http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?s...mp;ymd=20140616

 

Charlotte- Surkamp

Great Falls- McKenzie

Matt Davidson homer

Phegley and Wilkins also with homers.

Davidson 2-4 with no strikeouts, first hit in the second half of a game all year (possible exaggeration)

Erik Surkamp had a great start, 7.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 8K. His K:BB rate this year is excellent.

Erik Surkamp had a great start, 7.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 8K. His K:BB rate this year is excellent.

 

He does good the first 4 innings but always finds trouble in the 5th or 6th. Good to see a solid start.

He does good the first 4 innings but always finds trouble in the 5th or 6th. Good to see a solid start.

In fairness to him, he's allowing an unsustainable BABIP and home run rate, so bad luck would probably explain some of that. If he keeps up this form I wouldn't mind seeing him up for a start or two.

Davidson 2-4 with no strikeouts, first hit in the second half of a game all year (possible exaggeration)

 

Davidson's first game with Coach Thome.

 

Thome'll fix 'em.

New acquisition Chevy Clarke went 1/3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Toby Thomas - 2/5, RBI, SB

Zach Fisher - 3/5

Palmeiro - 2/4, HR, 3 RBI

New acquisition Chevy Clarke went 1/3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Toby Thomas - 2/5, RBI, SB

Zach Fisher - 3/5

Palmeiro - 2/4, HR, 3 RBI

Batting 4th, Zach Fish. Batting 5th, Zach Fisher.

Batting 4th, Zach Fish. Batting 5th, Zach Fisher.

 

Now that won't be confusing at all. Damn you. Hahn!

 

Jeff Barry or Jeff Berry?

Edited June 17, 201411 yr by caulfield12

In fairness to him, he's allowing an unsustainable BABIP and home run rate, so bad luck would probably explain some of that. If he keeps up this form I wouldn't mind seeing him up for a start or two.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to use him in the bullpen, where the Sox really need another lefty?

Wouldn't it make more sense to use him in the bullpen, where the Sox really need another lefty?

 

 

Depends on your belief/confidence in Rienzo fixing things or continuing to go backwards.

Wouldn't it make more sense to use him in the bullpen, where the Sox really need another lefty?

 

Surkamp is pretty much the left handed version of Dylan Axelrod.

Surkamp is pretty much the left handed version of Dylan Axelrod.

 

Left handed versions of Dylan Axelrod can have pretty good careers in the majors because they are left handed.

Surkamp is pretty much the left handed version of Dylan Axelrod.

This isn't really the case, other than to say they both have low-marginal fastball velocity (upper 80's, T90).

 

Surkamp was a T20 prospect in the Giants' system for years, was putting up numbers at lower ages per level than Axelrod, and has (or at least had) above average breaking stuff. Axelrod has never had breaking stuff that was even average really.

 

Not saying Surkamp is anything great, but the only similarity I see between them is fastball velocity.

 

This isn't really the case, other than to say they both have low-marginal fastball velocity (upper 80's, T90).

 

Surkamp was a T20 prospect in the Giants' system for years, was putting up numbers at lower ages per level than Axelrod, and has (or at least had) above average breaking stuff. Axelrod has never had breaking stuff that was even average really.

 

Not saying Surkamp is anything great, but the only similarity I see between them is fastball velocity.

 

Their numbers in the minors are very similar. The only real difference is that Surkamp strikes out a couple of more batters. Their numbers are close to identical otherwise over their minor league careers. It isn't a small sample size either Axe has 634 IP and Surkamp 551 over their time in the minors. Obviously you place Surkamp higher a prospect because he is lefthanded, but really there isn't much difference.

 

Axe 2.99 ERA 1.172 WHIP 8.2 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.3 BB/9 8.1 K/9

 

Surkamp 3.09 era 1.165 WHIP 8.0 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.5 BB/9 10.1 K/9

Their numbers in the minors are very similar. The only real difference is that Surkamp strikes out a couple of more batters. Their numbers are close to identical otherwise over their minor league careers. It isn't a small sample size either Axe has 634 IP and Surkamp 551 over their time in the minors. Obviously you place Surkamp higher a prospect because he is lefthanded, but really there isn't much difference.

