Smoak debuts tomorrow, I'll be there
by pblack on Aug 17, 2008 4:47 PM CDT
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PrintThe DMN is saying Smoak is debuting for Clinton tomorrow. It so happens they are playing very near where I live and I was already planning to go. I will be happy to give a report on Tuesday but I want to know what those of you who are more baseball savvy want me to look for. I am just an ordinary average fan and I have never played before, so if you want me to watch for something in particular I will happily do it, if you tell me what you want to see.
I am excited about the game and I will see them again a week from Wednesday, so I should have a couple of reports if you all want them.
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i would say
try to catch one his 3 or 4 home run balls if you can
by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Aug 17, 2008 5:23 PM CDT reply actions
Smoak...
I don’t know his back story as far a summer leagues (Cape Cod, etc), But I’d be most interested in his switch from aluminum to wood bats. That and how he handles the more advanced (assumedly) off-speed stuff.
He said he played in the Cape Cod league
And in several summer leagues. He’s familiar with wood bats, but said last night he knew it might take him a little while to really get them working for him.
-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
"Davis with 3 ribbies ... you can't hold a good man down." - LonestarJon
"Maybe not, but I'd like to." - Me
by The Best Micah on Aug 17, 2008 9:06 PM CDT up reply actions
He'll likely be a bit rusty
but have fun watching him anyway, along with Beltre, Moreland, and it looks like you’ll get to watch a Beavan start, too. We’d all like to hear about any of those guys in addition to Smoak.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
Beavan's velocity
I would really like to get a first-hand account of Beavan’s pitching, esp the velocity on his fastball and slider during the various innings that he pitches.
blake
has been sitting high 80’s and touching 90/91 with the FB,
Main’s velocity is way down, was throwing 85-89 with the FB on saturday.
they’re tired, its their first year and theyre throwing so much more than theyre used to.
by god allah star on Aug 18, 2008 1:08 AM CDT up reply actions
Main's velocity?
Baseball Prospectus recently reported that Main’s fastball is currently ranging up to 94 MPH (see below).
"The state of pitching prospectdom in the Rangers system is truly impressive, both in terms of depth and talent. In the wake of the great leaps forward taken by guys like Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland, some of the others have been lost in the shuffle, including 2007 first-round pick Michael Main. Main missed the first half of the season recovering from a rib-cage injury, but he’s been impressive since his return, with a 2.25 ERA in six starts for Low-A Clinton while recording 28 strikeouts in 28 innings and limiting opposing batters to a .221 average. A scout who recently saw Main noted plenty of good in the here and now, combined with a good amount of room for future improvement. "The stuff is there, but it needs to be refined," explained the scout. "I saw him up to 94 mph on the fastball with good life, and his curveball is a real downer with a pretty sharp break. His delivery is solid and he’s aggressive, and really he’s got everything you want to see in a kid his age." As for the improvements Main needs to make, the scout felt that Main would perfectly capable of reaching them. "He’s so athletic and thin and lean—there’s not a lot of pitchability right now, but I can see it coming. You add the physical maturing that’s clearly still to come, and he could really turn into something."
odd
when was that from?
because it was way down on Saturday.
and it wasn’t just the stadium gun – the players charting had 2 guns and both showed him sitting in the mid-high 80’s. I was very surprised. I thought maybe he needed to get warmed up, but it sat there the whole night. I talked to a player and he told me that a bunch of them are pitching with less velocity, reason being it’s their first year. He said it’s not a bad thing, cause its making them learn to pitch without it, they have to hit spots and learn to pitch without the 90+ fastballs.
the only one I saw hitting 90+ on Saturday was Flores.
by god allah star on Aug 18, 2008 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions
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