Kason Gabbard

by bstair on Aug 8, 2007 11:09 AM CDT

I really like what the Rangers are getting out of him. Yes it's only been two starts but he looks to be a great addition to the future of this team. He's not an ace but he appears to be a consistent starting pitcher who will give your team the opportunity to win the game. He's not going to either win or lose many games with his pitching alone but he's going to be a guy you know is going to give your team the chance to win.

So far with the Rangers:
1-1 4.63era 11.2ip 13 hits 6 runs 4BB 8k's 19/8 GO/AO

This season:
5-1 3.93era 52.2ip 41 hits 23 runs 22 BB 37 K's 77/43 GO/AO

What are your thoughts on this guy? He's better than I expected so I'm pretty pleased.

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Comments

I think the small sample size alert should be...

included with this guy.

There have been plenty of pitchers flash moments like this when they first come to the majors.

Lets see him for the rest of the season and start thinking about what he have got.

also, i hope i beat whatever DB planned to post "first" in this thread.

by jasun on Aug 8, 2007 11:05 AM CDT reply actions

yup

rheinecker and koronka had their moments when they first came up

Forget Johnny Bench, we got Gerry "the Jet" Laird

by ab03 on Aug 8, 2007 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions

Koronka was on a roll at the beg. of last season

I remember some talking about him in very early rookie-of-the-year conversations. But after his first 10-13 starts, teams figured him out and his strategy (whatever that was) blew up in his face, his ERA skyrocketed, and now he's just another LHP in the org.

"I've learned that before I open my mouth, I should look both ways for midgets." - Denny Crain

by mtex on Aug 8, 2007 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions

at least he isnt in out org anymore.

by jasun on Aug 8, 2007 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Not trying to stir up anything..

.. but he seems to be a bit more polished version of John Danks (their mound habits/delivery are almost identical). Gabbard's FB isn't has hot, but he seems to have better control of his curve and change up to this point.

by mattrpav on Aug 8, 2007 11:08 AM CDT reply actions

yeah, but the key word in your post

is SEEMS.

by jasun on Aug 8, 2007 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions

Yep

I'm not saying Gabbard will be better than Danks, just that they seem similar and in Gabbard's last few starts, his secondary pitches looked sharp.

by mattrpav on Aug 8, 2007 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions

He's already better........

5-1 3.93 ERA......Danks 6-8 5.06 ERA

by tklawless on Aug 8, 2007 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Gabbard is older, though.

by mattrpav on Aug 8, 2007 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

I know you gave a comparison to Danks

but I saw a little Zito in Gabbard there both being lefties with about the same velocity and a big curve. Not half bad for a guy who is making 125 million less and has had a much better year.

by slimshadty12 on Aug 8, 2007 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Except

Gabbard isn't nearly as HR prone.

A good comp for Gabbard, Kenny Rogers? Randy Wolf?

by FirebatM3 on Aug 8, 2007 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

The true test for Kason will be

how he reacts whenever he has a bad start. Or a few bad starts in a row. Can he adjust or will he fall into the Koronka, Rheinecker zone? That is the test.

if he can stay consistent, he'll be a nice addition. A good #4 or #5 starter. Unfortunately that makes him a #3 or #2 on the Rangers. I can't wait to see these Rangers when Hurley and Kiker get to Arlington.

Put Mayberry Jr. back at First Base.

by Jukebox Joe on Aug 8, 2007 11:37 AM CDT reply actions

yeah.

2010 should be pretty sweet.

by jasun on Aug 8, 2007 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions

anyone................

excited to read in the DMN this morning that Rheino will maintain his spot in the rotation?

I would rather see Mike Wood again.

I stand corrected

by rkh on Aug 8, 2007 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions

Sunday start, correct?

Maybe Wash and the Gang are hoping for extra prayers headed Rhino's way to help him out.

"I've learned that before I open my mouth, I should look both ways for midgets." - Denny Crain

by mtex on Aug 8, 2007 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions

his next start is.........

