Graham Ashcraft

[paulrichjr]

How was this guy not a top 50 in the rankings of minor league players going into this season? He pretty much is showing how worthless those lists are. Hunter Greene is making me wonder how he wasn't top 10 on all of them.

[Patrick Bateman]

the fact that he sits 97 and hits 100 drove me past the Lowe and Tim Hudson comps. That kind of power on the fastball combined with the ability to induce that much extreme ground ball contact is what put me in mind of Brown - at least early in his career Brown in terms of speed on the fastball.

Here's the wiki note as I double-check my mental comp on Brown:



- - - Updated - - -

I mean, that 99 he painted on the outside black to preserve the shutout was absolute filth. In the 6th. He was happy inducing groundballs and outs until he got the guy on 3rd and one out in the 6th and then he was like, nope, I'm gonna K fools to strand the guy.

Anyway, it is an extraordinarily impressive set of debut starts for Moonlight. Between him and Greene, they've added joy back to the Reds season for me. I am grateful for that.

You’re right, the velocity is more like Kevin Brown, and seems like Ashcraft is less focused on missing bats as he is efficiency at this point. If he wanted to go for more k’s he could… would just be a matter of tactics and then find out what the trade off is


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[Larry Schuler]

Ashcroft
Ashcrift
Ashcraft
Ashcreft
Ashcruft
Ashcryft

[M2]

Impressive start for the World of Ashcraft.

[membengal]

Through four starts here's Ashcraft's advanced pitching line:

Line drive % - 18.1% (MLB average 23.6%)
Ground ball % - 59.7% (MLB average 42.9%)
Fly ball % - 16.7% (MLB average 25.7%)

Hard hit % - 34.7% (MLB average 38.9%)

That. Will. Work. If Ashcraft can keep that up, he should do that.

And, b/c I was curious - Kevin Brown's 19-year career percentages for LD/GB/FB were 18.4% - 57.9% - 17% so....yeah. That lines up. Brown for his career was a 6.6 K9 guy. Ashcraft currently just 4.4 K9 - he will need to get that up but that is something I figure he can given his stuff.

Thus endeth my wildly irresponsible comp discussion. I would delighted if Ashcraft had even half of Brown's career. Brown finished with 211 wins and 2397 Ks. He should prob be in the HoF. That Ashcraft's initial results track with Brown's career line is super interesting. Keep it up, Moonlight.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Through four starts here's Ashcraft's advanced pitching line:

Line drive % - 18.1% (MLB average 23.6%)
Ground ball % - 59.7% (MLB average 42.9%)
Fly ball % - 16.7% (MLB average 25.7%)

Hard hit % - 34.7% (MLB average 38.9%)

That. Will. Work. If Ashcraft can keep that up, he should do that.

And, b/c I was curious - Kevin Brown's 19-year career percentages for LD/GB/FB were 18/4% - 57.9% - 17% so....yeah. That lines up. Brown for his career was a 6.6 K9 guy. Ashcraft currently just 4.4 K9 - he will need to get that up but that is something I figure he can given his stuff.

Thus endeth my wildly irrational comp discussion. I would delighted if Ashcraft had even half of Brown's career. Brown finished with 211 win and 2397 Ks. He should prob be in the HoF. That Ashcraft's initial results track with Brown's career is line is super interesting. Keep it up, Moonlight.

Good stats. Thanks for posting.

[VR]

"I was out there giving it all I’ve got, just throwing the dickens out of it," Ashcraft said.

Brown was a red*ss......Ashcraft, a redneck. Love it.

[cumberlandreds]

"I was out there giving it all I’ve got, just throwing the dickens out of it," Ashcraft said.

Brown was a red*ss......Ashcraft, a redneck. Love it.

Glad to know he likes Charles Dickens. Good man.

[redsfan9988]

Glad to know he likes Charles Dickens. Good man.

He leaves his opponents starving for hits - like 19th century Dickensian orphans in London… too soon?

[UKFlounder]

Last night was certainly the best of times, the worst of times, when he pitched, then the bullpen came in.

Glad to know he likes Charles Dickens. Good man.

[Tony Cloninger]

It is exciting to see them developing better starters that have great potential/tools to succeed. Hopefully not the Mo Sanford. Brett Tomko. Curt Lyons results.

In the about 50 years I have been following this team they have traded away more pitching then they have developed for not much of anything back. All of them either pitched for them or were in AAA.

Milt Wilcox
Joaquin Andujar
Greg Corbett
Shane Rawley. At least they got Dave Collins for him.
Jay Howell
Charlie Liebrandt
Bill Dawley
Jeff Montgomery

It’s been so bad in the last 20 years that they don’t even develop anyone good enough to give up on

[cumberlandreds]

Last night was certainly the best of times, the worst of times, when he pitched, then the bullpen came in.

And he plays for Ebenezer Scrooge.

[mth123]

You’re right, the velocity is more like Kevin Brown, and seems like Ashcraft is less focused on missing bats as he is efficiency at this point. If he wanted to go for more k’s he could… would just be a matter of tactics and then find out what the trade off is


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That's easy. The trade off is fewer innings of Ashcraft and more innings for the very soft underbelly of the Reds bullpen. More innings for late 20s career minor leaguers! Yay!

[Benihana]

It is exciting to see them developing better starters that have great potential/tools to succeed. Hopefully not the Mo Sanford. Brett Tomko. Curt Lyons results.

What about Scott Scudder, John Roper, Tim Pugh, Rob Bell, Brian Reith and Brandon Claussen?

In the about 50 years I have been following this team they have traded away more pitching then they have developed for not much of anything back. All of them either pitched for them or were in AAA.

Milt Wilcox
Joaquin Andujar
Greg Corbett
Shane Rawley. At least they got Dave Collins for him.
Jay Howell
Charlie Liebrandt
Bill Dawley
Jeff Montgomery

It’s been so bad in the last 20 years that they don’t even develop anyone good enough to give up on

Don't forget John Wetteland (although his child molestation charges make him very forgettable as a human being)


Ashcraft has me excited, especially when putting him next to Hunter Greene.

Hopefully some combination of Lodolo, Williamson, Abbott and Phillips can emerge to round out an elite rotation for the remainder of the decade.

[Sea Ray]

The big difference between Kevin Brown and Ashcraft to this point is persona. Brown was all business out there. Never smiled. His attitude was I'm going to blow you away. Ashcraft is much more "gee golly"