Friday a.m. stuff

he’s a college reliever. This team needs to draft BPA, if that isn’t one of the top 10 who falls, then it damn well better be the best HS arm, be it Martin, Melville, Cole, or Hicks. Cashner is a reach, just as Meyer was a reach. Don’t listen JD, do what you know is right with this draft. God I am going to be so pissed if they pick Cashner.

the White Sox pull that trigger.

we’d win the WS every year.

His fastball never dips below 95 but he doesn’t command it very well, his slider is inconsistent, and apparently his change is underdeveloped. He has some serious upside but he isn’t very polished for a college arm and his issues with command is a concern.

I’d love him in the 2nd round but at #11 is risky.

Starter or closer? This is a pretty big question as of late (Joba and Papelbon come to mind), but I don’t understand why it has to be one or the other. It is not uncommon to see a high leverage situation in the game and the manager either puts in one of his best relievers or not. If the good reliever is not used and the game gets away from the team, the manager is second guessed. If he uses the good reliever, but the game gets away in the eigth (when said reliever would normally be used), he gets beat up in the press again. Baseball has evolved with highly specialized roles for particular players, and, in the case relievers, you can ask yourself if this has gone too far.

If Cashner is as good as advertised, would he not be very valuable if he (or Chamberlain) averaged 120 IP out of the bullpen (right now Chamberlain is on pace to finish with 60-something IP)? It seems that bullpens are constructed as if the games moves in a linear fashion, but the most crucial situations are not always in the 8th or 9th innings. Cashner would allow a manager to go to his bullpen earlier in the game without losing too much flexibility.

Of course, there is such a player in the bullpen who is called upon to go more than one inning; they are called “long men”. However, just yesterday there was talk here of Loe or Gabbard being the long man. In either case, the pitcher is not good enough to start, and can’t be trusted with high leverage situations as a reliever. Today, Daniels is praising Wright because he offers flexibility to Washington. Why not have a pitcher who is better than Wright do the same thing?

All too often, talented pitchers are either touted as starters or closers. When they can’t stick in either position, they get shifted to the bullpen. It just seems that a team would stand to benefit to have an above average pitcher who can be used more than one inning at a time more than once a week. Then again, maybe I am just an idiot.

I don’t deny that it sounds like he has talent, i just wouldn’t take him as high as 11 even if he projects as a starter

immaturity issues didn’t seem to stop the rangers from going with beavan

Blake Beavan anyone?

I am just far more skeptical of Cashner developing as a SP than Melville, Cole, or Martin.

However, since I do not know how it is that Cashner suddenly has 4-6 mph more velocity as a RP than he did as a SP, my statement could be based on ignorance. I’ll admit that, but I’ll also point out that no one has done a public break down of Casner’s delivery before and after his ability to hit 97-98, which leaves me with absolutely no way to know if he could sustain that velocity as a starter or if he is putting himself at greater risk for injury.

One thing about that pick, though, is that Cashner is an easy sign. You would think he would report right to Spokane and go into the rotation no long after TCU is out of the tourney.

except for the age. I believe its more about the first year or 2 they are in the system when you are trying to accurately assess their abilities that they need the supervision/strict pitch counts. Some guys are going to need a little longer (Kiker), some a little less (Hunter). I also think part of the Ryan interview was a PR move to clarify exactly what was said because there was question. I liked his answers.

but you can still play online poker in lots of places

from a pure value standpoint, an equivalent level hitter becomes much less valuable if he is a 1B instead of a 3B. However, there is some potential that Blalock becomes a plus defensively at 1B relative to the minus he is now. After all Teixeira was not known for being a great glove at 3B.

Depending on the injury and length of rehab, I could definitely see not picking up the option.

not sure how you can say that.

It’ll be OK…trust me.

bothers me as well. A reporter can influence a story a whole lot by just leaving some of the facts out. No outright lying is required. For example, the implication that Nolan almost fired Washington. I really think Ryan was the one who saved Wash at that time. If Nolan wanted him gone, I think he would be gone.