Ozzie and KW emphasize how they want their pitchers to throw strikers. Heath Phillips did just that and I think he's a very good option as a pitcher. The Sox appear to not take him seriously, even though he did better than Floyd. Could it be because he doesn't throw hard? Or is it because Floyd and Danks got all the press because they were acquired via trade?

 

If I was a rival GM in need of pitching I would come after Phillips.

 

Thoughts?

Because he's out of shape.

 

People equate fat with lazy and poor work ethic.

Because he's out of shape.

 

People equate fat with lazy and poor work ethic.

by that standard, jenks would have kicked ass on the angels a couple years ago.

Yeah I don't know much about him, but I've seen him work a few times and been pretty impressed.

He has pretty mediocre stuff, and as Mark Buehrle has shown, you can't produce at all ever if your a lefty with mediocre stuff. Oh wait......

I think the problem with Heath is that he's just too far back along the depth chart. Even if things go wrong, we have our top 4 starters ahead of him, plus Floyd, Haeger, Danks, and Broadway, plus maybe Sisco, Masset, and probably a few others I'm forgetting.

 

Even if Buehrle leaves next offseason...there still doesn't seem to be room to pencil him into the rotation. And supposedly, he has only 1 minor league option left. It just doesn't seem like he developed fast enough to be able to make th e impact with this team.

my guess === velocity, or the lack of it.

 

He doesn't even throw as hard as Buehrle. They project Danks, Gio and others as better big-league left-handed prospects.

 

I like the guy because he throws strikes and pitched pretty well in a hitters park last season.

 

But ... the Sox have never seemed to be in love with him.

Probably also worth noting that until last year, the last few years he hasn't looked all that great.

 

2004, AA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.02 ERA

2005, AA, 1.41 WHIP, 4.07 ERA

2005 AAA 1.94 WHIP, 8.31 ERA, 0-3.

2006: AAA, 1.23 WHIP, 2.96 ERA.

 

Last year was his best year in the minors so far, by quite a bit...a lot better than the years before it, and he's going to be 25 on March 24th.

If Heath has another solid first half, he could be a really good option for trade bait.

Last year was his best year in the minors so far, by quite a bit...

It's the same for Josh Fields though, isn't it? I haven't looked at his numbers for a little bit, but if I remember correctly, last year trumped his past years, and it wasn't even close. That being said, Fields is younger, and hasn't been in the minors for as long as Phillips.

Edited March 14, 200719 yr by Felix

If Heath has another solid first half, he could be a really good option for trade bait.

 

That's what I'm hoping. KW in trade mode with scrubs we don't want is very good.

Edited March 14, 200719 yr by SoxAce

It's the same for Josh Fields though, isn't it? I haven't looked at his numbers for a little bit, but if I remember correctly, last year trumped his past years, and it wasn't even close. That being said, Fields is younger, and hasn't been in the minors for as long as Phillips.

 

Fields has tools scouts love. If Phillips had an 89-92 fastball and a good curve with a developing changeup (or those last two the other way around, doesn't matter), he'd be a top 5 prospect. Numbers are one thing, tools are another, and scouts generally tend to favor tools over numbers because of what could be.

 

Regardless of this, I wonder if Oakland would be interested in Phillips, especially if he puts up another solid half season. Joe Kennedy can't stay healthy when he starts, and I'm not sure what the A's have for pitching depth. If possible, I wonder if the Sox could squeeze one of their middle infield prospects for him.

I think the point could be made that the only difference between Heath and Buehrle circa 2000-2001 is that when Buehrle was coming up, we had all kinds of pitchers getting hurt and having their arms fall off and had no system depth, thus he got his shot, whereas Heath isn't getting a shot since we have a lot of "better" arms in the system.

I think the problem with Heath is that he's just too far back along the depth chart. Even if things go wrong, we have our top 4 starters ahead of him, plus Floyd, Haeger, Danks, and Broadway, plus maybe Sisco, Masset, and probably a few others I'm forgetting.

 

Even if Buehrle leaves next offseason...there still doesn't seem to be room to pencil him into the rotation. And supposedly, he has only 1 minor league option left. It just doesn't seem like he developed fast enough to be able to make th e impact with this team.

 

He is literally our tenth starter right now. He could change that with more results, but as of now, he is down the depth chart too far.

comparisons with Buehrle are invalid.

 

Mark was younger, moved faster through the system and had more success in the lower levels.

 

plus, he can throw more pitches

 

somebody will eventually give Phillips a shot because he's left handed.

 

I'm surprised he still had options.