Link Report for Tue. 4/28 -- Evan Anundsen NO-HITTER for Brevard!!!!!!!

[Mass Haas]

Link, text follows --

 

Manatees' Anundsen tosses no-hitter

By Benjamin Hill / Special to MLB.com

 

By his own admission, Evan Anundsen was "so depressed" when he woke up this morning. He sure isn't feeling that way now.

 

Anundsen, a 20-year-old Brewers prospect, hurled a nine-inning no-hitter on Tuesday to lead visiting Brevard County to a 1-0 victory over the Daytona Cubs. It was the second no-hitter in the Minor Leagues this season, but the first in which one pitcher lasted all nine innings.

 

Anundsen's early morning depression was a result of the game's 10:35 AM local start time. He and his teammates had to get up at 6:00 AM in order to catch a bus to Daytona.

 

"It was really hard to get to sleep early, since we usually play at night," said Anundsen, the Brewers' fourth-round selection in the 2006 Draft. "I was doing my best not to fall asleep on the bus. But nothing matters once you step across the white lines."

 

And once Anundsen was inside the white lines, he was lights out. The Colorado native struck out a career-high 10 batters en route to the first no-hitter in the Florida State League since 2006, and the first complete-game shutout of his four-year professional career. He faced three batters over the minimum, walking one and hitting one.

 

"I'm a sinkerball pitcher, and my plan of attack is to get as many three-pitch outs as possible," said Anundsen, who went 12-8 over 28 starts with the Class A West Virginia Power last season. "I tried to get ahead in the count, and keep guys swinging early and often."

 

As dominant as Anundsen was, a Brevard County victory was anything but a forgone conclusion. The game remained scoreless through the first seven frames, as spot starter Craig Muschko and the Daytona bullpen kept the Manatees off the board. Brevard County finally broke through in the eighth, as Logan Schafer ripped a one-out triple and scored on Caleb Gindl's single to center field.

 

The closeness of the game made it so Anundsen didn't have to obsess over the fact that he had a no-hitter going.

 

"I was just sitting there hoping we'd score," he said. "Everyone on the team was focusing on their own job, going about their own business. It was a total team effort."

 

The ninth inning was not without its share of drama. After retiring the first two batters of the inning, Anundsen induced Nate Samson to hit a pop-up to shortstop Brent Brewer. The final out seemed imminent, but Brewer dropped the ball and Samson made it to second.

 

"That's just part of playing during the day. That ball was in the sun and it was a real tough play," said Anundsen. "I wasn't going to blame [brewer]. It was just a little mental process I had to go through, like 'Now a guy's at second. Get over it.' We had worked so hard, and I wasn't about to let it fall apart."

 

Indeed, Anundsen quickly gathered himself and struck out Tyler Colvin to end the ballgame. It wasn't yet one in the afternoon, and he had already turned in the greatest outing of his professional career. All that was left to do was celebrate.

 

"I think my roommates and I are going to have a cookout," said Anundsen. "But the first thing I want to do is take a nap."

 

Brevard County's Evan Anundsen faced three batters over the minimum in the no-hitter. (Mark LoMoglio/MiLB.com )

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2009/04/28/kLRtEOuQ.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog:

April 28, 2009 Game Notes

 

April 28, 2009 Timber Rattler Pitchers (Frederickson / Nieves)

 

April 28, 2009 Starting Lineups

 

Chris' note: Welcome to town, Jose Duran. You're starting at third and batting 7th in your first day with the team. Tonight is going to be the first time since game #1 that Brock Kjeldgaard has not hit cleanup.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Mike Burns

Well-spoken, interesting enough for a listen (aren't they all?)...

 

Final: Nashville 7, Iowa (Cubs) 4

Link for "new Cole Gillespie at AAA" photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Split Series With Cubs With 7-4 Win

NASHVILLE - The Nashville Sounds beat the Iowa Cubs 7-4 on the final game of a four-game series in front of 6,535 fans at Greer Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The majority of the crowd on hand were area schoolchildren in attendance on field trips as a reward for reaching their reading goals in the Nashville Sounds Reading Club program.

 

The Sounds were able to collect 16 hits on the day, including multiple hits by seven of the eight position players in the lineup. Adam Heether went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the charge for the Sounds.

