Luke Hochevar : Joakim Soria's Future Setup Man?

I tried to find why Luke can't pitch worth a damn after ~2 innings.

5 months ago Jeff Zimmerman (TucsonRoyal) 11 comments 2 recs |

Comments

Great work

I’m not sure how any additional time in AAA or as a MLB starter is going to result in the drastic improvement he would need to be a good starting pitcher. I don’t think it’s an issue of Luke “learning how to pitch.” He’s had plenty of time to figure things out.

Whether it’s just purely arm strength/mechanics or even something mental, I think he (and the Royals) would benefit by putting Ponson back in the #5 SP slot and letting Luke work out of the pen.

"Now…put that in your [BLEEP]ing pipe and smoke it." -Hal McRae

"I was doing this when BJ was in his father's nutsack." -Renzo Gracie

by Sweep_the_Leg on Jun 1, 2009 6:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We Need To

Get something out of him. It’s not like our middle relief has been so great, either.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Jun 1, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

Would have been great time to see him work out of the pen last week and the upcoming week.

If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that.

by Warden11 on Jun 1, 2009 10:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm for anyone who can consistently get people out

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Jun 1, 2009 11:00 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Lends a little credence to what

GMDM said about why they left him in Omaha at the beginning of the year. Is the sample size large enough?

by stuckinstl12 on Jun 2, 2009 12:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Would be a good idea

So that we can later deal him for a first baseman who can’t field or a centerfielder who can’t hit.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 2, 2009 11:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

or, even better, Jeff Francoeur

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by devil_fingers on Jun 2, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big League Stew linked to post.

Link.

If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that.

by Warden11 on Jun 2, 2009 12:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

linked to THE post

If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that.

by Warden11 on Jun 2, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would be fine

just be sure and get SOME value out of him.

In the past, this organization misidentified skillset of many a pitcher, and traded them only to find other orgs switch the pitcher’s role and benefit from it. I will cite Tom Gordon, whom the Royals kept trying in the rotation without much success, Jay Witasick, same mistake, Jimmy Gobble, same mistake – but they finally did correct it.

Regardless of being #1 overall pick, it’s not a disaster if he turns into merely a good bullpen setup guy. Not all your draft picks pan out anyway.

Mr Glass, this is a pro sports team, not a retail store - run it like one!

by loyal2sdad on Jun 2, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs