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There's a new reliever in town: The Alex Scherff thread
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Post by Oregon Norm on Mar 22, 2018 9:45:32 GMT -5
I'm with Carmen on this one. Very inconsistent and forced, classic for a big guy with moving parts in every direction. Good stuff with run, but he'll get eaten alive at higher levels if he can't repeat the delivery and get control. Maybe it's just early in the season, but there's serious work to do.
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Post by m1keyboots on Mar 22, 2018 11:27:22 GMT -5
Idk, I see guys challenging the follow through, and even the footwork. Even starring right now for the Bosox we have guys who finish every pitch with a "pull of the cord from the ground", and it works! Can you believe it?! However it's still concerning. I wish success for pretty much every guy. Here's to hoping he carries his success from college into his long professional career
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Post by James Dunne on Mar 22, 2018 12:17:05 GMT -5
Idk, I see guys challenging the follow through, and even the footwork. Even starring right now for the Bosox we have guys who finish every pitch with a "pull of the cord from the ground", and it works! Can you believe it?! I can. Fernando Rodney has done it, in a much more exaggerated and painful-looking way, for like two decades and over 800 appearances. If Scherff had Rodney's career I'd be thrilled. But it is not ideal, especially for a starter.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Mar 22, 2018 12:22:06 GMT -5
EDIT2: Regarding the discussion and articles from a few days ago, I would not start him in Greenville. He needs to be working on his delivery and the NYPL is the better place for a guy his age, experience, and status to be doing that. I'd be worried that challenging him with a run in the SAL would lead to him falling into bad habits in order to get hitters out, natural competitiveness being what it is and all. We'll see what we see this weekend, but based on the video, I'd be stunned if he started in Greenville, and would be inclined to agree on our current Lowell projection for him. I also don't see any of that as a problem either.
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Post by James Dunne on Mar 22, 2018 12:38:11 GMT -5
EDIT2: Regarding the discussion and articles from a few days ago, I would not start him in Greenville. He needs to be working on his delivery and the NYPL is the better place for a guy his age, experience, and status to be doing that. I'd be worried that challenging him with a run in the SAL would lead to him falling into bad habits in order to get hitters out, natural competitiveness being what it is and all. We'll see what we see this weekend, but based on the video, I'd be stunned if he started in Greenville, and would be inclined to agree on our current Lowell projection for him. I also don't see any of that as a problem either. Just made me think - when was the last time the Red Sox started a prospect similar to Scherff in Lowell? They've generally pushed their prominent high school pitchers from the previous draft to Greenville, but most of those guys have been top picks who were more polished, like Ball, Owens, Kelly, etc. I guess probably Callahan, right? It seems like Lowell has had weak pitching staffs until draft picks start getting assigned for years now.
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Post by jimed14 on Mar 22, 2018 12:52:33 GMT -5
I remember facing pitchers like Scherf (not his stuff but his inconsistency). It was the most terrifying thing, when you're just sure that he's going to completely miss his spot and hit you in the head because he has no idea where the ball is going on some pitches.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Mar 22, 2018 13:17:23 GMT -5
We'll see what we see this weekend, but based on the video, I'd be stunned if he started in Greenville, and would be inclined to agree on our current Lowell projection for him. I also don't see any of that as a problem either. Just made me think - when was the last time the Red Sox started a prospect similar to Scherff in Lowell? They've generally pushed their prominent high school pitchers from the previous draft to Greenville, but most of those guys have been top picks who were more polished, like Ball, Owens, Kelly, etc. I guess probably Callahan, right? It seems like Lowell has had weak pitching staffs until draft picks start getting assigned for years now. HS pitchers, first full season: 2016: Groome, 1st rd, Greenville 2015: (Allen, 8th rd, traded) 2014: Kopech, 1st rd, Greenville; Kevin Steen, 9th rd, GCL; Josh Pennington, 29th rd, Tommy John rehab in GCL but spent next year in Lowell 2013: Ball, 1st rd, Greenville; Jalen Williams, 16th rd, GCL; Gabe Speier, 19th rd, Tommy John rehab in GCL then traded; Pat Goetze, 36th rd, GCL; KJ Trader, 39th rd, GCL 2012: Jamie Callahan, 2nd rd, Lowell; Ty Buttrey, 4th rd, Lowell; Willie Ethington, 17th rd, GCL 2011: Owens, Supp 1st rd, Greenville; Cody Kukuk, 7th rd, Greenville; Matt Spalding, 29th rd, GCL (might've had TJ?) That's probably as far back as it makes sense to go, but yeah, Callahan, Buttrey, and Kukuk are the closest things to Scherff on this list as being 2nd/3rd round talent guys, with 2 going to Lowell and Kukuk going to Greenville. Backs up the idea that it's been a possibility for Scherff to go to Greenville, but Lowell seems to make a lot more sense, especially if they're going to work on his mechanics.
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Post by fenwaythehardway on Mar 22, 2018 15:44:36 GMT -5
In both videos he's finishing like he's pulling the cord on a lawnmower. It's more pronounced after some pitches than others, but that is not ideal either for control or health reasons. And as Hatfield pointed out in another thread, the lower body isn't doing enough of the drive there. Impossible to see him staying as a starter with that delivery. I'll try to find an actual link, but I'm pretty sure I've seen research out of Driveline that shows leg driving having almost nothing to do with pitch velocity. It's all about core rotation and arm speed. In other words, having the drop-and-drive delivery doesn't really matter in terms of stress on the arm. So I'm not sure how much of a problem that is. That said, even as someone with a terrible eye for pitching mechanics, yeah, he looks super inconsistent and that for sure is a problem. But that's what the minor leagues are for!
