Link Report for Mon. 6/7

[YoungGeezy]

TheCrew, why so negative about Narron? He had a good outing tonight and he's been good for us in the past. Plus, his Bugs Bunny changeup is awesome. I swear that it couldn't break a pane of glass.

 

Also, Rolando Pascual is learning the strikezone! The big righty with some Neighborgall-esque K:BB totals in the past is not at 8:0 so far this year! I don't mind the hits allowed...because he's actually making hitters have to swing!

Yeah I mentioned that after his first outting how even though he got hit it was great to see him not walk anyone, and it is even better that he has done it back to back! Hope it continues. I am a huge fan of this DSL team and it is one of my favorite box scores to look at everyday. Possible the new Hurricane Yorki Hernandez has been hitting extremely well (3 multi hit games out of 7 and 9 BB's) and Andres Martinez has had multiple hits in 4 of 6 games, also 4 BB already (6 of his 7 k's came in the two games he went hitless) Plus I think he grow and filled out some more now listed at 6'2 190. That is not bad for a 18 year old, hopefully the power comes soon. Arias is hitting (out of 8 hits 1 double 1 hr 2 triples), Pena is starting to get goin, but Garcia is struggling a bit to start. Pitching has been not so bad but its early all I know is they need to beef Montano up a bit.., listed as 6'7 170, that is a langthy, skiny kid.

 

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Brewers 7, DSL A's 2 (7 innings)

18-year-old righty Leonard Lorenzo had an unusually good game for the DSL, tossing all seven innings and allowing just two unearned runs on four hits and four walks, striking out nine.

Second outing of the year -- how many pitches did it take to go seven innings, striking out nine, and walking four? After we chronicled big LH reliever Jose Ramos getting abused in a ridiculous workload last year, and then finding out he'll miss all of 2010 after surgery, let's just say seeing an outing like this, as successful as it was (zero earned runs in the complete game), is troubling.

 

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Audio:

 

06/07/10 - HSV @ TNS - Wheeler error (0-1) - Chirinos grounder (0-2) - Cain grounder (1-2) - Chirinos sac fly (1-3) - Wilson double (2-3) - Thomas homer (2-4) - Green single (3-4) - Wilson double (4-4) - Machado liner (6-4) - Final Out (6-4)

[Mass Haas]

Knoxville News Photo by Saul Young

Smokies' Blake Lalli celebrates as Huntsville's Brett Lawrie is called out by umpire Mario Seneca on a tag play at first base.

 

http://media.knoxnews.com/media/img/photos/2010/06/07/smokies02_SY_13142_t607.jpg

[1e Corbeau]

See I thought last season he was at 85 max also, there was one game I remember that he had i believe a no hitter through 5 and they had to pull him because he was around 85. I could be wrong though. I understand the reasoning behind it and it is smart but it would be nice to see how he does for a real non-restrict start.

Rogers averaged a little over 2 2/3 innings per appearance last year--and, if memory serves, he started out working 1+ innings per "start" at the beginning of the year and building slowly on that. He ended up throwing 64 2/3 over the year and built up to throwing probably 85 pitches towards the end. [i don't think those stats include the AFL...] So, starting the year throwing 85 pitches is a step up for Rogers and he'll likely approach 100-120 innings, which is quite a tick up from last year.

[brewmann04]

Maybe Lawrie better learn another Position

[TheCrew07]

TheCrew, why so negative about Narron? He had a good outing tonight and he's been good for us in the past. Plus, his Bugs Bunny changeup is awesome. I swear that it couldn't break a pane of glass.

When I posted that he had given up 3 ER in 4.1 IP, and I'm not big on the whole QS thing, I'm not one to champion being average.

 

What does he bring that we don't already have? Where does he really fit at the next level? He seems like a quality individual who's steadfastly pursuing his dream, but I would have rather bumped a Rivas for the rest of the season than recycling yet another soft tosser. Sam had some nice seasons here and there throughout his career but he's something we've always had quite a bit of and I'd like to get away from.

[Tedaldtada]

I am confused at why it is thought that Rogers outing was just "ok". He walked one batter and 3 out of the 6 hits that he gave up were broken bat weak ground ball singles. He gave up one other hit to a left handed hitter on a hit and run when he he was throwing the batter away and sitting 94 to 97 mph and the short stop was covering the bag. The ball ended up being hit into what should have been a double play ball to the short stop. Why on earth would the short stop cover the bag in these situations. I understand that it is protocol for the short stop to typically cover the bag on a steal with a lefty at the plate. But some common sense needs to be used here. Rogers was throwing with good command, and that lefty was not going to pull a 95 mph 2 seam fast ball that is running away from him over the outside corner of the plate.

