Dallas Buck Stats and Notes

[mbgrayson]

Dallas R. Buck
Born: 11/11/1984
Birthplace: Newberg, OR
College: Oregon St U
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 195
Bats: R
Throws: R

2008 Record:
Low A: Started 8 games, 45.2 innings, 20 ER, 5 HR, 10 BB, 24 Ks, 3.94 ERA, .250 BAA, 1.18 WHIP
High A: Started 1 game, 5 innings, 0 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 4 Ks, 0.00 ERA, .167 BAA, .80 WHIP.

Diamondbacks Organization Report, By Jack Magruder

Eager Beaver
March 8, 2007

TUCSON, Ariz.--Righthander Dallas Buck is back on the mound and that is where he plans to stay, even if his mid-90 mph fastball does not accompany him.

Buck lost velocity in 2006 while pitching all year for Oregon State with what he said felt like dead arm, dropping his draft stock from a certain first-rounder to the Diamondbacks' lap in the third round.

The organization considered seeking surgery but opted instead to have Buck rest and rehab his elbow, and the only throwing Buck did before arriving in spring training was during instructional league in October.

"It's coming along. It's not where it was or where it could be. To me, I'm probably just going to go out and pitch until it hurts or until I can't get people out any more," Buck said.

"Even with my arm problems and my velocity down, there wasn't a whole lot of difference," Buck said, comparing his 2005 and 2006 performances. "It's a tough deal. One side of me says, 'I want to be what I was and dominate.' The other side says, 'If I'm still getting people out . . . (surgery) is always there as an option, but not one I want to look at now.' "

Buck was 12-1, 2.09 in 2005, limiting opponents to a .195 average while striking out 118 in 129 innings. He was 13-3, 3.44 last season, winning the CWS clincher in relief against North Carolina, despite a fastball that seldom got out of the 80s.

"We think he's full go now," general manager Josh Byrnes said. "If we feel we have to reconsider the medical option, we will. With his background of playing two sports, we sort of wanted to get him into a calendar and rehab him under our supervision and see if that worked."

Buck, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, said he never felt pain in his elbow despite the loss in velocity, and believes he might have suffered by not playing football. As a safety in football, Buck was previously able to build arm strength by training for both sports.

July 26, 2007 Note:
• Righthander Dallas Buck, a third-round pick in the 2006 draft, finally will have Tommy John surgery after his elbow continued to bother him this season. Buck was 4-4, 3.61 with Visalia, striking out 88 in 98 innings, but did so with a partial ligament tear that had been diagnosed at the time of the draft. He attempted to rehab the injury and strengthen his arm to avoid surgery.

February 19, 2008 Note:
• Righthander Dallas Buck, a third-round pick in 2006 out of Oregon State, is also expected to miss most of 2008 after he had Tommy John surgery last June.

Baseball America 2008 Draft Handbook
Arizona Prospect #17. Dallas Buck. Courage and guile had become Buck's trademarks, but he finally faced reality in the middle of last season and had Tommy John surgery in August. Something had obviously been wrong with his arm for a while, because he has been one of the top prospects for the 2006 draft until his velocity dropped during his junmior season. He gutted it out and played a major role in Oregon State's 2006 College World Series Championship, but doctors found a partial ligament tear in his elbow after the draft. Signed for a discounted $250,000, he opted for rehab over surgery and made it through 16 starts in High Class A last year. Again it was obvious he wasn't at full strength, however, as he still was throwing at 85-88 mph with a lot of effort. When he's healthy, Buck's fastball is more in the 89-91 mph range, touching 94, and he complements it with a slider and changeup. Interestingly, scouts still liked his pitches when they saw him last year, particularly his changeup and the sink on his fastball, so he could still be a premium pitcher if he gets the power back in his arm. Unfortunatley, trying to pitch through the injury means that both 2007 and 2008 will essentailly be lost seasons for him. Depending on how his arm responds, Buck should get some work at the end of this year, but he probably won't do anything meaningful until 2009.

His Baseball Prospectus PECOTA card is HERE.

From Baseball Prospectus analysis tonight of the trade:

...and Buck is already damaged goods and a pretty doubtful prospect....
Certainly Buck doesn't help resolve the question. The former Oregon State star only returned to the mound in June as he makes his recovery from Tommy John surgery. So far, the initial returns aren't great. Pitching in the Midwest League, he was getting by, generating ground-ball outs by pounding the low end of the zone, but with his advantage in experience, he ought to be able to handle kids in a Low-A league, recovery or no. His line—nine games, eight starts, 45 2/3 IP, 44 hits and 10 walks allowed, 20 strikeouts—effectively documents that he's been healthy enough to pitch, but also reflects that he's not flashing any overpowering offerings either. In one Cal League start, he went five, gave up three runs, and allowed five baserunners, in short more of the same.

[OnBaseMachine]

Buck, 23, entered his junior year at Oregon State as one of the nation's top amateur pitching prospects, but his stock dropped considerably when his velocity dropped during that 2006 season. Even so, he gutted through the college season and redeemed himself in the College World Series, starting the first game of the best-of-three finals against North Carolina and then pitching an inning and a third of scoreless relief in the deciding third game. The Diamondbacks landed Buck in the third round of 2006 draft and paid him a discounted $250,000 after doctors found a partial ligament tear in his elbow. He had Tommy John surgery in August 2007 after spending much of his pro debut trying to rehab the injury. Buck returned to the field this season on June 15 and went 1-4, 3.94 in 45 2/3 innings for low Class A South Bend. He struck out 24, walked 10 and gave up five home runs as he worked his way back into shape. Encouragingly, Buck posted a 1.95 ground/fly out ratio. And that's the key to his success—getting ahead with his 89-91 mph sinker that touches 94, while mixing in a quality slider and changeup. Buck made one start for high Class A Visalia before the trade.

We'll analyze the two players to be named once they're announced.

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