Comments on: Market Fresh: “Wait ‘Til Next Year” Edition

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:33:13 +0000

I sound like a broken record, but it’s got to be the long-toss.

By: michael.allen.engel

michael.allen.engel — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:39:57 +0000

@jim fetterolf Yeah, I was at the Futures Game too and Monty was a beast. First time I’d gotten to see him pitch and was very impressed so his struggles this year surprise me.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 04:14:21 +0000

@michael.allen.engel Thing I noticed on Monty was that he was dominant in spring training. I saw him in the future’s game at the K and he was clearly the best pitcher I saw that day; had velocity, command, threw smoothly and easily. Then he’s decayed over the season, unable to put a string of quality starts together, seeming to be trying to overthrow and losing command and movement. If he looks like a stud next spring I think he makes the club and will be allowed to keep his training system.Had wondered about Arguelles, everything I hear is that his velocity is mysteriously off 3 or 4 mph this year. Hadn’t seen or heard anything on JaKKKKe, but seems possible. Have wondered about Dwyer, Smith, and Lamb. Of course, I’ve been wondering this about Hochevar, velocity and endurance drop from his younger days when he threw 98 with command. I bet the organization looks at this in the off-season and makes some changes.

Thanks for the thread, jf

By: michael.allen.engel

michael.allen.engel — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 02:26:46 +0000

@jim fetterolf I’ve heard just a bit that Jake Odorizzi is being allowed to long toss and that Noel Arguelles is going to be shut down due to innings, but he’s going to continue to throw and long toss is part of his regimen.

As for Monty…I haven’t heard either way, but knowing that it was a sort of issue shortly after he’d signed and considering that the org. seems to be less restrictive about long toss. For some of these guys it’s how they got their arm strength to be big prospects in the first place, so that’s not a bad idea by the Royals.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:53:46 +0000

@michael.allen.engel Have you been able to find out anything on Monty and long-toss? And I still there’s others in the minors as loss of velocity and loss of command gets said about a number of the formerly can’t-miss prospects. I think Monty will be fine next spring after a winter of training by himself, which may finally convince the Royals to allow long-toss. So all we probably need is another year of Master Chen and/or Francis, Chen doing nothing but winning more than he should and Francis FIPing better than his record. O’Sullivan, surprisingly, is producing in Omaha, quite a bit better than Mazzaro last I looked. I think we’ll be fine, but someone like Wilson would help. But we’ll survive without him. Team is coming together.

By: michael.allen.engel

michael.allen.engel — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 23:14:50 +0000

@jim fetterolf It’s just a rough market. Other names are Paul Maholm, Jason Marquis, Joel Piniero and others that just aren’t that appealing.

I don’t mind the starting point of Hochevar, Duffy and Paulino, and if Monty can get his stuff in line (and I think he will….he’s still only 22 after all). Mostly, this team can’t contend if O’Sullivan is trying to get 20% of the starts.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:14:20 +0000

Our current rotation isn’t that bad, but CJ Wilson looks possible. If Montgomery gets back to long-toss in the off-season he’ll be ready next spring, so resigning our “ace”, Master Chen, gives five arms with a couple of guys in the minors who can follow the Duffy path. I still think both Soria and Holland should be given a shot at starter, but Crow needs a change-up and may not get it in time, so could be a project at Omaha. One FA for three years is possible, if he’s young, but not required.