
Then there's Lively and his 1.48. And his great K numbers (79 in 67 innings, with only 13 walks and 43 hits):
Can't wait to see what he does at Pensacola when he gets the inevitable promotion this summer.
I agree. The 1st round choice always intrigues me - usually to a fault.
I am a little higher on Lorenzen than Lively, although I really was mixed over whether or not Lorenzen should have focused on pitching or playing a position. As long as he remains a starter, I can live with it. But if he eventually winds up in the bullpen, I will consider it a mistake.
“I think I throw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just doesn't get there as fast.” — Eddie Bane
“We know we're better than this ... but we can't prove it.” — Tony Gwynn
Not anymore - up to 2.03 after giving up 5 er in 4 innings (so far) today.
Hopefully he bounces back next start.
You think he could have been that good as a hitter? At the very least, he's a top-shelf bullpen prospect. At the best, he's a No. 2 or No. 3 starter. What a great pick and making him a pitcher was a no-brainer IMO for the organization.
Jon Moscot should be in this poll. By name. Has pitched as well as the others, only 22 at AA, arguably the most advanced of all the pitchers listed.
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