Merged: Comfortable with Claussen? / Anybody Disappointed With Brandon Claussen?

[Krusty]

Maybe I had higher expectations for this guy when we got him from the New York Yankees for Aaron Boone. I thought he would developed into a number 1 or 2 type pitcher. Instead it looks like he is more of a 4 or 5 pitcher for a starting rotation.

Were the Reds smitten by the NY hype for one of their prospects?

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by Krusty

Were the Reds smitten by the NY hype for one of their prospects?

I don't know about the Reds but it looks like you were.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Very frustrated. He had me believing after last year. I keep hoping this is just a funk he is in.... but I am starting to believe less-and-less. I am starting to wonder if he has the stuff to be a consistent ML pitcher.

[Newman4]

Well, after Tommy John surgery he's not the same guy. I was at the game last night and watched him previously this year and others, and he just has average stuff nowadays. 88 mph fastball, more or less a "slurve" type breaking ball that's not sharp and a changeup that he doesn't throw much because he can't locate it. Check out this old Yankees prospect report on his from 2002 and see if this is the same guy after surgery:

Brandon Claussen -- LHP -- All-Star: No lefthander dominated like Claussen did in 2001, as he went 14-4 with a 2.31 ERA between Class A and AA and led the minor leagues with 220 strikeouts in 187 innings.

The 22-year-old Claussen, a draft-and follow from the 1997 draft, dedicated himself to the game after his father passed away last off season. He tore through Class A Tampa (56 IP, 69 SO, 13 BB) and finished the season by going 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA in 21 starts for Class AA Norwich. Claussen then closed his campaign by fanning 11 batters over eight innings in his lone playoff start.

Claussen complements a 94 mile-per-hour cut fastball with a curveball and changeup. According to at least one Eastern League source, Claussen was the league's best southpaw last season.

[flyer85]

Claussen could take a lesson from Davis as they have very similar stuff. Davis is very dependent on his offspeed pitches whereas Claussen seems to go through periods every game where he falls in love with his fastball which is what causes most of his trouble.

Claussen has very marginal stuff and if he is to have success it will be built on the ability to command his pitches and keep hitters off balance. Can he do it consistently? I don't know but I do know that the elevated HR rate is a major problem.

[smith288]

Tommy John surgey changed him as a pitcher... He basically has to learn how to be a different pitcher though I dont know if he knows that yet.

[redsfan30]

I still hold out hope for him, mainly because of what Smith said above. If he figures out that he needs to be a pitcher instead of a thrower, he can still be effective. Not the top of the rotation guy I thought he was going to be, but effective still.

[TeamBoone]

Ya gotta give the guy credit for placing the blame on himself.

05-25-2006

Rough night for Claussen
Starter hard on himself after loss
By Josh Katzowitz / Post staff reporter

Milwaukee started the damage against Reds left-hander Brandon Claussen Wednesday night, beating him up for the second time in 32 days and handing him his fifth loss of the season.

Claussen wasn't much nicer later, castigating himself before a throng of media in the clubhouse.

He wasn't at his peak performance during the Brewers' 6-2 win, and Claussen had no problem telling that to anybody within earshot.

"It was brutal, man," said Claussen, who fell to 3-5 on the season after allowing seven hits and five runs in six innings. "I started the game off bad. I credit the loss completely to me. I never got into a rhythm out there. I just ... I stunk. I'm not going to lie to you."

The first two innings were especially painful for Claussen.

He walked Brewers leadoff hitter Rickie Weeks in the first and allowed a double to Jeff Cirillo during the next at-bat to score the speedy second baseman. Cirillo eventually scored on a Prince Fielder sacrifice fly.

In the second inning, Milwaukee catcher Damian Miller snapped a 0-for-13 slump with a double, moved to third on Brady Clark's single and scored when left-hander Doug Davis dropped an awkward sacrifice bunt.

Almost immediately, the Reds were in a 3-0 hole.

"The first two innings, I went out there and pitched scared, to be honest with you," Claussen said. "I was trying to be too fine with the ball. I was trying to force it in there, and when that happens, you leave the ball over the middle of the plate. Against a team like that, that's probably pretty confident against me, I just didn't get the job done."

If the Brewers are super-confident against Claussen, they'd have good reason.

On April 22, Claussen lasted only three-plus innings before surrendering eight hits - four of which were home runs - and nine runs in an 11-0 loss.

It's been like this most of his career against the Brewers. In his first career start vs. Milwaukee on July 20, 2004, he scored a 6-2 win. In nine starts since, he's 0-6 with a 9.15 ERA.

