Clay Buchholz (SP – Red Sox)
Clay Buchholz picked up another win on Friday night by allowing just 1 ER over 6 IP, but once again he was not dominant in doing so based on his 1 K and 3 walks allowed. Buchholz is emerging into a very intriguing case. The kid ripped through the minors with a K/9 nearing 12.0, and follows it up with a no-hitter in one of his first major league starts. Then, he has trouble finding the strike zone in ’08, while injuries prematurely end his season. Now, starting off in the minors in ’09 he begins to show a new trend of a decreased K rate (8.1 K/9), but an increased GB rate (1.4 GO/AO). In the majors, this trend has not only continued, but it has increased. He currently sports a 6.18 K/9, along with a 2.21 GO/AO and 56% GB rate. Buchholz is clearly still developing as a pitcher and tinkering to see what works best, as can be seen by an 8.8% increase in fastballs thrown and a 9.9% decrease in curve balls thrown in ’09 versus ’08. Buchholz still has the elite potential that we saw for years in the minors, but as of now he and Boston management seem content to trade in some of this dominance (K’s) for some added effectiveness (GB). I am interested to see which pitcher Buchholz will become. I would pay close attention to each of his starts down the stretch, as it could provide useful insight on how he should be projected in 2010.
Nolan Reimold (OF – Orioles)
After battling tendonitis in his Achilles for the past month, Nolan Reimold will shut it down for the season. The good news is that he will have surgery in the off-season, and should be 100% heading into the 2010 season. Reimold finishes the ’09 season with a highly impressive .279 / .365 / .466 line with a 0.61 EYE. Reimold has always been a plus-level prospect, but 2009 was a huge year for his long-term prospects. Reimold practically forced the Orioles to bring him up this year after posting a ridiculous .394 / .485 / .743 line in 31 games at Triple-A to start the season, and he hasn’t looked back since. His 11.6% walk rate in the majors is highly impressive for a rookie, and the advanced approach at the plate indicates that he is ready to enter into his best years as a hitter. At age 26 next year, look for Reimold to truly have a breakout season.
Vin Mazzaro (SP – Athletics)
After officially shutting it down for the season yesterday, we can get a head start on evaluating Vin Mazzaro’s ’09 season. Mazzaro does not have pure stuff on the same level as Cahill and Anderson, but he’s shown the always underrated ability of throwing strikes and getting batters out. His last two seasons in the minors have been thoroughly impressive even without the bigtime K numbers (1.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP in Double-A in ’08; 2.38 ERA, 1.04 WHIP in Triple-A in ’09). A K/9 of 6.8 and 7.0 in those two seasons means that he will not be discussed as a future front-line starter, but history does prove that you can be a number 1 or number 2 starter without striking out a batter an inning. Mazzaro’s first taste of the majors was not great, to say the least. He finished the season with a 5.32 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 91 innings pitched. Now, the ERA and WHIP numbers are both inflated due to a .352 BABIP and a 69.8% strand rate. Nonetheless, his 5.81 K/9 and 3.84 BB/9 indicate that it was more than just poor luck that led to Mazzaro’s struggles in ’09. Mazzaro should be fully healthy coming into 2010, and should be a great draft day value with owners likely over-emphasizing his disappointing rookie year. If you look at the full professional-level body of work, Mazzaro’s leap forward next year will not be a surprise.
Alex Gordon (3B – Royals)
Everyone expected the world from Alex Gordon in his rookie season – he didn’t provide it. Then, less people had this same expectation in his sophomore season – he didn’t really provide in then either. Now, his third season has essentially been lost due to injury. Where does this leave us? It leaves us with a 25 year old uber-talented future star with whom many have already lost faith. Truth be told, Gordon actually showed great improvement from his 1st year to his 2nd (OPS increased by 58 points; EYE increased by 25 points). I have the feeling that 2010 could be the year that everyone has been waiting for from Gordon. The funny part is that I’m not sure how many people are still waiting. I see Gordon as a screaming value in next year’s draft.
Brett Anderson (SP – Athletics)
I cannot say enough about how impressed I have been with Brett Anderson this year. The peripherals are just outstanding for a 21 year old in his rookie season (7.32 K/9, 2.44 BB/9, 48.8% GB rate). For two big reasons, I feel that his great season has gone largely unnoticed. First, he plays in Oakland. Secondly, his poor luck (.310 BABIP on a 15.4% LD rate; 66.7% strand rate) has masked his great pitching by inflating his ERA (4.37) and WHIP (1.29). He has pitched well enough to have an ERA under 4.00 this year (3.89 FIP), and I would expect his peripherals to even improve in his sophomore season. The intersection of better luck and improving skills makes him an undervalued and highly recommended choice for next season.
There are over 100 player news blurbs posted in the member area each morning. Members can read the rest of today's player news by clicking here. Not a member? Join today.
