re: The ATL Thread: Offseason Edition

I can't argue with that. We've gone away from the high school ranks the last couple years and have strictly focused on college guys with not a whole lot of upside.

If we aren't going to spend money on free agency, more money needs to be used on the draft.

I do think there are a few bats from last year's draft that could end up panning out. Probably won't be stars, but serviceable nonetheless.

I will have enough posibrave for us both. No worries.

Just came from watching my first baseball game of the year. God im glad it's almost baseball season.

Probably not many.

Same here, which reminds me to go and order the handbook off of Amazon.

What is his logic

quote:

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What is his logic

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Say he felt Vizcaino progressed while Teheran didn't. Likes Vizcaino's control, and stuff. Says with time/health Vizcaino projects easily as 1/2 starter.

Said Teheran's upside still off the charts, but struggled vs. LHH, and he appears "farther away than he did a year ago."

Said if Bethancourt can hit even a little, he's an everyday player because he's so phenomenal defensively and the best C prospect in the minors (defensively).

Said Delgado doesn't project nearly as well as either Viz or Teh, and it showed in his appearances last year.

I'm not a huge fan, either.

Wonder if he still thinks Beachy is a no. 5 starter, "at best."

Here's his full writeup on Viz:

Vizcaino, who was acquired from the Yankees in the Javier Vazquez trade, appeared briefly down the stretch for Atlanta as a fastball-curveball reliever with two plus offerings and erratic command, but long term, he's a three-pitch starter who has a history of plus control, and just needs time and health to become a No. 1 or No. 2 starter.

He will pitch at 92-96 mph as a starter and touched 98 in relief for the big club, with some late life up in the zone. His main secondary pitch is a very hard curveball, breaking down hard at slider velocity with two-plane action and depth. He has good arm speed on his changeup and was much more effective against left-handed pitchers in the minors last year, even though he comes from just under three-quarters and gives those batters a longer look at the ball. He accelerates his arm very quickly and gets on top of the ball well but doesn't get great extension out front.

The righty missed part of 2010 with a partial ligament tear, and the move to the bullpen late in 2011 was to protect his arm as much as to give the major league club another relief option. If he stays healthy, which he did for all of last year, he's got the weapons and the easy velocity to pitch at the top of a rotation, with impact reliever potential if he can't handle the workload.