Hansen to Start Later?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

The BB/K ratio isnt very good, neither is the BB/IP. Also, 10 hits in 12 IP isnt so hot. He needs time. He isnt ready.

 

I don't think I mentioned anything about him making the jump to the majors....just that its a decent start in AAA.

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/external/brandedstats/t998.html?cid=533&lid=117&t=t_ibp&sid=milb

 

These are the numbers I found on Hansen. Your set is better than mine, according to mine, he has some ways to go.

 

Those numbers dont include the start he made tonight.

 

4 innings, 5 hits, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

...all hits were singles

[SCM33]

Well, the ERA is good....besides that, not incredibly impressive for someone who some people thought should be in the bullpen opening day. I never suggested you said they should bring him up, I was just saying he isnt ready....I dont think he will be ready this year cept for a sept. callup.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Although I agree with you...I'm not sure it will be based on his performance but the fact we don't have anywhere to put him. I wouldn't be excited for him to come to the majors simply to be a middle inning guy. I'd rather see him dominate as a starter in AAA and force the Red Sox with no choice but to bring him up. Same goes with Jon Lester.

[a700hitter]

Hansen is much closer to ML ready than Lester. The only question is whether he will adapt to being stretched out as a starter.

[monty]

I think that Hansen, who has several pitches in his arsenal, can be a effective starter. More so then Lester or Papelbon for that matter. He also has a unique delivery that hides the ball longer, which is a proven indicator that throws hitters off balance.

[jsinger121]

I think that Hansen, who has several pitches in his arsenal, can be a effective starter. More so then Lester or Papelbon for that matter. He also has a unique delivery that hides the ball longer, which is a proven indicator that throws hitters off balance.

 

Hansen does not have as many pitches in his arsenal than either papelbon or lester and his delivery is definitely unique for a starter. Scouts don't thinkt that he can handle a starters workload with that delivery and is made for the pen.

[ksushi]

He has the fastball the sinker the slider and is working a change. I believe that is four pitches. What does a starter need beyond that?

[jsinger121]

his change is not a pitch he can go to yet. its not consistent.

[ksushi]

working on it. He hasn't needed it, but it could help him in long inning situations.

[jsinger121]

Hansen's Fastball is considered the sinker.....Its a hard sinking fastball....Coming into this year everyone knew Hansen threw a hard sinking fastball and a slider and was developing a changeup. Thats 3 pitches that I know of.

[monty]

Hansen's Fastball is considered the sinker.....Its a hard sinking fastball....Coming into this year everyone knew Hansen threw a hard sinking fastball and a slider and was developing a changeup. Thats 3 pitches that I know of.

Exactly. 3, 4 pitches is typically what the average starter in the bigs have. I dont know what the poster who said he doesnt was thinking because he has more pitches that can be affective more consistantly then most prospects at his level.

[mtbykr]

Hansen does not have as many pitches in his arsenal than either papelbon or lester and his delivery is definitely unique for a starter. Scouts don't thinkt that he can handle a starters workload with that delivery and is made for the pen.

 

 

That's what i kept hearing, especially last year. Let's also not forget about the bout he had with "dead arm"!

[jsinger121]

That's what i kept hearing, especially last year. Let's also not forget about the bout he had with "dead arm"!

 

Alot of people feel including myself that the Dead arm he had was because of the long layoff he had in between the end of college baseball and signing with the Red Sox.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Alot of people feel including myself that the Dead arm he had was because of the long layoff he had in between the end of college baseball and signing with the Red Sox.

 

So do you think he can work through the "dead arm" issue and be a starter? Does anyone know any others starters who had this problem early on and worked through it?

[jsinger121]

I think the dead arm issue is a non issue right now because he is pitching consistently unlike last year when he had a layoff between college baseball and minor league ball

[mtbykr]

Alot of people feel including myself that the Dead arm he had was because of the long layoff he had in between the end of college baseball and signing with the Red Sox.

 

 

Let's hope you are right!

[jsinger121]

“Craig is working hard and making great progress with his pitch development, command and ‘pitchability,’ ” Epstein said. “He has started working from the full windup at times and has displayed good body control and mechanics. We’re pleased with his development and look forward to him making an impact on our major league team in the future.”

-Boston Herald

[TheRivernator]

He isnt the answer this yr. He will be next yr or the yr after. Question for you guys, if wells ends up on the shelf for the yr and clement stays as is, what do you do? You would essentially have a young ace in Beckett, an inconsistent old man in Schill, a knuckleballer in Wake and then ???.

[ORS]

He isnt the answer this yr. He will be next yr or the yr after. Question for you guys, if wells ends up on the shelf for the yr and clement stays as is, what do you do? You would essentially have a young ace in Beckett, an inconsistent old man in Schill, a knuckleballer in Wake and then ???.

Beckett, Schilling, and Wake....then pray for a 'quake?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

He isnt the answer this yr. He will be next yr or the yr after. Question for you guys, if wells ends up on the shelf for the yr and clement stays as is, what do you do? You would essentially have a young ace in Beckett, an inconsistent old man in Schill, a knuckleballer in Wake and then ???.

 

I was wondering the same about the Yanks. If Pavano ends up on the shelf for the year and Chacon and Wright stay as is, what would the Yanks do? I guess Mike Mussina would be the only ace, an inconsistent old man Johnson, and an average overall pitcher in Wang and then??

