A's Prospect Love from Callis

by sggut95 on Jul 19, 2008 7:37 AM PDT

Excerpt from a Jim Callis chat on espn.com:

Bryan (Annapolis,MD): Which system has the best top 3 pitching prospects? (including recent draftees)

Jim Callis: Off the top of my head, the A's with Anderson, Cahill and choose one of Simmons, Gonzalez, Rodriguez, Mazzaro, etc.

I'm hopefully going to watch Simmons pitch tonight in San Antonio, so I'll post my observations some time tomorrow. Anderson threw very well yesterday, and by now people know about Cahill. So who's number three? The one time I saw Rodriguez this year, he did not impress me. His stuff is fantastic, with a 98 mph fastball, tight slider, and a 2-seamer that sits comfortably at 94. Gio Gonzalez hasn't gotten a lot of love from guys like Ketih Law. Thoughts?

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Did you see Rodriguez in the futures game?

He looked awesome. Then again, a guy with stuff like his can look awesome but then have lots of troubles the next night until they mature more.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 19, 2008 9:19 AM PDT reply actions

Apologies

Doh. Just realized someone else posted this exact excerpt in another thread earlier this week. Still valid debate about Gonzalez v Rodriguez v Simmons, though.

I had to run after the second or third inning of the futures game. Saw Cahill, but not Hernandez. I remember Mr. Law mentioning he was impressed with Henry’s stuff.

by sggut95 on Jul 19, 2008 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Gonzalez and Kieth Law

I dont think Law had ever seen Gonzalez when he made those comments. Here he calls his velocity fringy and claims that Greg Smith throws harder.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview08/team?team=oak

I’ve not heard any other reports that Gonzalez has less fastball than Smith, in fact, all indications are that he a plus velocity for a lefty. BA had him touching 96 last year in their velocity rankings.

Just another example of Law forming (an often unfounded) opinion and stubbornly sticking to it.

I’ll take Gonzalez at 3. His numbers at sea level this year are outstanding, and I think Rodriguez’ violent short arm delivery limits him to the pen.

by NRC on Jul 19, 2008 11:14 AM PDT reply actions

I don't know that it's unfounded

so much as that he just assumes that what a guy did when he saw him is what he always does.

This is why big-league teams have cross-checkers and scout serious prospects multiple times, so that they don’t just give up on a guy because he had one bad day.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jul 19, 2008 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions