Tanner Scheppers looks like the real deal

"Tanner Scheppers, a supplemental pick by the Texas Rangers this year who signed for first-round money, was even more impressive than Cashner, sitting at 95-98 with a vicious curveball with hard, late two-plane break. He appeared to be amped up for the short outing; I doubt he'd sit at that velocity as a starter, but even 92-95 with that breaking ball would get hitters out multiple times per game. His arm works well, and his potential to be a front-line starter is really just a question of the state of his shoulder."

From Keith Law

3 months ago Kinslerhomer 16 comments 0 recs |

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So Klaw...

mentioned him as starter twice in that short paragraph. Is that how the Rangers see him? Or will they just leave him in the ’pen due to his recent injury.

I’m sure he will probably break in with the Rangers out of the ’pen, like they did with Holland and Feliz. Then I suppose performance will dictate where they want him from there.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Oct 19, 2009 9:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The rangers are going to come to

to some real tough decisions about using guys in the ‘pen or rotation. Like you said, I’m sure he starts in the ’pen, but if he is a TORP, you put him in the rotation. With guys like Perez on their way along with Gutierrez all at AA, the future looks really bright. The future is nearly here!

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Oct 19, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last I saw

they intend to start him next spring then go from there, but his performance in Arizona can obviously have a huge impact on all of that.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 19, 2009 12:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Goldstein today

Tanner Scheppers, RHP, Rangers (AFL: Surprise)
For many teams in June, Scheppers was just too radioactive to draft, as some were specifically told to not select him once doctors reviewed the sketchy medical history of his right arm. The thing is, there’s some real magic in said limb; in his AFL debut on Friday, his fastball sat at 95-98 mph over a pair of scoreless innings. He’s still a risk, but seemingly a risk well worth taking, and he just might be the Rangers shut-down closer of the future.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9672

by Brett Perryman on Oct 19, 2009 1:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

well we already knew what Goldstein thought of him. He said he expected him in the pen.

I guess I can’t complain either way. However, I think when the time comes and he shows he can start and stay healthy I’ll lobby like hell for him to be in the rotation (not that it would do any good).

"Blister please, with those wings in your spine.
Love to be with a brother of mine.
How he'd love to find your tongue in his teeth,
In a struggle to find secret songs that you keep,
Wrapped in boxes so tight, sounding only at night as you sleep." ~Jeff Magnum; Neutral Milk Hotel

by jdh90 on Oct 19, 2009 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only caveat for me

might be that, while I’d like to see Feliz and Scheppers in the rotation if their stuff warrants it (and right now both look like they’re on their way), if you’re trying to win something, I’m not sure how comfortable I am with using two rotation spots on guys whose innings you need to manage carefully.

The flip side of that is that I don’t trust Ron Washington AT ALL with a toy in the bullpen, given what he’s shown with Feliz this year. I’d almost prefer that a guy like this be the closer just to protect him from abuse.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 19, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Making someone the closer on a Ron Washington team is hardly protection from abuse.

by LiamP on Oct 19, 2009 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also

Just a few weeks ago, Golstein was right there with Callis calling him a piece of baseball dung because of what a few baseball folks told them about his shoulder. Considering how stubborn Goldstein can be, I consider this to be about as much of a retraction as you can get in such a short time. Keith Law, on the other hand, wasn’t as critical of the health situation.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 19, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you can throw Mayo

in there with those two with his hack “50% torn labrum” piece that he rushed to print after talking to 2 scouts

Minor Moosings

by Goyogringo on Oct 19, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Though I seem to remember

Law panning the pick at the time (and in subsequent screeds) based solely on speculation about the shoulder

Minor Moosings

by Goyogringo on Oct 19, 2009 7:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah

Didn’t remember that

by Brett Perryman on Oct 19, 2009 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

panning

is a strong word from what I remember.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Oct 19, 2009 7:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exciting.

by tyd3311 on Oct 19, 2009 4:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope he closes

Although the potential payoff is greater is he starts, this may be the sort of situation where you simply get what you can from a golden arm before it falls off and bleeds horribly on the ground.

I like steak.

by Conjunction on Oct 20, 2009 12:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What would be easier on Schepepra shoulder?

Pitching every 5 days or pitching out of the bullpen? Also, if he is a starter in the minors do the Rangers want to risk putting him in their bullpen and the different workload?

|Space for Rent|

by RangerMad on Oct 20, 2009 1:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs