BP's Great Leap Forward/Two Steps Back

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I'm pretty sure KC posted the blurb about Veal, Gallagher and Fox elsewhere, but the "Two Steps Back" came out today so here are both:

 

Lefthander Donald Veal got off to a great start at Low Class A Daytona and was even better after moving up to the Florida State League, finishing the season with a 2.16 ERA in 154.1 innings with nearly twice as many strikeouts (174) than hits allowed (91).

 

Honorable Mention: Last year, righthander Sean Gallagher had the stats, but not the stuff. This year, he had both--gaining 2-3 ticks on his fastball, reaching Double-A, and compiling a 2.51 ERA in 164.2 innings with 171 strikeouts. With 16 home runs, catcher Jake Fox fell only five short of the Florida State League home run title, despite playing just 66 games at High Class A Daytona. While he scuffled at Double-A, catchers with power don't exactly grow on trees.

 

Since making a run at the Midwest League home run record by smashing 39 in 2004, first baseman Brian Dopirak has completely fallen apart, as he hit just one long ball in 179 Double-A at-bats during an injury-plagued season.

 

Honorable Mention: After consistently putting up great numbers while being too old for the level he was playing at, first baseman Brandon Sing finally hit a wall, finishing the year at a miserable .196/.330/.341 in 118 games split between the two upper-level squads. Righthander Grant Johnson had a 4.70 ERA at High Class A Daytona. After Johnson received a $1.26 million bonus as a second-round pick in 2004, you'd think the Cubs would have learned something about paying over-slot money to Notre Dame pitchers.

 

If Dopirak can heal properly, I expect a solid season at AA from him. I was more disappointed with Grant Johnson, seeing as he didn't have injury problems like Dopirak and Sing.

[Laura]

I think Grant Johnson did spend some time on the DL with a hamstring injury? But you're right in that it wasn't the devastating type of injury that Dopirak had.

[Mephistopheles]

Picking a guy with labrum problems in the past was never a good idea.

[goonys evil twin]

If Dopirak can heal properly, I expect a solid season at AA from him. I was more disappointed with Grant Johnson, seeing as he didn't have injury problems like Dopirak and Sing.

 

I don't expect much from Dopirak, but I'm holding out some hope.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

More on Veal from BA's Player of the Year Chat:

 

Q: Ryan from Daytona asks:

Did Donnie Veal get close? I can't think of any pitcher who outperformed him considerably.

 

A: John Manuel: Look harder--look at Matt Garza, Yovani Gallardo, Homer Bailey, Phillip Hughes . . . they were all as good or better. Veal was quite good, but he needs to throw more consistent strikes.

[NorthsideAvenger]

More on Veal from BA's Player of the Year Chat:

 

Q: Ryan from Daytona asks:

Did Donnie Veal get close? I can't think of any pitcher who outperformed him considerably.

 

A: John Manuel: Look harder--look at Matt Garza, Yovani Gallardo, Homer Bailey, Phillip Hughes . . . they were all as good or better. Veal was quite good, but he needs to throw more consistent strikes.

 

And this may be a bit biased, but I think Veal will be better then Hughes and perhaps even Bailey (let's face it, do we trust a pitching prospect in the Reds system?).

[CoolHandLuke]

More on Veal from BA's Player of the Year Chat:

 

Q: Ryan from Daytona asks:

Did Donnie Veal get close? I can't think of any pitcher who outperformed him considerably.

 

A: John Manuel: Look harder--look at Matt Garza, Yovani Gallardo, Homer Bailey, Phillip Hughes . . . they were all as good or better. Veal was quite good, but he needs to throw more consistent strikes.

 

And this may be a bit biased, but I think Veal will be better then Hughes and perhaps even Bailey (let's face it, do we trust a pitching prospect in the Reds system?).

 

Why do you think this? Anything besides the bias and the reds poor system of late?

[Jehrico]

More on Veal from BA's Player of the Year Chat:

 

Q: Ryan from Daytona asks:

Did Donnie Veal get close? I can't think of any pitcher who outperformed him considerably.

 

A: John Manuel: Look harder--look at Matt Garza, Yovani Gallardo, Homer Bailey, Phillip Hughes . . . they were all as good or better. Veal was quite good, but he needs to throw more consistent strikes.

 

And this may be a bit biased, but I think Veal will be better then Hughes and perhaps even Bailey (let's face it, do we trust a pitching prospect in the Reds system?).

 

Why do you think this? Anything besides the bias and the reds poor system of late?

 

I think you answered your own question.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Didn't want to create a new thread, so I tossed this in here:

 

Drew (FL): Jim, been asking for weeks with no answer. Jeremy Papelbon had a great start in rookie ball after the draft. Is he anything like his brother, does he have the physical tools?

 

SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:44 PM ET ) No. Jeremy (not to be confused with Red Sox draftee Josh Papelbon) is more of a finesse guy than Jonathan is.