Rowdy Hardy Update

by timlacy on Jun 30, 2008 11:51 AM EDT Comment 19 comments

See here for more. The post is two weeks old (June 16), but scroll down to this:

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Rowdy Hardy (Royals) deserves a lot of credit. After dominating the Carolina League last year, the 25-year-old lefthander was beaten around in his first trip around the Texas League to the tune of a 0-2, 6.23 record in five April starts. But since mid-May, the lefty who has two speeds, slow and slower, has started to get a handle on Double-A.

Hardy allowed six hits in seven scoreless innings last night. He’s now allowed one run in his last 13 innings and is 3-2, 2.76 in his past seven starts.

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Well, it's nice to see that Hardy is coming around. If his name were Hochevar, he'd have been promoted to AAA already. But since he's Hardy of the 75 mph fastball (exaggeration), he'll have to show himself for a whole year at AA. I hope he does!

There was an RR post the other day about knuckleballers. Maybe we need to think of Hardy as a modified to knuckler so that people will stop knocking the guy for not being the next Saberhagen--err Greinke. - TL

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Master of the knuckle-fastball!

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on Jun 30, 2008 11:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's not so much that his name isn't Hochevar...

it’s more because Luke Hochevar has actual major league starter stuff.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 30, 2008 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunately, Hardy's performances have been all over the place this season

I wish it were just a bad start and that he’s come around from that bad start to be a pretty good pitcher, but that just isn’t the case. HIs last two starts have been:

5.1 ip, 7 h, 6 er, 1 bb, 2 so
3 ip, 10 h, 8 er, 2 bb, 2 so

In his last 10 starts, 4 have been awful, 1 was mediocre and 5 were good. This means that his overall stat line is staying in the crappy range:

3-7, 5.38 ERA, 88.2 ip, 120 h, 60 r, 53 er, 7 hr, 14 bb, 40 k

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 30, 2008 1:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah,

root for him, but don’t bet on him.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 30, 2008 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the Bannister of AA?

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Jun 30, 2008 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bannister mixes good starts with mediocre and bad starts

Hardy mixes awful starts with good starts (with way too many of the former).

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 30, 2008 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

still thinks banny ends the season with an era below 4.5?

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jun 30, 2008 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes I do

I think there will be a lot of ups and downs (he’s under 4.50, he’s over 4.50, he’s under 4.50…) but I think he’ll end up under 4.50. His FIP is under 4.50 right now. He does have LD% problems, though. He’s going to have to pitch a bit better than he has so far this season, but, to get under 4.50, he won’t have to pitch a lot better.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 30, 2008 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

It’s hard to remember that this is only his second full season. He’s taking lumps here and there because he’s still learning. – TL

by timlacy on Jun 30, 2008 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah...im just really not a fan of guys that pretty much give us no chance to win almost 50% of their starts

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jun 30, 2008 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the other hand, he gives us a really good chance to win in almost half of his starts

We’ll see how his starts look for the rest of the season. He certainly gave us a good chance to win in the vast majority of his starts last year. It raises an interesting question. Is one of these pitchers better for his team than the other:

Pitcher A
32 starts, each with 6 ip, 3 er
ERA – 4.50

Pitcher B
32 starts
8 starts 6 ip 1 er
8 starts 6 ip 2 er
8 starts 6 ip 4 er
8 starts 6 ip 5 er
ERA – 4.50

Pitcher A is mediocre every time out. Pitcher B has half good starts and half bad starts. For a high run scoring team, Pitcher A is definitely better. For a low run scoring team, I think pitcher B gives you a better chance to win more games.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 30, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree w/ the sentiment

consistency is a dangerous thing to wish for. gotta be careful with it.

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Jun 30, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another way of looking...

...at Banny situation: Is the glass half-full or half-empty? :)

Moreover, based on the Royals record over the past 10 years, what’s wrong with a young .500 pitcher who has an upside and will likely make 30 starts? – TL

by timlacy on Jun 30, 2008 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the problem is his up side i fear was shown last year, with his superficially good numbers that likely wont be repeated

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jun 30, 2008 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree that he shouldn't be that good again

But he is, in my opinion, at least a #3 with enough upside potential that he could be a #2 or at least do so in some seasons.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 30, 2008 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome

Maybe someone on here can start texting with Rowdy, and then starting posting a “Rowdy Log.”

Who’s good with PhotoShop? Can we get a pic of Rowdy in a spacesuit?

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on Jun 30, 2008 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Rowdster is just experiencing some growing pains.

If Rowdy is doing so bad… then what is Pimental doing? His numbers looks worse than Hardy’s. I know, I know… he has the “stuff”. Now if he would just use that stuff to chalk up some wins.

Knuckle fastball… I like that.

Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call. "

by grudz96 on Jun 30, 2008 1:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think Pimentel's numbers are worse than Hardy's

The only stats that in which Hardy is better than Pimentel are ERA and BB/9. Pimentel’s stock hasn’t gone down much this year. Hardy has free-fallen out of the Royals top 50 prospects (in my opinion).

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 30, 2008 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs