Minor League News and Notes for 1/8-2/4

[Jack Parkman]

No way, it will be myself and others freaking out about Giolito and Lopez's velocity

Yes. Not worried about Kopech, unless he's gone from 99 to 92 somehow. I'm kind of intrigued about Giolito. I have a hunch he's going to be at the very least 93-96 again. The guy revamped his mechanics, so maybe he wasn't letting it fly last year and was more concerned with muscle memory/repeating delivery. This is based on nothing but gut feeling though. I think he can still be effective at 92-94, but won't have the #1-2 ceiling anymore. Everyone wants to compare Giolito to Gavin Floyd, and I distinctly remember Floyd coming up from the minors his first year with the team throwing 90-93 (like Giolito) but by 2009-10 he was consistently mid-90s, which is where he was as a top prospect. It was a similar process that Floyd was going through that Giolito went through last year. Coop knows what he's doing.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Jack Parkman

[Bob Sacamano]

Do you agree with me that because of this, careers are going to be shorter in the future and good luck compiling Hall of Fame numbers if you are a ballplayer?

 

I disagree. The guys who are on that HoF trajectory will play into their mid/upper 30s.

[NorthSideSox72]

Do you at least agree with my premise that it's going to be VERY HARD or at least much harder for players to put up Hall of Fame numbers in the future with a changing mindset regarding age?

 

If a player is putting up HOF-level numbers at 29, as long as he's healthy, he will be able to get contracts and play for probably another decade. Your premise is ridiculous.

 

[southsideirish71]

I can’t wait until people start freaking out about Kopech showing up at like 93 on the radar gun and saying his velocity is way down after their has been countless articles saying this Spring and season he is going focus primarily on offspeed stuff.

 

Just wait, it’s coming.

 

Wait till the first time someone gets rocked a bit in a meaningless B game where they are working on a pitch. Or some B level minor leaguer hits .450 and they want that guy to supplant Moncada. Spring training is all about overreactions.

 

 

[bmags]

Here's what I will now be bearish on:

Any pitcher that starts camp not throwing. I won't believe sox if they say they are just phasing them in. I'll now assume some discomfort they haven't identified.

 

[BlackSox13]

Wait till the first time someone gets rocked a bit in a meaningless B game where they are working on a pitch. Or some B level minor leaguer hits .450 and they want that guy to supplant Moncada. Spring training is all about overreactions.

You mean we won't be seeing Davidson (2-4 2HR 2K) move Yolmer (1-4 2B) to second and Yolmer moving Moncada to CF because Moncada went 0-4 3K in a ST game? Well that's just f***ed up, lol.

 

 

[BlackSox13]

Here's what I will now be bearish on:

Any pitcher that starts camp not throwing. I won't believe sox if they say they are just phasing them in. I'll now assume some discomfort they haven't identified.

You're not wrong and you won't be alone.