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Post by Addam603 on Feb 23, 2020 15:24:44 GMT -5
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Post by jimed14 on Feb 23, 2020 15:44:23 GMT -5
He has 2 options, so more depth!
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ericmvan
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Post by ericmvan on Feb 23, 2020 18:18:01 GMT -5
He's 28. Signed out of San Pedro de Macoris by the Indians in 2008, pitched two years in the DSL, with nothing results and, was released. The Rays signed him a month later but released him the next May ... that was 2011, and he never pitched an inning.
Nationals signed him in May of 2012 and he had another unimpressive year in relief in the DSL, at age 20. What are the odds of a guy with that history ever seeing MLB?
But he was excellent the next year in the GCL and started climbing the system ladder. They converted him to a starter in low-A in 2015 and he was good enough to get ranked #26 in MLB's 5th-rated farm system. From the 2016 Handbook: routinely reaches 95 from a low three-quarters arm slot that adds deception. Changed his breaking ball to more of a slider; improving pitch, as is his changeup; that and his control will determine his role.
He made their depth chart as a starter the next year and as a reliever after 2017. Became an mlfa after '18, signed with the Rangers. This is his second waiver claim this winter.
He threw his FB 58% of the time last year and got lousy results, and his change 36% with great results (the slider is now a show pitch). BrooksBaseball appears to be down right now, I might add more later.
Interesting career, and interesting guy to add to the list of potential swingmen.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Feb 23, 2020 21:37:33 GMT -5
Wow, that is crazy.
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ericmvan
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Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 8,931
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Post by ericmvan on Feb 23, 2020 22:03:48 GMT -5
I liked your tweet about the situation, especially that it was off-base.
I'm convinced that Bloom came here with a list of pitchers with stealth upside, grouped into tiers. Tier one would be try to trade for, tier two would be claim on waivers, tier three would be the best of the mlfa's.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Feb 23, 2020 23:36:36 GMT -5
Having watched a bit of the Athletics, and the Rays to a lesser extent, I became convinced that, not unlike what Belichick and Casserio do with the Patriots, there's a bit of untapped talent to mine out there.
This is where the hidebound nature of the old guard GMs and their allies have caused them to miss the boat. It's also where the younger guys who use data analysis can make their bones.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Feb 24, 2020 10:19:17 GMT -5
I mean, this is probably the most efficient way to build a bullpen in 2020. Claim guys on waivers, sign them as free agents, get them in low-level trades that don't initially make a blip on the radar. Big money deals don't work as often as they work with relievers, so that can do it, but isn't necessarily efficient.
I want to start calling Bloom the Italian chef, because right now he's cooking a huge pot of spaghetti to throw against the wall.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Feb 24, 2020 10:24:30 GMT -5
For context, when I see a guy repeat the DSL, I almost immediately write him off, never mind repeat it, get cut, sign a year later and pitch there a third year while still kind of sucking. |
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Post by Oregon Norm on Feb 24, 2020 12:14:55 GMT -5
There are constantly guys emerging from nowhere to fill bullpen roles, before they disappear again. It happens every year. The goal is to have a pot of spaghetti with a few meatballs in there (I mean that in a good way!).
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