Saturday

I stand corrected

by rkh on Aug 8, 2007 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Not impressed

I'm no expert on such things and he did get good results, but I really haven't seen anything to get excited about in Gabbard. To say his fastball doesn't have the heat of a Danks is a big understatement. The guy tops out at 87 - and it seems like a soft 87 if there is such a thing.

I will say he has done a good job of getting the bottom side of bats but it just seems flukey or lucky. Hopefully I'm wrong but for now I'm not on his bandwagon.

by bushe on Aug 8, 2007 12:26 PM CDT reply actions

I, for one,

am buying stock in Gabbard.

I stand corrected

by rkh on Aug 8, 2007 12:31 PM CDT reply actions

i was at the game last night

and even though he walked 3, i thoght the guy has real good command...no one is impressed with jamie moyer, but he whens games. whether not were impressed or not doesnt have anything to do with the fact if he can pitch or not. i think he'll win btw 12-15 games with a era around 4. what the hell is wrong with that for a #3 or 4 starter

by weslyenkid01 on Aug 8, 2007 12:34 PM CDT reply actions

I was there too

Didn't it seem like to you that he had alot of trouble putting the ball in the zone? Pitchers who don't throw strikes have a tough time. His career strike% is lower than both Koronka and Rheinecker for those wondering. I'm not saying he can't improve I'm just saying he needs to.

by bushe on Aug 8, 2007 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions

If you want some stats to worry about just look at

his home/away splits. Obviously most of hims home starts were at Fenway.

Home: 5 starts 5-0 2.48 ERA .92 WHIP

Away: 4 starts 0-1 6.3 ERA 1.65 WHIP

He won't get a lot of starts in Fenway anymore.

"I feel like a closer when I brush my teeth," - CJ Wilson

by cgolden on Aug 8, 2007 12:40 PM CDT reply actions

This is doubly curious

Because Fenway ussually favors righty pitchers because a righty lineup can hammer doubles off the monster vs lefty pitchers

by bushe on Aug 8, 2007 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions

sample size

that's too small of a sample size to extrapolate anything significant.

by Randy Richardson on Aug 8, 2007 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Sample Size

Is brought up frequently on this site. Very, very few individual statistics in baseball are extracted from a significant sample size. Don't make me come back there!

Yeah, I'm JD. Did my username give it away?

by Clueless on Aug 8, 2007 9:19 PM CDT up reply actions

It's brought up frequently

because we frequently need to be reminded not to take a handful of starts or at bats and try to extrapolate a career out of it.

mmmmmm...64 slices of American cheese...

by t ball on Aug 8, 2007 9:31 PM CDT up reply actions

It's a StatHead World!

I just live in it.
I get the point...it's just not mathematically correct.

Yeah, I'm JD. Did my username give it away?

by Clueless on Aug 8, 2007 10:03 PM CDT up reply actions

The math is not my point

the point I'm making is that just because someone like Mench is capable of hitting several home runs in a short time doesn't mean you can expect him to keep doing it. Likewise with Gabbard. It's just common sense that if someone suddenly does better than they have been doing for a few years, there's a good chance they won't keep it up forever.

mmmmmm...64 slices of American cheese...

by t ball on Aug 9, 2007 7:21 AM CDT up reply actions

thats

4 starts...obviously he wont be around 2.48 but he wont be at 6.3 either. i say it again he'll be around 12-15 wins and a era around 4...whats wrong with that

by weslyenkid01 on Aug 8, 2007 1:03 PM CDT reply actions

hits

he only gave up 28 hits in 41 innings before coming over...if he can get that number down a bit from his first 2 starts with us, he'll be amazing for us...if not, he'll be a very reliable 4th or 5th starter

"No, Donny, these men are nihilists, there's nothing to be afraid of."

by Walter Sobchak on Aug 8, 2007 3:21 PM CDT reply actions