their rotation looks pretty lousy. Hamels is the only one Steamer projects to be "above average" (and that's at 2.3 WAR). ZiPS has only Perez (2.7 WAR) and Hamels (3.2) as above average. Colon was pretty awful last year, but he was also pretty good in 2016. Projections aren't particularly optimistic (5.02 ERA per Steamer), but that could still be a serviceable back end starter. With a rotation as mediocre as the Rangers, they need someone to eat innings. They'd probably be better off seeing what their pitching prospects can do, but I don't know if they have any particularly interesting prospects that are on the verge of a callup.
The 3rd Astro prospect caught this offseason and 4th in a year.....Is Clemens working for the Astros?
This thread is starting to pick up.....
I saw 6 posts in 2017.....There are more in 2018 already.....
Well, at least he can hit right?
Like the evaluator, he took a more universal view of the pitch selection Ohtani will see. It’s not just the sinkers. Heavy, hard-spinning curveballs are particularly rare in Japan, where the strikeout pitch of choice is a split-fingered fastball, and the curve’s rebirth in MLB recently makes for at least two pitches that could pose particular trouble for Ohtani.
“He’s basically like a high school hitter because he’s never seen a good curveball,” the scout said. “He’s seen fastballs and changeups. And you’re asking a high school hitter to jump to the major leagues?”