 

Outfielder Cole Gillespie doubled to collect his first Triple-A hit, breaking an 0-for-11 slump, to put the Sounds on the board, 1-0, in the bottom of the second inning.

 

Catcher Angel Salome made it 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth with a two-RBI double that brought in Alcides Escobar and Heether, snapping a 0-for-13 streak. The Sounds extended their lead to 4-0 when Erick Almonte singled to score Salome later that same inning.

 

AUDIO: Angel Salome Two-Run Double

 

The Sounds put another three runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning on three straight RBI hits by Mat Gamel, Brendan Katin, and Heether.

 

Sounds starter Tim Dillard (4-0) picked up the win after pitching his third consecutive quality start, allowing just three hits over six scoreless innings. Dillard, who has won all four of his starts this season, hasn't given up more than one earned run in any start.

 

Reliever David Johnson also allowed no runs in one inning of work, striking out two.

 

The Cubs were able to score three runs after staging a late rally in the top of the eighth inning. Outfielder Jake Fox hit his PCL-leading 12th bomb of the season, and fourth of the series, to make the score 7-2. Fox also added his eighth double of the season in the game.

 

Chris Smith came in later that inning to earn his third save of the year. Smith faced pinch-hitter Sam Fuld with the bases loaded, but got a fly ball double play to end the inning.

 

Cubs starter J.R. Mathes (3-2) picked up the loss after surrendering four earned runs on 12 hits over five innings.

 

Following a league-wide day off tomorrow, Nashville resumes its homestand to welcome the division-rival Omaha Royals for a four-game set. Southpaw Lindsay Gulin (1-0, 8.35) takes on left-hander Bruce Chen (0-1, 5.06) in the series opener at 7:00 PM on Thursday night.

 

Nashville Box Score

Look at all the pretty numbers; rough 2009 AAA debut for Juan Sandoval...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Press Release:

 

Evan "A-No-No-Sen" No-Hits Cubs

 

Evan Anundsen dominated all day Tuesday, no-hitting the Daytona Cubs and leading the Manatees to a 1-0 victory. Anundsen's masterpiece was the first nine-inning no-hitter in the Florida State League since Julio DeLaCruz of Clearwater accomplished the feat on August 18, 2006. It was also just the second no-hitter in Manatees' history. Clemente Nunez also pitched a no-hitter for Brevard County on May 28, 1995 against West Palm Beach. Anundsen was rarely challenged by the Daytona lineup, allowing just one walk and hitting one batter. He also overcame two errors by the Brevard County defense.

 

The tensest moment of the game came with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. With Anundsen just one out from history, he induced a pop fly from Nate Samson to the left side of the infield. Brent Brewer appeared to be camped under the ball, but at the last second appeared to lose the ball in the sun, and it hit the heel of his glove and dropped to the infield dirt. As the crowd of 3,716 waited on the edge of their seats, the scoreboard operator finally placed a "2" under the error column for Brevard County, signifying that the no-hitter was still intact. Anundsen, apparently unfazed by the turn of events, rebounded to strike out Tyler Colvin to end the game. Anundsen finished with 10 strikeouts, a new career high.

 

For most of the game, the main concern was that the Manatees would not be able to score and allow Anundsen the chance to go for the no-hitter. Despite several scoring chances for the Manatees, the game remained scoreless through seven innings. Finally, in the eighth inning, Logan Schafer ripped a triple off the right field wall. After an Eric Farris walk, Caleb Gindl came through with a line drive single to center field, scoring Schafer and giving Anundsen all the help he would need.

 

The Manatees return home tomorrow for the third game of this four-game series.

 

For all fans looking for a piece of history, Anundsen will be available to sign autographs from 6:30-7:30 tomorrow night on the main concourse. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

(I added the smiley, not in the official release -- that's cool for the kid.)

 

Actually, remember when Jim Powell interviewed David Welch for a pre-game Brewer interview. Cory Provus, are you reading? Make it happen by Wednesday night. Now that, we know will archive.

[TheCrew07]

The Brewers should fly Evan up to Milwaukee this week between starts to be honored.

