Comments on: Probable Starters: 8/3

By: JC

JC — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:51:11 +0000

Funny thing is I saw Blair as the starter and Swagerty as the reliever! I still think Swagerty ends up a reliever but I never thought he would be as good as he has shown as a starter this year…so who knows.

By: buchek's bat

buchek's bat — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:40:09 +0000

That was the thing with Blair, as I recall at the time of the draft. There were questions/risks associated with him.

I dunno, I’d almost rather see the Cardinals draft high schoolers more frequently, even with all the attendant signability and risks involved. Seems like drafting a college arm with doubts/risk/questions defeats some of the purpose. In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess is what I’m trying to say.

By: azruavatar

azruavatar — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:35:01 +0000

I think velocity reports from Blair were either overstated or he’s lost some mph. He’s not sitting mid 90s or touching 98. If you read the reports of his secondary stuff, it usually has one pitch projecting as plus but everything be currently average. They’ve always read to me like a pitcher with a bunch of middling pitches and no out pitches.

I’m betting yips on the control problems (like Gary Daley) though I’ve nothing to substantiate that.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:34:24 +0000

I’d say Joe Kelly’s taken a slight step back. The walks are creeping up as he moves up the ladder and he’s looking more like a long reliever. Other than him, Hooker and obviously Blair, however, it’s all been good news.

Pretty sure we’re in the top 10!

By: tom s.

tom s. — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:13:58 +0000

RB – i remain unclear on why the cards drafted him as a supp rounder. looking back at the scouting, he had a ton of velocity and generated some groundballs, but lots of teams were looking at him as a reliever, and he didn’t seem to have much in the way of a major league repertoire in pitches.

i didn’t understand the pick then, and i don’t now.

i wonder if you’re on the right track about injury; looking back at the reports, several describe his control as average to a tick above.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:59:33 +0000

He was never a safe pick. Always more along the lines of Gary Daley than Lance Lynn. I can’t imagine anyone thought he would have this degree of control problems, but he was always considered more of a project pitcher than the standard safe major college type.

Still, you do have to wonder if there’s something physically going on with him. He had control issues in college, but never anything to this extent. It’s positively Neighborgallian. Or Ankielian. (Sad face)

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:08:53 +0000

I have no clue whats going on with him. I always knew he wasn’t as “safe” as people thought he was. He has electric stuff if he can put it together but when I saw him his fastball command and control was dreadful. I’m willing to bet that his fastball control is still his issue now.

By: JC

JC — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:26:07 +0000

Blair with another horrible and short outing. Would love to hear Luhnow/Vuch explain what might be going on there.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:02:52 +0000

Great point, ICF. How many hurlers have raised their stock this season, versus lowered? It’s actually pretty remarkable how extreme is the imbalance—in a good way, of course.

Number one farm system in baseball!

By: IllinoisCardinalFan

IllinoisCardinalFan — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:15:41 +0000

The Blair witch project has been one of the few pitchers to disappoint in the farm system this year.