Durham @ Charlotte

 

Philly on the mound.

 

Huntsville @ Birmingham

 

Gio on the mound.

 

So far, 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 K

 

Winston Salem @ Wilmington

 

RyRod with an okay start.

 

Asheville @ Kannapolis

 

Brooks mediocre.

Day roughed up a little, only 1 K

 

Gio is beastly. He is finally going to be that real ace we have been searching long and hard for... hopefully.

Leave me off the Gio bandwagon still. He is repeating AA after all. Granted he is still only 21 and these numbers are silly, but I'm not gonna go calling him an ace.

Whether Gonzalez is a future a #1 (which I doubt) or a #2 (which I find more likely), he'll find his way up to the major leagues by 2008/2009 if everything remains on track. Perhaps sooner, I don't know.

 

I'd like to believe over the next several seasons we'll be replacing veteran starters with pitchers from within the organization. One of Buehrle, Garland, or Contreras should be gone before April 2008. Hopefully, either Haeger, Broadway, Gonzalez, Russell, or perhaps an acquired prospect via trade are ready.

Count would be my choice, unless we want Major League Baseball's first fifty year old pticher.

Count would be my choice, unless we want Major League Baseball's first fifty year old pticher.

 

Contreras is a shell of himself from this year at this time.

For whatever reason, I beleive Gio will be traded again. I just get a certain vibe about the situation, and think Gio is the type of pitcher that puts up very sexy numbers, and in turn has alot of value, but I just have a hunch we might see Gio moved in a package.

 

I'll be extremely pissed if that were to happen.

I think if he keeps going like this, we'll keep him.

A lot of people would be, and there is probably very little chance of it actually happening. I just get a hunch that he could be moved. O' well, what do I know?

 

Speaking as of right now -- is there a better pitching prospect in the organization? Russell has potential, but he's never done it in a full season. I want to see him pitch well for a whole season before I buy into the new arm angles (the stuff is obviously there).

 

I'd be very dissappointed if any of the top three from the Birmingham rotation were traded. I understand that you can't get something without giving something, but guys like McCollough, Broadway, and Haeger should go before any of the top three in Birmy, IMO.

I think if he keeps going like this, we'll keep him.

how could you not?

I'll be extremely pissed if that were to happen.

It depends on who we get. I'd do the Jim Thome trade over and over and over again.

It depends on who we get. I'd do the Jim Thome trade over and over and over again.

 

Well, if we were to trade Gio, it better be for some pretty sick pitching.

Well, if we were to trade Gio, it better be for some pretty sick pitching.

Yeah and Jim Thome is a pretty sick power bat. Kenny isn't stupid people.

Yeah and Jim Thome is a pretty sick power bat. Kenny isn't stupid people.

 

I know this. Blame Tony. He got me trippin'. lol.

I just kind of fell in love with Gio watching him pitch this spring. I honestly think he could be in next year's rotation.

 

Of course, he's no Egbert.

I doubted Gio but he's won me over.

I doubted Gio but he's won me over.

The one thing I worry about with Gio is kind of like Danks. Gio has an amazing curveball and a fastball that is suppose to creep up to 94 MPH. I have seen stuff this year saying he has pitched around there, but for some reason when pitchers come up to the majors they lose 3-4 MPH on their fastball ala Danks, Arnie Munoz did and even Danny Wright to some extent where he was supposed to be high 90's and all I saw was mid 90's. But you gotta love Gio numbers, they are just plain sick.

Leave me off the Gio bandwagon still. He is repeating AA after all. Granted he is still only 21 and these numbers are silly, but I'm not gonna go calling him an ace.

I'm still with Dan. I'm not going to lie and say that his numbers aren't exciting the hell out of me, I just got a bad feeling about him. Unfortunately, I still see him as an injury waiting to happen, I hope I'm wrong.

 

Russell on the other hand, well...I pretty much fell in love with him in spring training watching him pitch. `

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by Rowand44

3-headed monster of Gio/Egbert/Russell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	W	L	IP	H	HR	BB	SO	ERA	WHIP
	8	3	80.1	55	3	24	92	2.02	0.98

We have no pitching depth......

As soon as December of last year we didn't. Danks and Gonzalez weren't on our ballclub and Russell wasn't even on the radar. Egbert was, but he only had limited time in Birmingham.

 

You can never expect everything to go exactly as planned, but if even two of Gonzalez/Russell/Egbert make our starting rotation one day we'll be in good shape.

 

What we should do to ensure expectations are riding high on those three is giving them a delightful nickname. Such as that of Danks, Volzquez, Diamond. Worked out well for them. How about GRE? When defined, it means a set of three pitchers who will test opposing offenses to ensure their placement into the major leagues.

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by Flash Tizzle

Eg Salad?

Gio's numbers are better than he really is, in my opinion. Like Tony said earlier, I'd have no problem if we used him to acquire a good young hitter. I know KW did a good job of upgrading the pitching in our system last offseason, but he neglected to add anything on the offensive end that will help our aging squad.

Gio's numbers are better than he really is, in my opinion. Like Tony said earlier, I'd have no problem if we used him to acquire a good young hitter. I know KW did a good job of upgrading the pitching in our system last offseason, but he neglected to add anything on the offensive end that will help our aging squad.

I don't believe anyone questions that Gonzalez isn't a 1.90ERA, 10.5K/IP type of pitcher in the major leagues.

 

Regardless, I believe it's ridiculous to trade him or any other starting pitcher with upside. How exactly are we going to field a good starting rotation if the organization is unwilling to spend money in the FA market, consistently selects low in the draft, and has an abysmal track record at finding international talent?

 

I have more confidence we'll pay for hitters in the market.

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by Flash Tizzle

I don't believe anyone questions that Gonzalez isn't a 1.90ERA, 10.5K/IP type of pitcher in the major leagues.

 

Regardless, I believe it's ridiculous to trade him or any other starting pitcher with upside. How exactly are we going to field a good starting rotation if the organization is unwilling to spend money in the FA market, consistently selects low in the draft, and has an abysmal track record at finding international talent?

 

I have more confidence we'll pay for hitters in the market.

 

I think the big issue is if we'll actually pay for players in the FA market, or will KW continue to whine about the overpaying going on?

I think the big issue is if we'll actually pay for players in the FA market, or will KW continue to whine about the overpaying going on?

 

You say this like KW was wrong. All the hitters did get overpaid this winter. There were some who he missed out on (IMO), but good players got star money this winter. There will be potentially two stars on the market this winter in Andruw Jones and (maybe) A-Rod, and a third very good player in Ichiro.

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by CWSGuy406