Did they do anything special for Parra? Didn't his promotion come a month or so later? I'm fuzzy on the particulars there because I was so busy arguing against Linebrink being the difference maker the team needed.

[Mass Haas]

John Sickels with this note on his minor league blog, click the link for more from him on Matt LaPorta --

 

**Evan Anundsen threw a no-hitter for the Brevard County Manatees in the Florida State League this morning, fanning 10 with one walk in nine innings, giving him a 1.44 ERA with a 25/8 K/BB ratio in 25 innings, with 15 hits allowed and a 1.82 GO/AO mark. A fourth round pick in 2006 out of high school in Colorado, Anundsen was bought away from a Wichita State scholarship by the Brewers with $282,000. Not a big guy at 6-2, 180 when drafted, he's grown to 6-3, 200 as a pro, relying on a 90 MPH sinker, curveball and changeup. He posted a 12-8, 4.28 record with a 102/38 K/BB in 145 innings last year in the Sally League, with an unattractive 158 hits allowed but an intriguing 2.71 GO/AO mark. He's clearly a sleeper to watch.

[twobrewers]

Maybe we were just paying our dues with the horrible minor league games yesterday?

Great outing for Anundsen.

Very good outing for Dillard.

Also, I hope Salome is finally breaking free from his early season struggles.

[TheCrew07]

Welch with another rough outing today, I hope May is a better month for him in the rotation or he might find himself on the outside looking in, an ERA over 10 out of nowhere. I wonder if he's okay physically.

 

edit. When it goes for Frederickson, it goes in a hurry.

[southpaw121505]

congrats Evan!

[WisconsinSportsRule]

Another outing for Dillard. He's 4-0 now, but has 10 walks along with 10 K's.

 

I want him up mid-season, he needs to walk less batters or it will take him awhile to get up to the majors.

[hawing]

Cory Provus said in the Brewers' 10th inning show tonight that he's going to try to get a pre-game interview with Evan. If he said whether it would be Wednesday or later in the week, I didn't catch it.

[trwi7]

I'm sure sportsbubbler will have the interview with Anundsen (whenever it takes place) archived either the night of the interview or the next day in case anybody misses it and wants to hear it.

[battlekow]

Tuesday Dish: Anundsen No-Hits Daytona

Posted Apr. 28, 2009 3:34 pm by Matt Eddy

Pitching for high Class A Brevard County, Brewers righthander Evan Anundsen has thrown the 2009 season's first true no-hitter. That is, Anundsen-and Anundsen alone-held Daytona hitless for nine innings. The low Class A Hickory Crawdads, led by four innings from Martin Perez, threw a combined seven-inning no-hitter against Bowling Green on April 11.

The Florida State League contest's 10:35 a.m. start time may have contributed to the sluggishness of the Cubs' bats, but it did little to slow Anundsen, Milwaukee's fourth-round pick in 2006 from Columbine High in Littleton, Colo. The 20-year-old struck out 10 Daytona batters, while walking one and hitting another in improving his season line to 2-2, 1.44 through four starts. He has struck out 25, walked eight and allowed no home runs in 25 innings.

Anundsen went a modest 12-8, 4.28 in 28 starts for low Class A West Virginia last season, his first year in full-season ball. He never struck out more than eight batters in any one start in '08, but he now has registered a nine- and a 10-strikeout game this season.

A groundball pitcher, Anundsen throws his fastball in the mid-80s but with good sink. Last year he compiled a 2.71 groundout-to-airout ratio; this year, it's a healthy 1.82. He'll mix in a curveball and a changeup, but he relies on inducing opponents to put the ball in play, usually on the ground, early in counts. This morning, he recorded 11 outs via the ground, and just six in the air.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Chattanooga (Dodgers) 7, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Looks' Bullpen Locks Down Huntsville

Chattanooga Claims Second Straight From Stars

By Brett Pollock / MiLB.com

 

Jesus Rodriguez tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief and Chattanooga scored in four straight frames en route to a 7-2 decision over Huntsville Tuesday night in the fourth of a five-game set at AT&T Field. The Lookouts improved to 5-14 with wins in back-to-back games for the first time this season, while the Stars slipped to 10-9 but remain in first place in the North Division, a half game ahead of the Tennessee Smokies, who fell at home to the Carolina Mudcats for a second straight day.

