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The new column is posted, in which I pick Clay Hensley over Cole Hamels mere hours before Hamels makes an impressive season debut. Oh well, it’s a long year and I’m in it for the duration. You’ll also find some talk about Jorge Cantu, BJ Upton and the advantages of getting off to a quick start.
Peter, it’s not so much the pick of Hensley that I have a problem with. Nor is it the reasoning behind tempering expectations on Hamels based on his never doing it over a full season. But your comments on Hamels’ control seemed way off base: “last year at the Major League level was the first time he’d ever avoided throwing too many walks”.
Where do you get that from? Considering that his entire minor league career is essentialy only one full season and that he walked all of 74 in 201 minor league innings, I think your concern over his control is unfounded. 1 – He never spent enough time at any one level to make assumptions and 2 – 3.3 BB/9 isn’t Maddux-like, but it’s hardly damning.
Those 74 walks in 201 minor league innings aren’t awful, but they’re not good. And one progression as young pitchers advance usually comes in their BB rate. It gets worse.
That was my assumption, though you’re absolutely correct that he didn’t really throw “too many walks” in his limited minor league PT. He just didn’t leave a lot of room to get worse.