2008 Player Predictions

[SCM33]

Yeah MDC doesnt impress me much either, but its hard to make that argument, bc of his year last year, and the stuff he appears to have.

 

Just something about him though, just doesnt look right. I know hes from Roxbury and all, but maybe Boston isnt for him. I think he has the stuff to be a lights out reliever, but something is missing from his makeup, and I cant put my finger on it. Someone with a deuce like his, with that kind of heat, and pretty good mechanics.......no reason for him to struggle the way he does at time. Maybe you are right and he is missing that mental piece....either way I do agree with you about him.

[ORS]

Yeah MDC doesnt impress me much either, but its hard to make that argument, bc of his year last year, and the stuff he appears to have.

 

Just something about him though, just doesnt look right. I know hes from Roxbury and all, but maybe Boston isnt for him. I think he has the stuff to be a lights out reliever, but something is missing from his makeup, and I cant put my finger on it. Someone with a deuce like his, with that kind of heat, and pretty good mechanics.......no reason for him to struggle the way he does at time. Maybe you are right and he is missing that mental piece....either way I do agree with you about him.

You ever face off against a guy in sports who had a lot of talent, good game (whatever the sport), but you knew by the look on his face that you were going to eat his lunch all day long? I see that look in Hansen and MDC.

 

Speaking of MDC's season last year, he was good. But...

 

[table]Year|IP|H|HR|BB|K|ERA

2006|53.1|68|2|17|45|5.06

2007|44|28|4|17|41|2.05[/table]

 

The big difference is his hit rate being cut in half. That's the thing a pitcher has the least amount of control over. The year before is high (.385 BABIP), last year is equally low (.224 BABIP). League average is right about in the middle, which isn't bad if you adjust his ERA similarly. Combine it with what's above, and you've got a pitcher I'd rather see starting innings if it's close, but he's no fireman.

[Jayhawk Bill]

Great point, ORS...MDC's Expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP, a Hardball Times stat, on the same scale as ERA) went from 4.04 in 2006 UP to 4.07 in 2007.

 

There's nothing wrong with a reliable 4.00 ERA pitcher--such a guy who doesn't choke can even be an adequate, albeit not great, closer or setup man. But let's not get kidded by that 2.05 ERA--it's not his true talent level.

[SCM33]

You ever face off against a guy in sports who had a lot of talent, good game (whatever the sport), but you knew by the look on his face that you were going to eat his lunch all day long? I see that look in Hansen and MDC.

 

Speaking of MDC's season last year, he was good. But...

 

[table]Year|IP|H|HR|BB|K|ERA

2006|53.1|68|2|17|45|5.06

2007|44|28|4|17|41|2.05[/table]

 

The big difference is his hit rate being cut in half. That's the thing a pitcher has the least amount of control over. The year before is high (.385 BABIP), last year is equally low (.224 BABIP). League average is right about in the middle, which isn't bad if you adjust his ERA similarly. Combine it with what's above, and you've got a pitcher I'd rather see starting innings if it's close, but he's no fireman.

 

 

Excellent points......kinda solidifies some of the things I was already thinking about him.

[ANiMAL]

Craig Hansens Pitching Statistics thusfar in AAA:

 

6 Games

9.1 innings

0 ER

3 H

3 BB

10 K

 

It may be early, but he hasn't put up numbers like these since his college days.

[SCM33]

Craig Hansens Pitching Statistics thusfar in AAA:

 

6 Games

9.1 innings

0 ER

3 H

3 BB

10 K

 

It may be early, but he hasn't put up numbers like these since his college days.

 

His numbers anywhere but Boston really mean nothing to me, because if he comes up again, and falls on his face again.....it very well may be the last we see him........and I still dont think hes earned another chance yet....regardless of how bad our BP is right now.

 

I think Kolb gets a look before him, and Edgar Martinez may get a look (to determine if he is ever really going to show anything). Then they will try to bring in an arm from the outside......all before Hansen gets a look.

[TheKilo]

His numbers anywhere but Boston really mean nothing to me, because if he comes up again, and falls on his face again.....it very well may be the last we see him........and I still dont think hes earned another chance yet....regardless of how bad our BP is right now.

 

I think Kolb gets a look before him, and Edgar Martinez may get a look (to determine if he is ever really going to show anything). Then they will try to bring in an arm from the outside......all before Hansen gets a look.

 

Retarded. Hansen needs to get the call before some MLB retread.

[ksushi]

Yeah, Hansen battled sleep aphnea for a long time. That can really zap your energy and when you don't have the energy to maintain a consistent delivery and arm angle, you lose your offspeed sharpness and your location. Hansen has electric stuff. One of the better sliders I've seen with 95+ heat. He will get the call at some point this season.

[SCM33]

Retarded. Hansen needs to get the call before some MLB retread.

 

We'll see, he had another good outing yesterday (4/20)......well see how much they push him. I was very excited when they drafted him, but very disappointed in him afterward. Maybe his sleep disorder really hurt his performance, but he looked shell shocked in his initial year, and his year in AAA last year. I understand that he was thrown to the dogs his first year, I guess he was built up too much too soon, hopefully he does comes up and changes my perception of him. I think they learned their lesson though, which is why they would ease him up a lot slower, giving the other guys I mentioned a better chance of filling a spot before Hansen. There is nothing more than I like than having home grown players make it big, but the perception of him was probably pushed too far in the beginning, and it wasn't fair to him, or us as fans.....because he was simply not ready to give results right away that the front office projected. He was drafted under the notion that he was the player in the draft that was "closet to making an impact". It was probably unfair to him, and our expectations as a whole were too much.

[CrespoBlows]

His numbers anywhere but Boston really mean nothing to me, because if he comes up again, and falls on his face again.....it very well may be the last we see him........and I still dont think hes earned another chance yet....regardless of how bad our BP is right now.

 

I think Kolb gets a look before him, and Edgar Martinez may get a look (to determine if he is ever really going to show anything). Then they will try to bring in an arm from the outside......all before Hansen gets a look.

 

I hear Jon Switzer has some valuble MLB experience, he should get a look before Hansen, too.

[SCM33]

I hear Jon Switzer has some valuble MLB experience' date=' he should get a look before Hansen, too.[/quote']

 

Yeah, about that....the post above your post already addresses your post, but im glad you took a shot at me anyway, regardless of the fact that I already retracted some of those statements, and tried to defend some of it.