 

The Stars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning with two outs when J.R. Hopf doubled in Drew Anderson and scored on a single by Johnny Raburn, who knocked in his first run of the season. However, the Looks tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when starting pitcher Francisco Felix doubled into right field to chase home Lucas May and Juan Gonzalez.

 

Chattanooga took the lead for good in the third when Gabriel Martinez mashed a two-run home run to right field, his second of the season, off of starter David Welch, who took the loss to drop to 0-3. Felix was removed with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth and replaced by Rodriguez, who got Raburn to bounce into a force play at the plate and Welch to ground into a force out at second base. The Lookouts then tacked on a run against Welch in the bottom of the inning on a scoring fly ball off the bat of Victor Mercedes, who drove in his third run. Welch was charged with five runs on seven hits, while walking two and striking out four.

 

Josh Wahpepah took over in the fifth and surrendered two runs on a bases loaded walk to Juan Gonzalez and an infield single by James Tomlin that finished the scoring for both teams. Wahpepah walked three, gave up three hits and struck out three in his two innings and was followed to the hill by Omar Aguilar, who threw two shutout frames.

 

Felix, in his first start of the year, allowed six hits, while walking one and recording one strikeout. Rodriguez put together his longest outing of the season and yielded three hits while striking out one. He improved to 1-1 and was followed to the hill by Brent Leach, who threw two shutout innings and was removed with two runners on in the ninth. Victor Garate took over and struck out Kevin Melillo to end the game.

 

The series wraps up Wednesday morning with right-hander Mark Holliman making the start for the Stars against Lookouts' left-hander James Adkins. Coverage of the game begins at 10:00 AM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Not the David Welch we've been accustomed to in years past, that's for sure; starting lineup a reminder of what a "veteran" club this is...

 

Huntsville Game Log

Stars had bases loaded, one out in the 4th and failed to score...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Quad Cities (Cardinals) 4, Wisconsin 2

 

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

Bandits sweep Rattlers

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

DAVENPORT, IA - The Quad Cities River Bandits beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4-2 on Tuesday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The Bandits scored three times thanks to a bout of wildness in the third inning and held off the Rattlers for a four-game sweep of the series.

Timber Rattler starting pitcher Evan Frederickson lost the strike zone in the third inning. He walked four batters in the frame, hit a batter, and threw a wild pitch. There was also a single in the inning as the River Bandits scored enough for the win. The Quad Cities runs scored on a bases loaded wild pitch, a bases loaded walk, and a bases loaded hit batsman.

Wisconsin (7-10) got on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh. Brock Kjeldgaard singled to start the inning. Michael Vass followed with a triple to right-center to knock in Kjeldgaard. However, none of the next three Rattler hitters could cash in Vass and the score was 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Quad Cities (10-7) made Wisconsin pay for not taking full advantage of their opportunity in the top of the inning. The Bandits put together three singles in the inning. The last one was an RBI single by Domnit Bolivar to make the score 4-1.

Wisconsin loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning and got a run on a sacrifice fly by Kjeldgaard. But, they would leave the bases loaded and trail 4-2 heading to the ninth.

Casey Mulligan nailed down the win with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his fifth save of the season.

The Rattlers return home to begin a nine-game homestand with a game against the Great Lakes Loons on Wednesday night. Cody Adams (0-1, 3.27) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Kyle Smit (0-0, 3.24) is scheduled to start for the Loons. Game time at Time Warner Cable Field is 6:35 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Evan Frederickson now with 17 walks and 16 K's in 14.1 innings to go with an 8.79 ERA; could have been even worse for Evan, but big lefty Daniel Meadows stranded three Frederickson baserunners and followed that up with two perfect innings; Efrain Nieves allowed six baserunners in his two innings, but only one run; Rattlers 0-for-10 with RISP, sigh...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Bandits polish off Rattlers

Steve Batterson, Quad City Times

 

Sometimes the best way to be aggressive at the plate is to remain patient.

 

That formula worked for Quad-Cities on Tuesday night, when a patient approach allowed the River Bandits to finish off a four-game sweep of Wisconsin with a 4-2 win at Modern Woodmen Park.