 

Axe 2.99 ERA 1.172 WHIP 8.2 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.3 BB/9 8.1 K/9

 

Surkamp 3.09 era 1.165 WHIP 8.0 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.5 BB/9 10.1 K/9

 

Dylan Axelrod also comes with an 89 MPH fastball from the right side. A lefty can get away with that more often, especially in relief.

Their numbers in the minors are very similar. The only real difference is that Surkamp strikes out a couple of more batters. Their numbers are close to identical otherwise over their minor league careers. It isn't a small sample size either Axe has 634 IP and Surkamp 551 over their time in the minors. Obviously you place Surkamp higher a prospect because he is lefthanded, but really there isn't much difference.

 

Axe 2.99 ERA 1.172 WHIP 8.2 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.3 BB/9 8.1 K/9

 

Surkamp 3.09 era 1.165 WHIP 8.0 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.5 BB/9 10.1 K/9

 

I think you'd have to analyze their stuff to make that claim. Axelrod is a really polished guy who has figured out AAA, but just doesn't have the goods to do it at the ML level. What is Surkamp? He may getting similar results, but is it from deception and polish or from better stuff? Could his stuff translate better? Does he have some command fixes he can make that might take him to the next level?

I think you'd have to analyze their stuff to make that claim. Axelrod is a really polished guy who has figured out AAA, but just doesn't have the goods to do it at the ML level. What is Surkamp? He may getting similar results, but is it from deception and polish or from better stuff? Could his stuff translate better? Does he have some command fixes he can make that might take him to the next level?

 

I could be reading too much into it, but with as deep as we went into the minors, if Surkamp couldn't get called up then, that is probably pretty telling.

I could be reading too much into it, but with as deep as we went into the minors, if Surkamp couldn't get called up then, that is probably pretty telling.

 

Especially when they already gave Leesman a shot.

 

Of course, part of it had to do with whose turn it was in the rotation in Charlotte...but if they believed so strongly in Surkamp, they wouldn't be acting (for the moment) like there was zero concern about Andre Rienzo.

There could easily be other circumstances to go along with that. How many options does Surkamp have remaining? Did the Sox want to risk losing him if they felt they wanted to send him back down? I know he wasn't pitching well at the time, even if it was unlucky.

 

I don't think we know anything about Surkamp yet.

At least before he had TJ surgery, Surkamp's stuff was frequently compared to a young Barry Zito. He is and has always been a better prospect than Axelrod. The season before having TJ, this is what he did in AA:

 

2.02 ERA, 142 IP (22 starts), 165 K, 44 BB, 10-4 W-L. He won the pitching triple crown in his league.

 

The fact that he has the same K/9 this year (10.4) and an even lower BB/9 (2.2) is encouraging. We'll have to see if the spike in hits allowed is flukey or not.

This is also his first full season back from TJ and the breaking ball is usually the last thing to rebound. He is definitely a guy to keep an eye on if he can get back to where he was.

 

Comparing his AAA numbers from the last two seasons:

 

2013 - 11 starts - 2.78 ERA 71.1 IP 56H 23R 22ER 4 HR 20 BB 54 K .5 HR/9 2.5 BB/9 6.8 K/9 .257 BABIP 3.71 FIP

2014 - 10 starts - 4.88 ERA 66.1 IP 83H 41R 36ER 8 HR 16 BB 77K 1.1 HR/9 2.2 BB/9 10.4 K/9 .397 BABIP 3.60 FIP

 

An almost .400 BABIP is really crushing him this season, but his K rate is way up and his walks are down, so it appears that his control is returning. Before TJ surgery he was a top 5 prospect in the Giants org.