Its Monday Morning Ten Pack time
Antonio Bastardo, LHP, High-A Clearwater (Phillies)
Bastardo can be seen as one of those “is what he is” kind of players: a short lefty with average velocity. However, beyond his left-handedness, he’s also got fantastic command and a killer changeup. That’s enough to make him some kind of prospect, and he’s on a roll with the Threshers, striking out 13 over eight two-hit innings yesterday—his third double-digit strikeout game in five starts. Currently sitting with a 1.17 ERA and 47 Ks in 30 2/3 innings, Bastardo is starting to get some attention as something more than just a future lefty lefty specialist, though he still has that in his back pocket, as lefty batters are currently 3-for-37 with 23 strikeouts against the 22-year-old Dominican.
I think KG is getting a little carried away with the “excellent command”, but Bastardo is getting noticed. Move over Cole Hamels….
Time to move him up. Nothing more to prove. At this stage of the season Antonio is out pitching Hamels 06.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/Cole-Hamels.shtml
gotta love those stats that bastard(o) is putting up.
Rickey –
I dunno if he is outpitching Hamels- it’s tough to outpitch those three starts at Scranton – 36-1 strikeout-walk ratio. Holy crap! Given that CH was younger, and two levels higher, I’m thinking that Colbert (that’s really his first name?) has the edge.
Still, I say that they should give Il Bastardo another start at Clearwater, and is his numbers are decent, then bring him up
I’d keep him down till its gets nice and warm in Reading…say early June. It won’t hurt for him to prove that this isn’t a fluke.
I don’t agree with the average velocity statement. For a lefty, his velocity is above average.
Baseball Prospectus is the same group that said that Chase Utley “will never be a star” back in 2005. I was glancing through my 2005 BP handbook and laughed out loud at the comment. They also said that Chris Roberson was an excellent prospect that should make it in the Majors.
That’s why Baseball Prospectus hired Kevin Goldstein.
Well, Roberson made it to the majors, lol.
Everyone gets one wrong, and normally they get more wrong than right. Its the nature of the business.
I heard Bastardo is getting moved up this week.
****Everyone gets one wrong, and normally they get more wrong than right. Its the nature of the business.****
Overall, I’m a big fan of BP…I thought the Utley prediction was hilarious looking back though. They were concerned (rightfully) over his splits his first year…I think we all recall he couldn’t hit leftys at all in his first season. I’d say their modeling is as accurate as one can get with the amount of variables involved in talent developing.
I got to see Bastardo go last night for Reading and what he brought wasn’t very impressive. First time through the lineup he was as advertised striking out 5, I believe, in the first 3 innings. However, he got much worse from then on. His pitches appeared to have very little movement on them & the Mets ripped into him for 6 runs (4 homers [2 by F. Martinez]. The one run that was unearned came by way of a Bastardo throwing error to first that sailed over Tejeda’s head. Not the end of the world obviously but he has shown he isn’t invncible.
He only gave up 3 Hrs, not that it makes much of a difference. I agree his performance was lackluster, but I mean hes getting his feet wet at AA, that start doesn’t break him but doesn’t help either.