From Baseball America today

“He’s improved so much,” the scout said. “I know that’s hard to believe given the amount of strikeouts he’s had, but I’m a believer and I know I’m far from the only one.

“I didn’t think he’d ever have the tools to play when I saw him as an amateur–he was just real rough at the plate and I didn’t think he’d have enough instincts, but his tools are very, very good.

“It doesn’t surprise me he led the minors in strikeouts because he’s still a is a top-hand, layout guy that’s knobbed up right away so the low pitch–wherever it is in the zone–is going to kill him.

“But he’s an 80 arm with 80 speed . . . those guys with those kind of tools . . . if he figures it out . . . wow. He could be a late bloomer.

“This is one of those guys that you don’t ever want to give up on despite what the numbers say. You fall in love with him. It’s hard not to. And this is a smart kid who just turned 22. If he leaves his brain in the clubhouse and just goes out there and reacts, he’s one of the best prospects in the game. I know that can be a pretty big if with some guys, but you can’t just throw this guy away.”

Link

Continue reading Scouts say “Don’t give up on Golson” →

Here’s a snippet from a Baseball America AFL report today

Numbers aside, Overholt is a reliever. His stuff tended to flatten out, often after just three innings in Double-A in a starting role. And while his slider is viewed by many in the organization to be the best in the system, it wasn’t impressive Tuesday.

“I didn’t see enough of it today to say it was a good slider,” said one scout from a National League club. “He didn’t throw it enough to really say if it was good or bad, but the ones he did throw were fringy.

“I wound up comparing him to (Nationals closer) Chad Cordero after seeing him today as not being a real velocity guy, but a guy who has a heavy ball with some arm side sink that comes right at you. But I didn’t see a guy who would be a go-to guy coming out of your bullpen. He’s not that kind of a Cordero, but his ball is really heavy. I didn’t see that kind of stuff from him with the breaking ball, but he’s got good sink (with the fastball) at times.”

A 2005 22nd-round pick out of Santa Clara, Overholt had never started in pro ball until this season.

“It seems like he could be good in short spurts with a two-pitch mix,” said another NL scout. “But he shouldn’t mess with more than that.”

I liked Overholt heading into last season as a reliever, the Phillies chose to start him, and it looks like it may have set his ETA back a year. I noted his great groundball tendencies when he was on top of his game, and that is confirmed by the scout who noted the “heavy ball” he throws. Overholt is a possible 6/7th inning guy at this point, but probably not until mid 2008 or later.

Just a little update on our players in the AFL and Hawaiian Winter League

AFL

Greg Golson: 20 AB — .250/.238/.400 — 0 BB — 3 K — 3 XBH
Mike Costanzo: 17 AB — .059/.200/.235 – 3 BB – 10K — 1 XBH (HR)
Tuffy Gosewich: 6 AB — .333/.333/.333

Josh Outman: 2 IP — 2 ER — 2 H — 1 BB — 2 K — 1 HR
Joe Savery: 2 IP — 0 ER — 1 H — 1 BB — 2 K
Joe Bisenius: 4 IP — 0 ER — 1 H — 1 BB — 4 K
Pat Overholt: 2.2 IP — 2 ER — 2 H — 1 BB — 2 K

HWL

Ronald Hill: 9.1 IP — 9 ER —  14 H — 6 BB — 9 K
Andrew Cruse: 11.0 IP — 4 ER — 10 H — 4 BB — 6 K