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Post by jimed14 on Aug 5, 2014 10:47:06 GMT -5
We'll see how he does with the added pressure the media winds up putting on him for being the next Jon Lester. I'm sure that ramps up with a few more of these starts at AAA.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Aug 5, 2014 12:54:09 GMT -5
I hope the media zips it with the Jon Lester comparisons. I think Owens will be fine being Henry Owens. He is such an intriguing pitcher, but it's amazing how big a gulf there can be on opinions regarding this guy. Some scouts think he's a mid rotation starter whose lack of an amazing fastball and potentially spotty control can downgrade his expectations while others see him as a guy putting it together based on the evidence at hand with a chance to be a strong #2 type starter.
My main concern was this guy's control, and it seems that this has improved markedly. I wonder if he might struggle at first with his control in the bigs, but will figure out how to harness it as he goes along. He seems like a smart kid who figures things out so I have no reason not to think he wouldn't be an asset in the rotation come 2015 at some point.
I don't want him to replace Lester, but I'd love for the two of them to be teammates on the 2015 Red Sox. That would give them potentially two nasty lefthanders to deal with for opposing hitters.
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Post by nexus on Aug 5, 2014 13:55:25 GMT -5
Something happened to Owens in late May. He came into his start on 5/24 as the guy we already knew from the previous 2 years: 10.19 K/9, 4.83 BB/9, 2.11 K/BB. Since then (12 starts, 77.1 innings), he's been at 9.08 K/9, 2.68 BB/9, 3.31 K/BB and a WHIP hovering around 1. Granted, it's still too small of a sample to confirm his command/control issues are a thing of the past, but he's never had a consistent stretch of efficiency like this in his pro career.
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Post by moonstone2 on Aug 5, 2014 15:17:31 GMT -5
An interesting development is to see if Owens is given a September start in the majors. Alex Speier wrote a very rational piece today on why they shouldn't put him in the big leagues any time soon. This despite talk show hosts clamoring for his arrival on the big stage. Hosts that really don't care about protecting Noe Ramirez from the Rule Five draft.
I have always believed that Speier is very plugged in with the baseball ops and Cafardo and Shaughnassy are very plugged into Larry Lucchino. When Speier writes something, it may represent his own opinion, but he has likely discussed the issue extensively with baseball opps. I think it's safe to assume that Ben and the rest of baseball ops don't want to put Owens' in the majors anytime soon.
I think that Lucchino is going to want Owens in the majors in September because it will boost interest in a team that isn't going to be making a playoff run. A good September start or two by Owens puts the team temporarily back in the spotlight when most of New England will be focused on Tom Brady's latest touchdown pass.
My prediction is that sometime this month we will see more clamoring from Cafardo and others to get Owens in the majors. The clamoring will be even louder if he shows good pitching lines. Sometime in September it will happen regardless of if it's a good idea or not.
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Post by sibbysisti on Aug 5, 2014 16:57:36 GMT -5
Owens is at 127 IP for the season. He'll probably be limited, as a 22 yr. old, to 150 - 160 innings. That leaves him about four to five starting appearances for the balance of 2014. It doesn't make sense to rush him to Boston when he can get the work in at Pawtucket and be ready to step in at some point next year.
Lucchino and PR be damned; we need the ops people to make the judgement call on this valuable asset.
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Post by redsoxfan2 on Aug 5, 2014 17:08:44 GMT -5
His last start of the season should be a cup of coffee call to Boston. The kid has earned it. Let him get a taste of what the MLB is like and have him come back ready to go next year in AAA.
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Post by jimed14 on Aug 5, 2014 17:13:32 GMT -5
He's almost certainly not going to get a 40-man spot this year. They have too many other guys to protect.
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Post by terriblehondo on Aug 5, 2014 18:01:32 GMT -5
I would like to see Chaz's write up on Owens after seeing him this outing. He had his curve graded at 45 in his last write up but last night tweeted it was an easy plus. It would be foolish to bring him up this year and put him on the 40 man. There is nothing to gain by it. But if he continues to throw like he has this year he could force the issue early next year.
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 5, 2014 18:38:43 GMT -5
Agreed you shouldn't use a 40 man spot on him this offseason. Just not necesary. One or two MLB starts isn't worth the lost flexibilty. He will get good reps in AAA that will be beneficial to his development.
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Post by larrycook on Aug 5, 2014 22:16:56 GMT -5
His last start of the season should be a cup of coffee call to Boston. The kid has earned it. Let him get a taste of what the MLB is like and have him come back ready to go next year in AAA. Why does it have to be a start? Why can't he just pitch an inning at a time?
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Post by klostrophobic on Aug 6, 2014 0:00:10 GMT -5
Have the Red Sox ever added a real prospect to the 40-man for the sole purpose of a meaningless September start or two? Genuinely asking.
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Post by bigpupp on Aug 6, 2014 0:03:31 GMT -5
Have the Red Sox ever added a real prospect to the 40-man for the sole purpose of a meaningless September start or two? Genuinely asking. They weren't meaningless, obviously, but Buchholz only made 3 starts when they brought him up in 2007.
