Fautino de los Santos

by NovaO on Mar 17, 2008 5:33 PM PDT

Hey guys, I think you might be interested in this article about Fautino de los Santos, which allows you to get a better feel for the quality of his stuff and how he looks mechanically.

Personally, I loved the guy last year with the White Sox and feel he is the gem of all the prospects you guys acquired over the offseason.

Here is the link (opens in same window):

Fautino de los Santos Scouting Report

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Comments

Outstanding read.

Excellent link.

Thanks.

Formerly known as hward86.

by BWH on Mar 17, 2008 5:59 PM PDT reply actions

Great article

Wish they could all be that in-depth. Thanks.

by Joey C. on Mar 17, 2008 7:22 PM PDT reply actions

Glad to see he is an injury concern

nice article

by ChadGod on Mar 17, 2008 7:25 PM PDT reply actions

I wouldn't be unduly concerned

for two reasons. One, every pitcher is an injury concern. Two, the last guy we heard about as having perfect mechanics and being a sure bet for health was Mark Prior.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Mar 17, 2008 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions

haha so true

As an A's fan (not to mention a baseball lover) I am really pulling for a healthy season from Mark Prior.

The odds that Prior can be healthy for a full season? Low
The odds that Harden can be healthy for a full season? Lower
The odds that both are simultaneously healthy for a full season? Head explodes.

by ChadGod on Mar 17, 2008 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions

This was a great read. A Sincere Thanks for turning me onto Baseball Intellect. I need to put this in my favorites. I need to know if they have scouted Brett Anderson & what there thoughts are on him & his future. This is the kind of material I really appreciate.

by alpine26 on Mar 17, 2008 8:27 PM PDT reply actions

Brett Anderson

I haven't actually written an analysis on Brett Anderson, but he is a guy I looked at heavily before he became a top prospect...when the Orioles were just beginning to send signals they would look into trading Bedard (mid-season last year) and the Diamondbacks came up as potential suiters, he was one of the guys I would of made sure to include in a deal for Bedard.

He isn't a power pitcher by any means, but he has 5 things going for him:

1. Has clean mechanics

2. Is very advanced for his age

3. Has plus control

4. Has a plus curveball and change-up

5. He seems to have the ability to generate groundballs (though the rate dropped off in Visalia)

The negatives:

1. His fastball is only average at this point

2. When you have a pitcher with plus control, but who lacks overpowering stuff, you sometimes see them become a little too hittable by getting too much of the plate and that seems to have happened to Anderson in Visalia.

3. He is a little pudgy and some feel that has limited his ability to defend his position (that's what BA says)...I think he might be able to improve the quality of his stuff by getting into better shape (Sean Gallagher did this with the Cubs) and if his stuff jumps a level his upside goes from a #2/3 to a high level #2 starter.

Overall, i see Anderson as a safe bet stay healthy (as far as pitchers are concerned) and he should rise quickly as he adjusts to higher levels of competition.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Mar 18, 2008 12:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm suspicious of any contact-related stats

generated in the California League. Particularly HR rate, but really anything other than K rate and walk rate (and owing to altitude affecting the break on pitches, even those are suspect).

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Mar 18, 2008 8:17 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks For The Info

I appreciated your comments. I look forward to reading your posts in the future. We have some great prospects that will enhance the future of our team.

by alpine26 on Mar 18, 2008 9:18 PM PDT up reply actions

It's interesting to read these detailed analyses of pitchers' mechanics

I saw the HBO Real Sports story on Mike Marshall last night. I first started hearing and reading about Marshall's pitching theories and unique mechanics last year some time. It would be fascinating for a prospect with the kind of talent that de los Santos has to start using the Marshall method -- not that I expect anyone to try it any time soon.

Marshall's website has a tremendous amount of info, and a good deal of it is thought-provoking. Here is his video instruction section, if you want to get a taste of what he suggests.

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Mar 18, 2008 5:39 PM PDT reply actions

I was intrigued by the Rick Peterson

"reduce a pitcher's motion to a stick figure" motion-analysis video program - I haven't heard about it lately (probably because Peterson's gone) but I wonder if he still uses it and exactly how it works (I don't remember anymore). My recollection is that it was useful/successful in figuring out weaknesses or best uses of a pitcher's motion.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Mar 18, 2008 6:12 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Marshall has done that, too

HBO showed hi-speed film taken of him when he was getting his PhD (Michigan State) during the offseason while he was still a pitcher -- he studied his own motion to determine why his arm hurt. It was after he developed his new motion that he set all his records as a reliever (including over 100 appearances and 200 IP in 1974).

You should check out the video on his blog. The motion he teaches is very different from the standard pitching motion, but it seems to be effective. And it's hard to dispute the results he got with it.

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Mar 18, 2008 6:22 PM PDT up reply actions