 

"I think we are more patient, more calm now than we have been," said Domnit Bolivar, who collected two of the six hits Quad-Cities managed off a collection of four Rattlers' pitchers.

 

That patience paid off in the third and deciding inning when Wisconsin starter Evan Frederickson walked four batters, hit a fifth and allowed Brett Lilley to score the game's first run on a wild pitch.

 

"They gave us some free passes and we made the most of them," Lilley said.

 

A bases-loaded walk and a run that scored when Bolivar was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded gave Quad-Cities a 3-0 lead that stuck.

Bandits manager Steve Dillard (Tim Dillard's dad) wasn't certain that opportunity would exist after watching Frederickson work his way through the Quad-Cities lineup with ease through two innings.

 

"When you find yourself going up there against a pitcher who has good stuff - and it looked for a couple of innings like we might not get to him - it can be tough to hit when the guy gets a little wild," Dillard said.

 

Dillard didn't have to look further than his clubhouse office TV for an example.

 

"You see it in the big leagues all the time when guys swing at a 3-2 slider in the dirt," he said. "It can be a little easier to hit when a guy is climbing the ladder and pitches around the plate. I think we recognized that in this game and made it work for us."

 

ALL OR NOTHING: The season has been feast or famine for Wisconsin, which has either swept or been swept in each of the five series it has played.

 

QUICK STAT: Quad-Cities has gone 10-3 since starting the season 0-4.

 

NEW T-RAT: Jose Duran went 0-for-3 in his Wisconsin debut Tuesday. The 2008 Big 12 player of the year at Texas A&M and a sixth-round pick of the Brewers replaces injured John Delaney on the Rattlers' roster.

 

River Bandits third baseman Domnit Bolivar snags the throw from catcher Roberto Espinoza as Wisconsin's Erik Miller steels third base, Tuesday April 28, 2009 during third inning action at Modern Woodman Park in Davenport. (Photo by John Schultz/ Quad-City Times)

 

http://www.qctimes.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/b/d1/91b/bd191b8a-346f-11de-be0d-001cc4c002e0.image.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Cutbacks at the Tennessean?

 

Maybe this will change in the heat of summer, but unlike past years, there's been little or no daily coverage of Sounds home games in the Nashville newspapers.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Anundsen no-hits D-Cubs

Brevard Co. hurler strikes out 10 in win

By SEAN KERNAN, Daytona News-Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Evan Anundsen was teacher for the day Tuesday.

 

The Brevard County pitcher taught the 3,716 fans -- most of whom were elementary school students taking part in an Education Day promotion -- the meaning of a no-hitter.

 

Anundsen also might have taught the Daytona Cubs a thing or two while throwing a nine-inning no-hitter in a 1-0 win at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

It was another piece of history at the historic ballpark. Anundsen's gem was the first Florida State League no-hitter at the Jack since Daytona's Carmen Pignatiello and Jared Blasdell combined for a nine-inning no-no in a 3-0 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals on July 18, 2003.

 

And in what might be some sort of record for earliest completion of a no-hitter, it was done before 1 p.m. because of the 10:40 a.m. start.

 

"When you're throwing strikes, you have a chance in these day games after a night game, but especially in a morning game," Cubs manager Buddy Bailey said. "(Anundsen) mixed and matched his pitches. He had good sink and movement. He had command of both sides of the plate. When he wanted to throw his breaking ball for a strike, he was able to do it. When he wanted people to chase it out of the zone, he was able to do it."

 

Anundsen had a career-high 10 strikeouts that included nine different Cubs. Nate Samson walked, Starlin Castro was hit by a pitch and two other times the Cubs reached base on errors.

 

A 2006 fourth-round draft choice out of Columbine (Colo.) High School, Anundsen is in his fourth season with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-hander is fully wrapped up in the Brewers-Cubs rivalry.

 

"This is going to be our rival team and we had a tough (4-2) loss (Monday) night, and I'm just proud that we came out and fought our (butts) off," Anundsen said after he was mobbed by his teammates in the on-field celebration.

 

"I'm just proud of the guys behind me and my catcher (Anderson Delarosa). . . . (The Cubs) better get used to this. That's all I can say."