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Post by moonstone2 on Aug 6, 2014 6:42:36 GMT -5
Have the Red Sox ever added a real prospect to the 40-man for the sole purpose of a meaningless September start or two? Genuinely asking. They weren't meaningless, obviously, but Buchholz only made 3 starts when they brought him up in 2007. In that case they were looking to see if they could put him on the playoff roster. He came down with a sore arm so they shut him down. This only becomes an issue with the new rules as under the old rules, a player would be rule five eligible anyways. Owens is the first player that I can remember that doesn't have to be protected but might boost. September interest in a losing team. The team brought up Betts during a lost season and blew a 40 man spot on him even though he barely played. Good chance that the PR department makes them do that again.
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Post by vermontsox1 on Aug 7, 2014 9:42:23 GMT -5
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Post by jimed14 on Aug 7, 2014 10:39:04 GMT -5
Best breaking pitch in AA sounds better than the average grade it usually gets. Unless no pitcher in AA has a plus curve...
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Post by onbase on Aug 7, 2014 10:56:35 GMT -5
Best breaking pitch in AA sounds better than the average grade it usually gets. Unless no pitcher in AA has a plus curve... Speaking of curves, What happened to the Unfair One?
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Post by jimed14 on Aug 7, 2014 11:24:00 GMT -5
Best breaking pitch in AA sounds better than the average grade it usually gets. Unless no pitcher in AA has a plus curve... Speaking of curves, What happened to the Unfair One?Awesome article, thanks.
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Post by sammo420 on Aug 7, 2014 11:42:19 GMT -5
Best breaking pitch in AA sounds better than the average grade it usually gets. Unless no pitcher in AA has a plus curve... Speaking of curves, What happened to the Unfair One?The drinker, the tanning-salon guy and hatchet face???
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Post by James Dunne on Aug 7, 2014 12:05:16 GMT -5
Best breaking pitch in AA sounds better than the average grade it usually gets. Unless no pitcher in AA has a plus curve... Two years ago this survey graded Ryan Lavarnway as the best defensive catcher in the International League. Take it with an entire shaker of salt.
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Post by klostrophobic on Aug 7, 2014 12:27:43 GMT -5
They weren't meaningless, obviously, but Buchholz only made 3 starts when they brought him up in 2007. In that case they were looking to see if they could put him on the playoff roster. He came down with a sore arm so they shut him down. This only becomes an issue with the new rules as under the old rules, a player would be rule five eligible anyways. Owens is the first player that I can remember that doesn't have to be protected but might boost. September interest in a losing team. The team brought up Betts during a lost season and blew a 40 man spot on him even though he barely played. Good chance that the PR department makes them do that again. When they called up Betts, they had the worst OF in baseball and the season wasn't totally lost yet; I think a totally reasonable and winning-oriented move. They called up Betts presumably with the idea he was one of the three best OF in the organization while still teetering on the edge of possible contention.
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moist
New Member
Posts: 1
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Post by moist on Aug 7, 2014 22:46:07 GMT -5
What are your guys thoughts on comparing Henry Owens to Alex Wood? I know it's not perfect, but if Owens refines his command a little further I think he can put up numbers similar to Wood. (I realize Wood himself is relatively young)
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Post by widewordofsport on Aug 7, 2014 22:56:35 GMT -5
Best breaking pitch in AA sounds better than the average grade it usually gets. Unless no pitcher in AA has a plus curve... Two years ago this survey graded Ryan Lavarnway as the best defensive catcher in the International League. Take it with an entire shaker of salt. And there ends any discussion I am willing to entertain on that survey. In general, I imagine when you have a FB that plays up because of the level and the LHP-ness, and a plus changeup, when you drop a curve in it freezes guys, and looks like a lot better than it really is. In 2012 I remember thinking that despite a 1.5 WHIP, it was a good year for Owens because he showed some strikeout ability, stayed healthy, built innings. I don't really put a pitcher (esp a HS one) into the 'show me you're an MLBer' category until he needs to be added to the 40 man. As good as he was this year, it's next year I care about, when he's close to the majors to get a spot start and has that pressure. When his curve gets hit and he has to adjust, or when he adds a pitch in, etc. A walk rate of 3.5 didn't worry me... in 2015, I want to see those IP/start go up, walks go down, holding velo, etc.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Aug 18, 2014 10:15:48 GMT -5
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Post by cologneredsox on Oct 21, 2014 7:18:26 GMT -5
Since it got very quiet for a while npw about one of our most discussed young pitcher, I want to throw the name of Yusmeiro Petit in the thread. Jonah Keri gives a nice overview about him which can tell us that you don't need to throw gas to be successful. Of course, many of you will point out to the extreem good control and command Petit has. But let's not forget Owens still has much time to get better control and it's not like he didn't make strides in this department for the second season in a row now. grantland.com/the-triangle/2014-mlb-playoffs-giants-royals-world-series-preview-predictions/
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Post by joshv02 on Oct 21, 2014 7:48:24 GMT -5
Ahh - Petit vs. Sanchez, I remember the debates like they were in 2004.
SF ended up being the perfect park for him.
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