I think Rogers had a great outing last night given the fact that he broke 9 bats (obviously this shows good movement on his pitches and command), he struck out four, and gave up three broken bat singles. What more do can we ask him to do? It sounds like nobody was getting good wood on the ball.

As far as the 85 pitches goes, I really do not have a problem with it. At this point what is going to prove to have him throw an extra 15? His velocity holds strong throughout the 85 pitches, he feels good, and he is getting more comfortable and better as the year progresses. To me it doesn't make sense to have him throw more pitches at this point in the year. It just isn't worth it. And if the fact that he is only going 5 innings is a problem with people we need to look at the bigger picture. I understand that he has walked a few guys this season but does anybody know how many errors have been committed behind him this year in the infield? It seems like every game he steps on the mound there is one or two errors on softly hit balls. That hurts a guys pitch count in a hurry.

And as a side note he ripped a double at the plate! I would say that he had a hell of a night. He just needs to get a little luck.

haha, that is awesome. Great report chemist! Rogers is really, really starting to excite me again.

[sfl2hnq17]

you take out the one bad outing this year apr 27th vs. charlotte and his era for the year is 2.62. yes the walks (though it must be said that a third of his walks came in just 2 starts and those are over a month ago) need to come down but this is his first time extensively pitching above A-ball some i am holding a lot of faith in him and im really excited.

[TheCrew07]

Chemist.

 

I'm on the Mark Rogers bandwagon, I'm a huge fan, and I always have been, Not just because of his big arm, but because I like the whole idea of drafting multi sport athletes who are more than just a pitcher. I would guess your a friend or family as you seem to take everything posted about Mark very personally.

 

85 pitches isn't the problem, only going 5 innings is. Mark doesn't need better luck, he needs to dominate because his stuff is that outstanding. Every time I read a scouting report on Mark every pitch is described as "plus", most of our pitchers only have 2 plus pitches. I was encouraged in that he had only had 1 walk last night, and after 1st he was pretty dominant, but the double steal he was partially responsible hurt him badly. Everyone know's Wheeler isn't a SS, but he is holding his own even though he's miscast and playing out of position, and of course Lawrie's error didn't keep Mark's pitch count down either. So I do understand that the defense certainly didn't help him at all last night and I did take that into consideration, though it may appear it didn't. Looking at the big league club, one of the biggest problems with the pitching is that the starters aren't able to get past the 6th inning before running out of gas, that's even true of Gallardo. Mark needs to become more economical and work later into games or he becomes part of the problem up there instead of part of the solution.

 

Outside of his pitch count, Mark has been just okay because his strike out rate is down to around 7 batters per 9 innings so far this season, while his walk rate is an alarming 5.8 per 9 innings. I do love the ground balls he's getting, but quite honestly with his stuff the K rate should be up around 9, and for him to have success in MLB the walk rate is going to have to be reduced significantly. The strike zones will only get tighter as he moves up, so he needs to sharpen up his command. He's pitching his way through those issues in AA but again I don't think that's realistic as he approaches MLB. There just aren't many pitchers that have success in MLB with such a high walk rate and a slightly above average strike out rate like Mark is currently carrying.

 

When I evaluate any pitcher, not just Mark, I'm projecting their current rates to MLB and I'm speaking in that context. I would love for both Rogers and Rivas to just out flat out dominate because the are so close to MLB that between the 2 of them they could save Melvin from himself and be pitching for the Brewers next season. I would love to have a rotation of Yo, Rivas, Rogers, Wolf, and Parra (if he straightens himself out) vs Yo, Wolf, Parra, random soft tosser, random soft tosser. However for that to happen Mark has to at least stopping walking batters so he can pitch deeper into games, he's got some work to do. Again, I realize last night wasn't entirely his fault, he could have pitched through the 6th on a regular pitch count despite the errors. It's just his stuff is so good that relative to how talented he is the results have just been OK and I sincerely hope you understand what I'm trying to explain.

[TheCrew07]

What a lot of people do not know is that his big "K" pitch that he throws (the twelve-six curveball) he isn't "allowed" to throw. I think that if you put that back in his tool box you would see the k's go way up. Right now he is throwing a slider, 2-and-4 seam fastball, and a circle change. When I say "allow", I mean the organization wants him to develop his other pitches and have command with them. If Mark was to go out and throw his own game and all the pitches that are in his tool box I really think that you would see a lot more K's.

That's very interesting, thanks for the additional information.

[uwisfan]

wow, that is some exciting stuff.. I've never left the Rogers bandwagon and this just pumps me up even more

[Thunnis]

Just nice to see a glimpse of what he had been required to do finally show up in print. Let the kid go to the mound fully loaded for bear every night.