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Mar 22, 2018 15:53:34 GMT -5
In both videos he's finishing like he's pulling the cord on a lawnmower. It's more pronounced after some pitches than others, but that is not ideal either for control or health reasons. And as Hatfield pointed out in another thread, the lower body isn't doing enough of the drive there. Impossible to see him staying as a starter with that delivery. I'll try to find an actual link, but I'm pretty sure I've seen research out of Driveline that shows leg driving having almost nothing to do with pitch velocity. It's all about core rotation and arm speed. In other words, having the drop-and-drive delivery doesn't really matter in terms of stress on the arm. So I'm not sure how much of a problem that is. That said, even as someone with a terrible eye for pitching mechanics, yeah, he looks super inconsistent and that for sure is a problem. But that's what the minor leagues are for! Yeah, that sounds familiar. Still, I'm not seeing a whole lot of core rotation either - it's all just in the arm.
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Post by rismith on Mar 22, 2018 17:12:29 GMT -5
some slow motion at the end of this. Looks similar to now so seems to be fairly consistent over time with how he threw 2 years ago. Keep in mind he didn't pitch until instructs and so if they were going to alter his delivery I would have thought that would have started. But maybe not...
We shall see in the coming years but looks like maybe a reliever in the making. That still could have a lot of value in short spurts.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Mar 22, 2018 18:01:52 GMT -5
I'd say he arguably looks like he's relying less on his arm in the HS video than the recent one, but that could just be a camera angle thing.
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Post by telson13 on Mar 22, 2018 21:22:42 GMT -5
I'd say he arguably looks like he's relying less on his arm in the HS video than the recent one, but that could just be a camera angle thing. Does his core rotation look late to you in that vid? He seems to be planting early and rotating after, using his arm almost in front of his core. I’m no scout, so I can’t say, but he definitely looks a little stiff and out of sync, like he’s not aligned well. I’d think if he could get his core rotation and leg plant/drive in line and follow with his arm instead of kinda lead his core with it, he’d be more consistent with his location. In this and current looks it seems to me like he’s throwing “in rotation” rather than synced where the arm is the tangent to rotation. Idk...maybe the issue I’m describing is what they mean by “across his body?”
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Post by m1keyboots on Mar 23, 2018 12:37:31 GMT -5
Idk, I see guys challenging the follow through, and even the footwork. Even starring right now for the Bosox we have guys who finish every pitch with a "pull of the cord from the ground", and it works! Can you believe it?! I can. Fernando Rodney has done it, in a much more exaggerated and painful-looking way, for like two decades and over 800 appearances. If Scherff had Rodney's career I'd be thrilled. But it is not ideal, especially for a starter. Tbh I thought the Bosox would turn Sherff into some sort of reliever with his lack of consistent pitches, and release point. I can believe it too. CS has changed the way I think about power pitching. Much like young skinny Pedro did. However ive been wrong plenty of times before. Just today Brian Johnson is sitting low 90s when before I said he was never to be better than a good AAA pitcher bc he topped out at 86. Sigh. Edit: Stanton would have caught that De Jesus HR. Hopefully that trend continues as NY continues to overrate Judges defense.
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Post by SALNotes on May 7, 2018 11:17:18 GMT -5
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Post by vermontsox1 on Jun 7, 2018 19:42:54 GMT -5
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Post by James Dunne on Jun 7, 2018 22:14:14 GMT -5
That's really positive to hear, and it squares with all of our "wow, his delivery is straight-up not good" takes from that video in spring training.
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Post by Ryanod1 on Aug 22, 2018 4:31:24 GMT -5
The big question here. When will Christpher Acosta come back?.....Kidding, im kidding. I have a question about Alex Sherff and Zach Schellenger.
The question on Sherff: We were all super excited to grab him in the draft last year, and rightfully so. He lost the weight and was hitting the high 90s. This season has he matched his hype from the draft? Im not talking about his numbers in general, but is his velocity even close to the 98 he was hitting? This season he has been injured which can change a lot, but I havent heard anything special in the reports after his starts.
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Post by ramireja on Aug 22, 2018 11:39:34 GMT -5
Hi Nike, there was this Globe article posted above dating back to June. It had reported that improvements to his delivery had him back in the 93-95 range as opposed to 89-91 where he had began the year.
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Post by Ryanod1 on Aug 27, 2018 5:13:20 GMT -5
Hi Nike, there was this Globe article posted above dating back to June. It had reported that improvements to his delivery had him back in the 93-95 range as opposed to 89-91 where he had began the year. Great info! I appreciate you pointing this out. I haven't had a chance to see Scherff pitch, but he didn't sound so great early this year. It made me wonder if there was impending TJ surgery, or something along those lines. The numbers never seemed to match his stuff. I know that certainly happens, but mechanics explains a lot. At least as to where his velocity went.
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Post by SALNotes on Apr 5, 2019 17:16:25 GMT -5
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Post by ramireja on Apr 8, 2019 11:05:50 GMT -5
I moved this great scouting look of Scherff to his personal thread. I'm hoping this thread might see more discussion this year if Scherff progresses the way we all hope. This is a great first look!
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Post by Oregon Norm on Apr 8, 2019 12:38:10 GMT -5
The takeaway, for me, has to be two-fold: The Sox minor league coaching staff is capable of analyzing a pitcher's mechanics and recommending changes, and Scherff is flexible in the approach to his craft. These are good things.
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Post by ramireja on May 26, 2021 15:22:46 GMT -5
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nomar
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Post by nomar on May 27, 2021 8:13:24 GMT -5
He probably can get up close to 100 out of the pen. Hope it works out for him. Great arm
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cdj
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Post by cdj on May 27, 2021 10:10:07 GMT -5
From the reports on here it always seemed like he was destined for a bullpen role, glad to see the stuff is clearly playing up. 15 k’s....1 hit....not too shabby
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