I thought it would be appropriate to highlight some of the individual parts of what made up the 2012 Texas League Champions. For the sake of simplicity, I’m going to feature the top 5 hitters (according to regular season wRC+), the top 5 pitchers (according to regular season FIP), and a few honorable mentions. If you feel like I’ve neglected any players, feel free to discuss them in the comments section.
Need a refresher course on wRC+ or FIP? Check out FanGraphs’ glossary. Read about wRC+ here and FIP here.
Before following the jump to the rest of the post, enjoy a video recap of Springfield’s triumphant season:
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 195 lbs
DOB: 07/11/1991
Bats: R
Throws: R
AZ’s Snap Take: I generally like Wacha and with the 19th overall pick, he’s a good value. Some boards had him ranging into the top 10 talents and others had him more towards the end of the first round. At 19, this isn’t a reach and represents a reasonable appraisal of his abilities.
And his abilities are that of a mid-rotation pitcher. Expect the club to scrap (or at least refine) his breaking ball almost immediately as it’s universally derided as not working right now. He’s got a changeup that, as it does with many prospects, lags his fastball. His fastball will sit comfortably in the low 90s with varying reports on his ability to give it some extra zip.
This pick doesn’t wow me in the way that Stryker Trahan would. I want to call it a “safe” pick but that seems disingenuous since safe is often used as code for “bad”. I like Michael Wacha as a prospect. I like Michael Wacha as the 19th overall pick even if he wasn’t necessarily MY first choice for the Cardinals. There’s very little here to complain about. There wasn’t anyone left on the board that makes you look at this pick and obviously regret it today.
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