 

Anundsen was rather calm following his heroics. If it didn't look like he knew how to act after throwing a no-no, there was good reason: He had never thrown a no-hitter. Not even in Little League.

 

Although Anundsen's reaction was subdued, the same couldn't be said for his teammates. Brevard County's Mike Jones smacked Anundsen with the old shaving-cream-pie-in-the-face prank while the game's star was answering questions from media.

 

The only run of the game came in the eighth inning after Logan Schafer tripled off the fence in right field and two batters later Caleb Gindl singled to center off Steve Vento (0-2).

 

Brevard County's Evan Anundsen delivers a pitch during his no-hitter against Daytona on Tuesday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Daytona News-Journal Photo by Dennis Greenblatt

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/0429spt.jpg

[CheeseheadInIllinois]

I was at the Timber Rattler game, and Fredrickson was dominant through when he got the second out in the third. (Ignore the two walks to the Bandits' leadoff hitter. The guy leans so far out over the plate, and doesn't seem to have any inclination to get out of the way, that you really only have half the plate to work with) Then all of a sudden he just couldn't find the strike zone. It also looked like he shook off McCraw both on ball four walking in one of the runs and the hit batsman that walked in another.

 

It's kind of weird. I get to see three games (including the doubleheader the previous day) and am looking forward to watching Scarpetta, Lawrie and Nieves, but the guys who looked the best were Vass, Miller and Ohlmann. Vass hit the ball hard and had a double and a triple; Miller seemed to make good, consistent contact and looked much more natural in center than Dykstra did; and Ohlmann easily looked the best of any of the pitchers, throwing different pitches for strikes and keeping the Bandits off balance. If he could do that consistently (and his walk total so far suggests that isn't happening yet), they could have something there.

[clancyphile]

Another outing for Dillard. He's 4-0 now, but has 10 walks along with 10 K's.

 

I want him up mid-season, he needs to walk less batters or it will take him awhile to get up to the majors.

Dillard, IIRC, is another GB pitcher. Seriously, though... I think a lot of this is him still stretching out. But I think he'll be in a groove we'll all like by the end of the year.

 

And I know small sample size applies, but Chris Cody's continuing the pwnage. 2-0, 1.29 ERA. Jeffress is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA.

 

Anyone still want to give me a hard time about ranking Cody at #4, and placing him ahead of Jeffress? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[battlekow]

Yes.

[twobrewers]

Me too...

[TheCrew07]

Anyone still want to give me a hard time about ranking Cody at #4, and placing him ahead of Jeffress? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

With the position players at the top, Cody would have to be Yo dominant to be ranked 4. We all like him, but it's very difficult to figure out where he's going to fit in.

[clancyphile]

Anyone still want to give me a hard time about ranking Cody at #4, and placing him ahead of Jeffress? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

With the position players at the top, Cody would have to be Yo dominant to be ranked 4. We all like him, but it's very difficult to figure out where he's going to fit in.

True, but so far, he's improving his 1.83 ERA of last year with a 1.29. He's also got 20 K in 21 IP, WHIP of 0.857, and a 5:1 K/BB ratio.

[TheCrew07]

Results have nothing to do with projectability... if Jeffress fails as a starter, he might make a reliever, his talent is immense. Cody has a much smaller margin for error, his results are impressive, but his value will diminish much quicker if he stumbles. I'm pretty confident that he'll pitch in the big leagues, but there's no way I'd say today he's a top of the rotation starter... which is where you ranked him. In the end you may be correct, but it's way too early for "I told you so" at this point in time.

 

Because of his arm strength he's going to have to continually prove he can get the job done, not to posters here at BF.net, but to the organization, national media, etc... That's not so much as knock on Cody as it is that people have learned over time to be cautiously optimistic about soft tossing lefties. I felt the same way about him as I do Gindl, I really wanted to see what he would do at AA. The results have been encouraging, and I would love for him to have enough success and pitch enough innings this year that next year he's a viable alternative for the rotation.

 

I think he got hosed on the pitcher of the year honor last year because I believe that award should be performance based, but winning that award doesn't equal "dominant MLB pitcher". The other players I thought deserved consideration for the award project as relievers...