Goldstein on Blake Beavan
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 2:30 PM CDT
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PrintFrom his Monday Ten Pack:
Blake Beavan, RHP, Low-A Clinton (Rangers)
On the surface, Beavan is having an outstanding full-season debut. On Friday, he struck out a career-high nine batters over six shutout innings to lower his ERA to 2.28 in 19 starts for the LumberKings, while limiting Midwest League hitters to a .230 batting average. Still, scouts are wondering what happened to last year's high school power pitcher who was consistently hitting the mid-90s with his fastball. On Friday, Beavan was at 88-92 mph, actually a step up from where's he's been in the recent past. He's now succeeding on sink, absolutely impeccable command and control, and much-improved secondary stuff, including a nice slider and changeup. Whether that makes him better or worse as a prospect is debatable, but it certainly makes him different, and we'll probably need another year before we consider adding him to the long list of players who hit their peak velocity while still in high school.
I know that some of our prospect analysts - and Beavan himself - feel like they have a handle on why the velocity has dropped and seem to be confident that it will return. I'm a little more concerned about that, but it is certainly good that the rest of his game has seemed to progress to compensate, and if the velocity does come back, that's quite a package.
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Velo loss
I’m struggling to recall any prospects who lost this much velocity and then regained it back after “adjusting” to the pro schedule. Anyone?
It may be that his high school velocity came at the cost of command and/or control that would not allow him to succeed at the pro level. If he needs to be a low 90s pitcher to succeed, than ok, but I’d feel better if I had some sort of success story in my memory to compare to.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
Heh
That would be nice. Did Cahill have better velocity in high school before turning pro?
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
loss of velocity
Several of the high profile guys that have entered the system via the draft have been touted with big fastballs and have ended up with something significantly less than that. Diamond, Hurley (in particular), Kiker, now possibly Beavan….that’s a bevy of pitchers that were all drafted with mid nineties cheese and now each of those guys seems to sit in the high eighties.
I don’t know if this loss of velocity is common in every system, a part of the culling process that goes on everywhere, or is there something wrong going on developmentally with these high-profile, diminshed velo prospects. Anybody have a guess what is going on?
Warner Madrigal makes Ezequiel Astacio look downright handsome.
I think it's an important question
It obviously happens with guys, and this organization has also seen some velocity jumps, like with Holland. But those you listed are all first round picks and all guys who the organization thought needed mechanical adjustments. Everyone has some adjustments to make, but I definitely wonder if something is up. You just can’t afford to have a trend like that, whatever the explanation(s).
Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 6:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Inflated scouting numbers?
Is it possible scouts give high school guys inflated numbers either by accident or intentionally?
"Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states" - Barack Obama
by LSBUser on Aug 11, 2008 6:36 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't think
that’s the case here. Plus, Diamond, Hurley and Kiker all threw at the same high velocities at certain points in the system. They just haven’t continued to.
Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm skeptical...
about his velocity returning as well. I sure hope it does though. His other pitches and command have drastically improved which is great, but it’s always nice to have that hard heater to put batters away with.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
I'm not worried
Dude is dominating, and in his first full season with new mechanics. I am really excited about Beavan, Holland, Kiker, and Feliz. If they live up to the expectations, we would build a dynasty.
"That one is headed for the moon!" - All Star Derby
Don't forget about
Main either.
"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley
+1
i am higher on main than any other pitcher not named feliz in our system
Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark
by knockoutking on Aug 11, 2008 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions
I am encouraged.
If his secondary stuff is much improved, then he will be a much more dangerous pitcher. Get that velocity back soon Blake and we’ll see you in Arlington soon enough!
Go Cubbies and Go Rangers!
It's nice to see him K nine in six innings
since he struck out so many in high school and so few in the pros. The impression I’d had was that he had great control and was pitching to contact, so he wasn’t walking people but not getting strikeouts either.
/me checks LumberKings Web site
Ah, he only walked one. Good to see. I was afraid that with the nine K’s came a bunch of walks, too.
thats good and all
but if he was throwing 88-92, he wouldnt have been picked nearly so high even with the control and off speed stuff.
we need him in the 93-95 range
Is velocity how you judge a pitcher?
Ever heard of Colt Griffin? There is more to being a pitcher than just raw velo.
Congratulations, you have just said one of the dumbest things ever on this board
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
wasn’t it just the other day you were bandying about that ERA is the only stat that matters when judging a pitcher?
I think it's pretty much
whatever gets under everyone’s skin at that moment.
Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions
Come on, Z
IP Ban ‘em!
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," Bo Diddley
+1000000000
My problem with him isn’t that he has the mental acuity of a beach pebble. The problem is that he derails threads for fun. Whenever he posts his insane shit, all cogent conversation on a topic ceases and the focus turns to how retarded he is.
It’s like a more annoying (and stupid) version of Josey.
Ignorance is bliss, right?
But sometimes it’s just so fucking hard to ignore!
