There's only one stat to look for with Beck - strikeouts. He'll never cut it if he can't increase the strikeouts significantly

Except for the fact that you can't look at minor league stats in a vacuum. It is a league and place you go to develop and often times that means you put certain statistical feats to the side to work on other things. I have no insight to what the Sox plans are and what they are working on but he might be working on other pitches in "strikeout" counts, etc. I'd be more focused on ground ball ratio, WHIP, OPP BAA. Oh and of course his stuff, which is pretty darn good.

http://www.chicagonow.com/future-sox/2014/...is-hot-in-june/

 

Recap posted. Please forgive the cheesy headline.

 

After looking into him, Jacob May is a fascinating prospect. He has good speed, plays a good center field by the accounts I read, and has shown pop. I will be interested to see how he progresses.

He has a nice set of tools and has been someone to keep an eye on. Despite his slow start he's made major strides and could have a summer that propels him up the prospect lists.

Except for the fact that you can't look at minor league stats in a vacuum. It is a league and place you go to develop and often times that means you put certain statistical feats to the side to work on other things. I have no insight to what the Sox plans are and what they are working on but he might be working on other pitches in "strikeout" counts, etc. I'd be more focused on ground ball ratio, WHIP, OPP BAA. Oh and of course his stuff, which is pretty darn good.

I just have a hard time buying that his stuff is pretty darn good when you look up at see more hits than innings pitched and less than 5 Ks/9 inning. I sincerely hope is just working on stuff because there is no hope for him becoming anything but a No. 4 or 5 if he can't miss bats.

You'd think, given the fact that he has demonstrated no ability to strike enough guys out to be successful, they would have him focus on generating swings and misses at the expense of anything and everything else.

You'd think, given the fact that he has demonstrated no ability to strike enough guys out to be successful, they would have him focus on generating swings and misses at the expense of anything and everything else.

 

I don't doubt what Balta saw, but I don't believe we've gotten confirmation from anybody else that Beck is purposely working on something which causes him to strike nobody out. Or, at the very least, that he has been doing it in more than just that one start. At any rate, he is going to have to show the ability to miss bats at some point or another. The longer it takes the harder it is to believe that he will.

 

 

I don't doubt what Balta saw, but I don't believe we've gotten confirmation from anybody else that Beck is purposely working on something which causes him to strike nobody out. Or, at the very least, that he has been doing it in more than just that one start. At any rate, he is going to have to show the ability to miss bats at some point or another. The longer it takes the harder it is to believe that he will.

I can't figure out why else a guy who spent 6 innings hitting 93-94 with the fastball regularly wouldn't be able to start missing more bats.

I can't figure out why else a guy who spent 6 innings hitting 93-94 with the fastball regularly wouldn't be able to start missing more bats.

 

See Felipe Paulino at 94-96.

I can't figure out why else a guy who spent 6 innings hitting 93-94 with the fastball regularly wouldn't be able to start missing more bats.

 

We've seen this with Nestor Molina too, to some extent.

 

I understand that Beck has a great sinker, which is going to come at a cost to strikeouts, but it seems he just has no put-away pitch/ability.

We've seen this with Nestor Molina too, to some extent.

 

I understand that Beck has a great sinker, which is going to come at a cost to strikeouts, but it seems he just has no put-away pitch/ability.

If he was throwing the sinker I didn't see too much of it unless it's the hardest sinker I've seen. He was very consistent with his velocity for 6 innings.