De La Rosa Update

[Docwaukee]

I usually disagree with national writers as talent evaluators, but I've spoken with Ken Rosenthal & Buster Olney about Bedorsian and Alvarez and both agree those two relievers are the real deal.  If you needed any more convincing, Sam Miller has mentioned both Alvarez and Bedrock multiple times this season over at Baseball Prospectus.  If you want to, you can also take my word for it, those two are as good as it gets when it comes to relievers projecting as relievers (instead of starters transitioning to the pen).  If you aren't willing to believe Rosenthal, Olney, Miller or myself, believe your own AW prospect writers.  

 

If you're unwilling to believe Rosenthal, Olney, Miller, myself or the AW writers, then you're just being difficult. 

 

I believe Rosenthal, Olney, Miller and the AW writers, but not you.  Now what happens?

[Sherlock31]

I believe Rosenthal, Olney, Miller and the AW writers, but not you.  Now what happens?

Now, you're just being difficult.

[Stradling]

Now, you're just being difficult.

No, by his own definition he is only being difficult if he doesn't agree with all of them.

[Second Base]

Jerk-Face lol

[Inside Pitch]

I think the point Angels was making is that every pitcher in the minors is a potential RP prospect -- yes teams are drafting guys for relief purposes these days but it's uncommon to see them be mentioned in proper prospect rankings.  To be honest the first guy I can really recall being hyped in the typical way a prospect is was Gregg Olson of the Orioles.

[arch stanton]

But Chuck's post pretty clearly said top relief pitching prospects thus comparing them to other relief pitchers and not their place on the prospect big boards. I can't see there being many other relievers in the minors who are showing the same level of major league potential.

[Chuck]

I think the point Angels was making is that every pitcher in the minors is a potential RP prospect -- yes teams are drafting guys for relief purposes these days but it's uncommon to see them be mentioned in proper prospect rankings. To be honest the first guy I can really recall being hyped in the typical way a prospect is was Gregg Olson of the Orioles.

Ryan Wagner and Drew Storen as well.

[Inside Pitch]

Ryan Wagner and Drew Storen as well.

 

Good call on Wagner -- he was really highly hyped, first rounder out of Houston or Texas I think it was.

[Inside Pitch]

But Chuck's post pretty clearly said top relief pitching prospects thus comparing them to other relief pitchers and not their place on the prospect big boards. I can't see there being many other relievers in the minors who are showing the same level of major league potential.

 

And I happen to agree with Chuck, so I guess I'm a homer too..   Guess we can wait on the list of pitchers slated as RPs who project to be better than Alvarez and Bedrosian to see how far off base some of us are. 

 

FTR, only guys I think can be mentioned in the same breath as RJ and Bedrock are the two guys in the Indians system, Crockett and Armstrong along with the Barbatto kid in the Padres system.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[AngelsFaninGA]

Who are some of the other top relief pitching prospects in the minors? The only guy who comes to mind is Jimmy Sherfy, as that's only because I followed him at Oregon. I do remember guys like Ryan Perry, Josh Fields, and Daniel Bard being regarded as future top closers not too long ago, and incidentally all of those guys flamed out. 

[Angels]

That's exactly what I meant when I said "there's no such thing as a top relief prospect." Any pitcher can pitch in relief, but not every pitcher can be a starter. And those that are relievers - it's difficult to try to compare and rank these guys for so many different reasons. How do you compare an A-ball relief pitcher with an AA relief pitcher, for example? You can't. But if we look at what Alvarez and Bedrosian are doing compared to other relievers in the same league and level .. it is not hard to see that they are two of the finest based on results. Alvarez and Bedrosian both have the results + stuff + age combo on their side.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Angels

[Inside Pitch]

That's exactly what I meant when I said "there's no such thing as a top relief prospect." Any pitcher can pitch in relief, but not every pitcher can be a starter. And those that are relievers - it's difficult to try to compare and rank these guys for so many different reasons. How do you compare an A-ball relief pitcher with an AA relief pitcher, for example? You can't. But if we look at what Alvarez and Bedrosian are doing compared to other relievers in the same league and level .. it is not hard to see that they are two of the finest based on results. Alvarez and Bedrosian both have the results + stuff + age combo on their side.

 

IMO, there is no such thing as a RP prospect in AAA -- at least not anyone working strictly as a RP for more than 30 or so innings at the level.   Once a guy shows the ability to miss bats and get outs in AA as a RP they are fast-tracked to MLB.  I guess the exception is guys coming back from injuries but otherwise it's rather uncommon.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[ELEVEN]

I believe you, Olney, Miller, and the AW writers, but not Rosenthal.

[HeavenlyHalos]

Who are some of the other top relief pitching prospects in the minors? The only guy who comes to mind is Jimmy Sherfy, as that's only because I followed him at Oregon. I do remember guys like Ryan Perry, Josh Fields, and Daniel Bard being regarded as future top closers not too long ago, and incidentally all of those guys flamed out. 

 

Sherfy came to mind too, but I also am a homer and followed him with the Ducks. I was really hoping the Halos would have drafted him. In 13 innings of A+/AA this year he has 27 Ks.

[Inside Pitch]

Jimmie Sherfy being in AA now definitely deserves to be mentioned in there too.

[Make Angels Great Again]

So when we have Bedrock, Alvarez, Morin, Smith, Frieri, and Kohn all in the pen, and they're all putting up closer numbers...who the hell should close? When you have 6 guys that can realistically put up WHIPs below 1.00 and ERAs hovering around 2 or below, that's a nice problem to have. It would almost feel wasteful putting in these guys to pitch in mop up situations, lol.

[mulwin444]

So when we have Bedrock, Alvarez, Morin, Smith, Frieri, and Kohn all in the pen, and they're all putting up closer numbers...who the hell should close? When you have 6 guys that can realistically put up WHIPs below 1.00 and ERAs hovering around 2 or below, that's a nice problem to have. It would almost feel wasteful putting in these guys to pitch in mop up situations, lol.

It would be based on match-ups and fatigue, I'd imagine.  Like you said, good problem to have in lieu of the past few seasons.  Once all are up, Frieri may end up being the lessor option if his control and secondary pitch don't improve.

[arch stanton]

It seems that a big part of our failure against the A's and Rangers is that their hitters are too familiar with our BP.If we actually had 6 reliable relievers all at once it might make sense to use Eckstein and company to set up a matrix to put them into the situations that best favor their pitching styles vs a particular lineup segment. Throw in your lefty in certain situations and you could keep hitters from seeing the same guy in the same series.

[tdawg87]

What does piodeportes1 think of Bedrosian and Alvarez?

[nate]

What does piodeportes1 think of Bedrosian and Alvarez?

 

We traded them for Cliff Lee and Chase Utley.

[ELEVEN]

So when we have Bedrock, Alvarez, Morin, Smith, Frieri, and Kohn all in the pen, and they're all putting up closer numbers...who the hell should close? When you have 6 guys that can realistically put up WHIPs below 1.00 and ERAs hovering around 2 or below, that's a nice problem to have. It would almost feel wasteful putting in these guys to pitch in mop up situations, lol.

Frieri of course...