"It's not Milwaukee," Claussen said. "It's a couple guys in their lineup. I really feel like I make bad pitches to certain hitters on that team, and I just cannot do that."

Brewers leftfielder Carlos Lee proved why in the fifth.

After Claussen retired the first two batters of the inning, he hit Geoff Jenkins with a pitch. Against Lee, he left a pitch in the strike zone, and Lee deposited it in the left field bleachers.

"I feel like sometimes I'm my own worst enemy," Claussen said. "I go out there and try to be too fine. I know they're looking for consistency out of me. Trust me, I'm trying to be consistent."

Cincinnati's hitting struggled throughout the game as well.

Facing Davis' deliberate delivery, the Reds managed six hits overall and a solo home run from Austin Kearns. After leftfielder Cody Ross' near home run loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, the Reds could muster just one run.

It gave Davis a chance to stay in the game.

"We don't seem to hit Doug Davis well, and I think it's a rhythm thing," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "He works extremely slow, and he throws a lot of pitches. He has such a slow delivery that I think our guys get settled in too early against him. It seemed like the entire game was slow to be honest with you."

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who's hitting .091 (1-for-11) against Davis lifetime, agreed with that assessment.

"Sometimes when you're waiting for him, he sits right there and doesn't move," Encarnacion said. "Sometimes that makes you jump too much. It's frustrating. But every team has to make adjustments. You have to be patient."

The same way Narron says he has to be tolerant with Claussen

"We're looking for a good stretch out of him," Narron said. "We know he's capable of throwing good outings consecutively. We're looking for it. We're begging for it. We're doing everything we can to be patient."

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs....605250322/1027

[vic715]

I'm not ready to give up on him yet but I wouldn't have thrown Williams to the wolves just yet either.( I would have sent him down)If you take away those two Starts against the Brewers his numbers aren't all that bad.

[RANDY IN INDY]

I had higher hopes for Claussen than what he has performed. Needs a big ballpark to pitch the majority of his games to be successful at this point in his career and it would help if he were surrounded by some power arms. Would really benefit from the tutelage of a Tom Glavine or Greg Maddux. If he is successful, I would think that it is going to be somewhere besides Cincinnati. Could learn a few things from Chris Hammond, regarding the change up. That kind of pitch could put him back on the track. One can still hope that he will "get it" but I'm not extremely optimistic for him right now.

[Kc61]

I would give Claussen more time.

[alexad]

I actually think he would better served in the bullpen. But as i say that, he usually gives up most of his runs in the first few innings.

I guess Time is what he needs, but the question is do we have enough time to wait on him.

[Highlifeman21]

Originally Posted by alexad

I actually think he would better served in the bullpen. But as i say that, he usually gives up most of his runs in the first few innings.

I guess Time is what he needs, but the question is do we have enough time to wait on him.

We should have all the time in the world for this guy. Realistically, no one picked the Reds to contend/compete this year, and that's a luxury for this ballclub. If they do falter later in the season, then they have all the time in the world for the younger guys getting some experience.

If we were pegged to win the Central, then I would say no, Claussen maybe does need some bullpen time, but if we contend for the Central or compete for the Wild Card, then we're a feel good story.

The biggest problem I see with Claussen, well 2 really, would be his lack of focus that results in HRs, and that he doesn't have overpowering stuff yet is convinced he still does.

Take a page out of Tom Glavine's book, Brandon.

[jimbo]

"The first two innings, I went out there and pitched scared, to be honest with you..."

This is the type of comment that come from Claussen that really bothers me. A few starts ago after he got shelled he made a comment something like "....it's no big deal, tomorrow everything will be okay."

How can a major league pitcher such as Claussen, who has a decent amount of starts, actually pitch "scared?" This just boggles my mind. I have some serious doubts about this guy and am not at all comfortable when he pitches. I think he is soft and will have trouble becoming the pitcher he could because he lacks the fire and determination. It's unfortunate because he has all the tools, I just question whether he has the right mentality.

[DeadRedinCT]

Food for thought:

Claussen (2006)

v. Brewers 14.00 ERA, 2.22 WHIP, 5.00 HR/9, 7.00 K/9, 1.40 K/BB (9.0 IP)
v. everyone else 3.65 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 1.28 HR/9, 6.75 K/9, 2.85 K/BB (49.1 IP)


Claussen (career)

v. Brewers 8.18 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 2.47 HR/9, 7.42 K/9, 1.50 K/BB (47.1 IP)
v. everyone else 4.14 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 1.19 HR/9, 6.34 K/9, 2.07 K/BB (250.0 IP)


Why does Claussen have problems with the Brewers, but is decent versus every other team?