Sox Claim Rusty Tucker off waivers

[Chisoxfn]

Wow, 94-97 MPH fastball that could touch 99 MPH.  I wonder what he can hit now after Tommy John surgery.  I guess none of it matters if he can't throw it over the plate.

Notice how the velocity just appeared. I wonder if its still there.

[SSH2005]

Notice how the velocity just appeared.  I wonder if its still there.

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How does that stuff just appear? Change in delivery?

[Chisoxfn]

How does that stuff just appear?  Change in delivery?

Could be himself getting stronger and just maturing. Could be a minor change in delivery.

 

Or it could have been roids. It really depends. Velocity can definately improve. I don't know what his build was prior.

 

For example...I fully expect Bmac to put on another 1-3 MPH on his fastball as he continues to develop and get stronger. It could have simply been something like that.

 

Hell Eric Gagne added a boatload to his FB when he went to the closers spot.

[SSH2005]

In any case, it would be sweet if this guy turns into 2002-2004 Marte. Jenks and Turnbow show that these guys can slip through the cracks.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 14, 2006 -> 03:40 PM)

Is anyone else sitting here trying to figure out why that name sounds so funny and yet appears to be totally un-funny?

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Sounds like a f***ed up sexual position like a "dirty sanchez."

 

In fact, I think I know what a "Rusty Tucker" could be, but it's too graphic to post. :puke

Edited February 15, 2006 by santo=dorf

[witesoxfan]

Could be himself getting stronger and just maturing.  Could be a minor change in delivery. 

 

Or it could have been roids.  It really depends.  Velocity can definately improve. I don't know what his build was prior. 

 

For example...I fully expect Bmac to put on another 1-3 MPH on his fastball as he continues to develop and get stronger.  It could have simply been something like that.

 

Hell Eric Gagne added a boatload to his FB when he went to the closers spot.

 

But can you jump from fringe-average stuff to dominant stuff friggin overnight like Tucker did though? I mean, even when getting stronger, it's not like it's something that happens everyday.

 

McCarthy going from 89-92 to 91-94 is not out of the rule or even an exception to the rule...but going from 89-92 to 94-97 while touching 99? It does seem a bit odd.

 

If Tucker were a starter in college, one would not instantly have steroids come to mind. Gagne's fastball increased because he could let loose and throw it a little harder than he did while he was starting - same thing for Jenks too. However, I can't find anything on his college stats though, so I am lost in that category.

[SSH2005]

http://padres.scout.com/2/499323.html

Rusty Tucker claimed by the White Sox

 

Rusty Tucker, previously designated for assignment by the Padres, was claimed by the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Tucker will report to Tucson with the White Sox on Friday.

 

Rusty Tucker posted a 5.31 ERA in 62 2/3 innings for the Double-A Mobile BayBears in 2005, his first full season back following Tommy John surgery in 2003.

 

"It's been a crazy couple of weeks," said Tucker. "I knew there was a chance I still could be a Padre which would have been great, but obviously to keep my roster spot and to be with the White Sox is pretty neat."

 

"You never want to lose a kid who's a left-hander and has a big arm," said Grady Fuson, the Padres' vice president of scouting and player development. "But that's the sort of thing you have to do to add a proven guy you want to bring in."

 

Tucker was originally taken by the Padres in the 21st round of the 2001 draft out of the University of Maine. A left-handed reliever, Tucker regularly hit the mid-90s with his fastball before the surgery. He was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for the addition of catcher Mike Piazza.

White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn reports that the team is glad to be able to take a chance on Tucker.

 

"He's now almost 20 months after surgery. He's had some control problems in the past, but our scouts think there's a few mechanical things we change with him," said Hahn.

 

The White Sox had the luxury of taking a chance on Tucker because they had seven spots open on their 40-man roster. Tucker will join a number of lefties in camp in Tucson starting this Friday, including former Marlin Chad Bentz, former Diamondbacks Stephen Randolph and Javier Lopez.

[ottawa_sox]

Not a bad gamble. I hope someone exceeds expecatations and performs well. Don't want someone with a 6.00ERA during Spring Training on our squad because he was merely the best of the crappy selection.

 

Considering where the Sox play Spring Training games and the kind of stats the pitchers often put up, you have to try to take spring ERAs with a grain of salt. At least this year I think I will find myself trusting the management a little more with their selections.

[Brian]

Was hoping you meant Rusty Greer!

[southsider2k5]

Hmm sounds like the Padres were trying to slip him through hoping that no one would notice.

[SSH2005]

"But that's OK," said Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley. "Rusty was good before the surgery, and you tend to be more patient with lefties who throw hard. We need to be patient with him, but he's back on track now."

"He felt great nine months after the surgery, but his once mid-90s fastball was a pedestrian mid-80s."

 

"When I'm healthy, I can run it up there pretty good," the 24-year-old said. "And it wasn't too long ago that I was in the mid-80s and struggling.