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," Bo Diddley
i'm like the fight between parra and fielder
i bring everyone together :) :) :)
Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future
I blame the responders more than him
"Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states" - Barack Obama
by LSBUser on Aug 11, 2008 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions
the minors
aren’t professional?
I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles
by Dirk Diggler on Aug 11, 2008 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Gotta admit
the thought of ERA magically becoming an all-consuming stat while a pitcher travels from his AAA club to the majors is a funny notion. I like to imagine a fairy Joe Morgan sprinkling ERA dust on a pitcher mid-flight.
Then sweeping it off if the pitcher gets demoted.
Great post
you still suck
"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley
It's about 3 or 4 years early
to declare anyone a bust from the 2007 draft.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
People used to tell me that
when I declared Drew Meyer and Scott Heard busts the year they were drafted.
I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.
Aikman and Bradshaw?
Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill
by SarasotaRanger on Aug 11, 2008 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions
stop
messing up random threads with your retardation. Pick one thread a day to be utterly retarded in and keep your idiocy localized.
stop
messing up random threads with your retardation. Pick one thread a day to be utterly retarded in and keep your idiocy localized.
Do you need me to draw diagrams?
John Hart
is that you??
"Well, the Dallas Mavericks got beat by the New Orleans Hornets last night ending their season. Word is that someone on the team is dating Jessica Simpson." - Jay Leno
LSB facebook group ---->>> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33345329288
The velocity
I think its a combination of things. I think if Beaven wanted to, he probably could take it up a few notches right now but that would sacrifice some command of the pitch. Its his first year and he is dominating with his secondary pitches looking great. Let him work on fine tuning his fastball velocity next season and see if he can get it to a 93-96 mph area which would make him jump right back up the prospect charts.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
think
or hope?
It's easy to lie with stats, it's even easier to lie without them......
by red shoe ranger on Aug 11, 2008 10:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Velocity is not that big of a deal as long as your off speed pitches are good enough to keep the hitters off balance. Jaime Moyer averages 81 mph on his fastball and he still has won 10 games with a better ERA than any of our starters. As long as he can pitch in the low 90’s and his off speed pitches continue to develop as they are now. people should not worry. It all about location and the ability to keep the hitters guessing.
It's a pretty big deal
Beavan would be pitching at Northlake Community College right now if he threw 81 MPH.
"So you think the Celtics will beat Detroit? Hell will freeze over before that happens, mark my words." miles 5/20/08
by badradiorules on Aug 11, 2008 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Robbie Ross says he is 85% sure
he will sign with Texas per Scott Lucas via mlb.com
"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley
I was gonna throw up a fanpost, almost.
Olympic tidbit:
Emerson Frostad and Team Canada play host China on Wednesday at 1030pm Central. Team USA and Taylor Teagarden combat South Korea at 500am Thursday. USA games will be carried on MSNBC or online.
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," Bo Diddley
I'd much rather have a guy throwing 88
with command that a guy throwing 95 and missing as much as our starting staff has missed this year.
Really?
Because there are a TON of guys who throw 88 with command who can’t pitch in the majors and very few who can.
Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah
I guess it seems intuitively that if you don’t have one you can overcompensate with the other, but really, to have success, it really seems to me that you have to have both.
by brettgardner on Aug 11, 2008 7:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Maddux
threw harder than 88 when he was really good. And his stuff was absolutely filthy. Unless a guy has like three plus secondary pitches to go with some of the best command in the history of baseball and a 90 mph fastball, I don’t know how you can compare him with Maddux in any way.
Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 7:31 PM CDT up reply actions
And
according to a lot of folks, Maddux doctored the everliving hell out of his pitches with a modern version of vaseline. I’ve heard quite a few hitters swear up and down, but of course their is no proof, and he was never caught.
I'm sure the Russians felt there were WMD's in Georgia, and that it was a hotbed of terrorism.
Command
is largely overrated. The reason guys like Moyer and Maddux have great careers is because of movement and location, rather than “command” in the general sense. Very few pitchers have the ability to move the ball and locate it liket hose two. I’d rather they throw gas cause it lets them get away with a lot more.
It’s kind of like saying “I’d prefer to have a guy like Rice or Harrison who is really good at the finer points of receiving than a guy who is just fast.” Well no shit.
Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return
by Brett Perryman on Aug 11, 2008 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions
we lead the
league in walks. He’s hitting 92. I’m much happier to hear the teenager has his command than worried he’s not hitting 96 anymore.
by corbsclinton on Aug 12, 2008 8:29 AM CDT up reply actions
its ok
steal home thinks hurley is gonna be a number 2
...because he has “good offspeed pitches”
Every pitch thrown to Josh Hamilton is recorded as an E1. -- clark
Hollland
I couldn’t find this posted anywhere else, so sorry if this is a repeat, but Callis answered a question about Holland in his “ask BA” segment.
He seems pretty high on Holland, saying his ceiling is a “number 2 starter,” but also says he still has “a ways to go” before reaching full potential….
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