 

Chances are Beckett, Schilling, and Wakefield will all continue to have good seasons (incase injuries). Matt Clement will be up and down (not horrible for a #5 starter) and if David Wells can't regain his former self we have DiNardo, Ginter, Alvarez, Lester, and (YES!) Craig Hansen.

 

Everyone should check out the comparison between Lester, Hansen, and Papelbon from there start in AAA Pawtucket. Jon Lester is close to the same numbers as Papelbon was and Craig Hansen has a chance to post better numbers than both.

 

If either Lester or Hansen played for a different team there is a great chance they would already be in the majors.

[TheRivernator]

I was wondering the same about the Yanks. If Pavano ends up on the shelf for the year and Chacon and Wright stay as is, what would the Yanks do? I guess Mike Mussina would be the only ace, an inconsistent old man Johnson, and an average overall pitcher in Wang and then??

 

Chances are Beckett, Schilling, and Wakefield will all continue to have good seasons (incase injuries). Matt Clement will be up and down (not horrible for a #5 starter) and if David Wells can't regain his former self we have DiNardo, Ginter, Alvarez, Lester, and (YES!) Craig Hansen.

 

Everyone should check out the comparison between Lester, Hansen, and Papelbon from there start in AAA Pawtucket. Jon Lester is close to the same numbers as Papelbon was and Craig Hansen has a chance to post better numbers than both.

 

If either Lester or Hansen played for a different team there is a great chance they would already be in the majors.

and taking their lumps...

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

and taking their lumps...

 

Those are the options. In both cases (and I've seen if before) they may not get hit as bad as you may think. It is quite possible that one (either Lester or Hansen or both) are able to come up and pitch very well. Just because they are rookies does not mean they can't be effective.

 

Francisco Liriano was considered the top lefty in the minors last season with Jon Lester behind him. Peter Gammons said Craig Hansen has better stuff than Houston Street. Justin Verlander is not really in the same class as either and look how he has done. Jonathan Papelbon has had great success and his numbers in Portland and Pawtucket were not much better than Lester's.

 

I'm not saying they will be unhittable or an immediate ace....but they could be pretty damn good. Especially if they come up part way through the year where most teams will only see them a couple times.

[TheRivernator]

Those are the options. In both cases (and I've seen if before) they may not get hit as bad as you may think. It is quite possible that one (either Lester or Hansen or both) are able to come up and pitch very well. Just because they are rookies does not mean they can't be effective.

 

Francisco Liriano was considered the top lefty in the minors last season with Jon Lester behind him. Peter Gammons said Craig Hansen has better stuff than Houston Street. Justin Verlander is not really in the same class as either and look how he has done. Jonathan Papelbon has had great success and his numbers in Portland and Pawtucket were not much better than Lester's.

 

I'm not saying they will be unhittable or an immediate ace....but they could be pretty damn good. Especially if they come up part way through the year where most teams will only see them a couple times.

 

Verlander was way above the class of both Lester and Hansen. He was a top 5 prospect in the game. Neither Lester nor Hansen are considered that....

[jsinger121]

Top 10 prospect not top 5 but verlander has tons of talent.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/news/26995.html

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Verlander was way above the class of both Lester and Hansen. He was a top 5 prospect in the game. Neither Lester nor Hansen are considered that....

 

Ok i went to baseball america and you are right about Verlander. Nevertheless its not fair to say they can't contribute and make a difference on this team. Just look at Ching Mein Wang last season. I think teams are starting to figure him out now. Last year he didn't show up until later in the season and nobody had a decent scounting report.

[TheRivernator]

Ok i went to baseball america and you are right about Verlander. Nevertheless its not fair to say they can't contribute and make a difference on this team. Just look at Ching Mein Wang last season. I think teams are starting to figure him out now. Last year he didn't show up until later in the season and nobody had a decent scounting report.

 

Not really, he has actually started to bear down as this season is going on. He isnt a guy who you need to figure out. He throws the same pitch 90% of the time....

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Not really, he has actually started to bear down as this season is going on. He isnt a guy who you need to figure out. He throws the same pitch 90% of the time....

 

So going back to the original question: Wang is a lot like Wakfield (same pitch all the time), Johnson like Schilling (old men), Mussina like Beckett (so-called aces), Clement and Wells like Wright and Chacon (very inconsistent).

 

.....thank god for our bullpen and farm system otherwise I think I would be worried.

[TheRivernator]

I'd agree with you on the top 3. I'd put Chacon over Clement for the simple fact that Chacon typically gets out of his jams (e/c for yesterday of course) while Clement crumbles in his jams. Wells is better than Wright, though, unless wells cannot pitch of course....

[CrespoBlows]

Chacon's WHIP of 1.73 won't get it done. Neither will Clement's of 1.64.

[TheRivernator]

Chacon's WHIP of 1.73 won't get it done. Neither will Clement's of 1.64.

 

true, but he has thrown 3 QS's in his last 5GS plus his 1R performance in 4.2IP against you guys. Also, he was saying that he is injured currently and fighting through a bruised shin.

 

Clement is 2 for 7 in QS's and has been rather unreliable. Remember this, prior to yesterday's yankee game, chacon was at 3.68ERA. He'll get down closer to that spot eventually again....