 

"Everyone was telling me to be patient. That everything would be fine. That my stuff would come back. I was confident it would, but until it does, there is always a little doubt."

"I was a guy who could throw consistently 93-94 mph and touch 95-96. Now I'm 87-90," Tucker said. "I want to be back where I was, and the doctors say it will come back one day. So I may be better off in the long run because I'm learning how to pitch now without great stuff. There is no doubt in the world now that I'll come back."

Lefthander Rusty Tucker looked like the Padre's closer of the future in 2002, hitting 99 mph on the radar gun and posting 88 strikeouts in 66 innings. He had Tommy John surgery after that, though, and has lost enough off his fastball that he is no longer able to dominate. The Padres hoped this might be the season he recovered his old form, but his fastball has been in the low 90s and has been flat and hittable. A 15th-round pick out of Maine in 2001, Tucker was 2-2, 5.26 at Mobile. His strikeout numbers, 42 in 38 innings, showed progress, but his 27 walks were far too many.

[Baines3]

Since we got him off waivers, we have everything to gain and not a whole lot to lose. Remember the Sox picked Bobby Jenks off waivers and the rest is White Sox history! I like this move the Sox made.

[AngelasDaddy0427]

It's fairly sad when this is the most exciting of all the lefty prospects we have...

[SSH2005]

It's fairly sad when this is the most exciting of all the lefty prospects we have...

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Armando Almanza

Chad Bentz

Javier Lopez

Corwin Malone

Arnie Munoz

Stephen Randolph

Paulino Reynoso

Rusty Tucker

 

Quantity, not quality.

[3E8]

What was that cartoon where all the friends touched their rings together and used all their skills to become a more powerful entity? I'm thinking something like that could work for this group.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Armando Almanza

Chad Bentz

Javier Lopez

Corwin Malone

Arnie Munoz

Stephen Randolph

Paulino Reynoso

Rusty Tucker

 

Quantity, not quality. 

 

Fortunately for us, we just need one of them to step up and show they can get it done. I would be more worried if we had two or three slots we needed to fill in the pen.

[knightni]

Don't you hate it when you get a rusty tucker?

 

What kind of oil would you need?

[Chisoxfn]

What was that cartoon where all the friends touched their rings together and used all their skills to become a more powerful entity?  I'm thinking something like that could work for this group.

All our powers combine to form...CAPTAIN PLANET

 

Or with the Sox...All our Powers combine to form....CAPTAIN LOOGY

[SSH2005]

All our powers combine to form...CAPTAIN PLANET 

 

Or with the Sox...All our Powers combine to form....CAPTAIN LOOGY 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That cartoon kicked ass but the idea wouldn't work. None of these lefties has the "control" ring.

[Chisoxfn]

That cartoon kicked ass but the idea wouldn't work.  None of these lefties has the "control" ring. 

But they can use "wind" to control where the ball goes.

[SSH2005]

But they can use "wind" to control where the ball goes. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

http://www.turner.com/planet/static/linka.html

Linka's element is Wind. She can command it to swirl or gust, or create small tornadoes.

[DBAHO]

Good to hear the Sox think they can change some things with him mechanically.

 

Kind of like when Cotts was struggling at the start of 2005 (good times wasn't it). A simple adjustment at looking at the catcher's mitt, and bingo, he becomes one of the best lefty set-up men in baseball.

 

Not saying it's going to happen to Tucker, but hopefully they can hit on one of these lefties.

[Rowand44]

Not saying it's going to happen to Tucker, but hopefully they can hit on one of these lefties.

I'm not expecting it but it sure wouldn't shock me. Our organization is great at finding "diamonds in the rough."

[RME JICO]

Armando Almanza

Chad Bentz

Javier Lopez

Corwin Malone

Arnie Munoz

Stephen Randolph

Paulino Reynoso

Rusty Tucker

 

Quantity, not quality. 

 

There is a great chance that at least one of these guys will pan out and be a decent lefty out of the pen. Most of these guys have a lot of upside and a fresh start for some of them might unlock that potential.

[beck72]

Here was Tucker's 2004 write up from BA's Prospect Handbook: The Pads #12 prospect

 

"After a breakthrough in velocity in 2002, Tucker continued to pitch well after a promotion to AA last season. He continued to throw in the mid 90's, an astounding fastball for a short lefthander, and blew away Southern league hitters. But he lost some velocity and started to get hit in July, then felt a pop in his elbow when he threw a pitch in early august. He had Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter and probably won't pitch during the 2004 regular season. The track record with that operation is very good, so Tucker should be able to regain his fastball after diligent rehab. When he comes back, he'll need to continue to tighten a hard, slurvy breaking ball into a true slider. Tucker was starting to learn that there's more than pitching to sheer power, as he mixed in more two seam fastballs and changeups than in the past. His four seamer lacks much movement and he'll need to find something he can use to shutdown righthanders. They hit .256 and slugged .372 against him in 2003, compared to .188 and .250 by lefties. He'll also have to improve his control"