Floyd article

[RockRaines]

Some interesting tidbits

 

 

New beginning for White Sox’ Floyd

 

By Scot Gregor

Daily Herald Sports Writer

Posted Friday, March 09, 2007

 

 

TUCSON, Ariz. — Spraining his right ankle in a Feb. 26 intrasquad game didn’t get him down.

 

Neither did Thursday’s uneven Cactus League start against the Colorado Rockies.

 

“I just go out there and pitch,’’ said Gavin Floyd, the overwhelming favorite to open the season as the White Sox’ No. 5 starter. “I don’t see anything but the mitt. That’s the only thing I think about. Go out there and pitch. You can’t worry about anything else.’’

 

Floyd was a certified worrywart during three up-and-down seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team that drafted the right-hander with the No. 4 overall pick in 2001.

 

But prior to coming to the Sox in the Dec. 6 trade that sent Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia, Floyd said he finally saw the light.

 

 

White Sox hopeful Gavin Floyd had an epiphany while pitching in the Arizona Fall League last year. (Associated Press)

Pitching for the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, the 24-year-old Floyd stopped trying to be a perfectionist. The White Sox were impressed with the transformation, along with the back-to-back starts in which Floyd allowed just 1 hit over 7 shutout innings.

 

“The Arizona Fall League was a turning point for me,’’ the soft-spoken pitcher said. “I was able to be myself and find myself again. When you’re trying to change everything, and people are trying to change you, your confidence goes way downhill.

 

“I was able to relax in the Arizona Fall League and get away from everything and figure things out myself. That’s what I really needed. Things have been downhill since then.’’

 

Facing the Rockies in his second exhibition start Thursday, Floyd breezed through the first inning and allowed 1 run on 2 hits in the second. In the third inning, Floyd allowed 5 more runs, but only 1 was earned.

 

“This is the first time he threw more than 2 innings,’’ manager Ozzie Guillen said. “(In the third), he got under it a little bit. Besides that, he threw the ball pretty good.’’

 

Floyd has always had a plus arm — he throws a nasty curveball and can hit 95 mph with his fastball. But after being such a high draft pick and dealing with even higher expectations with the Phillies, the pressure got to the young pitcher.

 

The White Sox are confident Floyd will positively adapt to his new surroundings, and he’s done just that as spring training reaches the halfway point.

 

Floyd has also bonded with Don Cooper, the Sox’ affable pitching coach.

 

“All the players here, the coaches, they’ve made me feel real comfortable,’’ Floyd said. “I get along with Coop, and we’re on the same page. I feel real happy being here.’’

 

With a little more than three weeks before the regular season opens, Floyd is going to gradually start mixing in all of his pitches and try to show why he was once regarded as a can’t-miss prospect.

 

Against the Rockies, Floyd showed more of his curveball and slider. More important, his delivery is right where it should be.

 

“I feel real good with my mechanics, with being fluid and effortless,’’ Floyd said. “Coop and this organization have allowed me to keep on doing that. There have been some little alterations, but they’re alterations, not changes.’’

 

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[CanOfCorn]

Some interesting tidbits

 

I know that Haeger's knuckler doesn't knuckle in Arizona very well. Does that apply to curves, sliders, any other pitch that moves?

 

I mean, if Floyd is having a rough time because his curve isn't curving as much as it normally would, should people worry yet?

[Balta1701]

Floyd has always had a plus arm — he throws a nasty curveball and can hit 95 mph with his fastball.

That's about 2-3 mph faster than I've seen most people say he throws.

[RME JICO]

I am holding off my judgment on him until later in ST. Right now it is too hard to gauge based off the limited innings. Once he gets to the Vazquez-line of 5 innings, then we will be able to see if he is the real deal or not.

[hitlesswonder]

That's about 2-3 mph faster than I've seen most people say he throws.

 

That was the reported speed of his fastball when he was drafted, which is now sevral years ago. At the time fo the trade, Philadelphia papers reported that he had lost a couple MPH off his fastball since then.

 

What I've read out of spring training has been that he is throwing around 91 regularly, I'm sure he probably can pop one in at 93 every now and then.

[GoSox05]

he's still pretty young to turn it around, but that clock is ticken.

[RockRaines]

That's about 2-3 mph faster than I've seen most people say he throws.

Sports Illustrated just called BMAC a hard throwing righty

[Chisoxfn]

That's about 2-3 mph faster than I've seen most people say he throws.

Floyd has pitched at the MLB level and thrown in that 95 MPH range, however that was when he was one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball with the Phils (probably 2 years ago). I vividly remember him having a real nice fastball and his hook was devastating. He lost a bit of velocity on his FB but I remember hearing from a few people that it was closer to his old range during the AFL (albeit he wasn't consistently throwing 95 nor do I know if he hit 95).

 

I'd imagine he'll be in the 92-94 range once he gets loosened up based on the reports I heard on him from the AFL.

[Jack Parkman]

It is my belief that Floyd only has 1 minor league option left, but I am not 100% sure. Can someone confirm or deny this? Is there a website that I can go to in order to find out whether or not this is true? If so, then I believe we are stuck with him as our 5th starter whether he produces or not.

[That funky motion]

Meanwhile Danks threw 3 innings today and only gave up 2 hits. 1.50 era now

[BearSox]

this will be interesting to see what happens... Danks has really impressed so far.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(That funky motion @ Mar 9, 2007 -> 05:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Meanwhile Danks threw 3 innings today and only gave up 2 hits. 1.50 era now

I'm part of his crew.

[winninguglyin83]

Danks and Gio have been better than Floyd, but there are three-plus weeks to go.

[YASNY]

It is my belief that Floyd only has 1 minor league option left, but I am not 100% sure. Can someone confirm or deny this? Is there a website that I can go to in order to find out whether or not this is true? If so, then I believe we are stuck with him as our 5th starter whether he produces or not.

 

If he has one option left, then he can be sent to AAA with no worries. I wouldn't call that as being stuck with him.

[G&T]

This is a quote about Danks

 

"This kid is really, really, really impressive," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I think every outing we send this kid, (he) makes you open your eyes a lot. He's one of the guys who throws the ball the best.

 

Only 21 and with just 14 games at Triple-A, Danks was slated for Charlotte until he started getting outs—and more outs. Now a spring start could be in his future.

 

"[saturday] morning, there's going to be a long talk about him," Guillen said. "I expect we'll have a long talk about that kid to see what we plan to do with him and [Gavin] Floyd and the guys for the fifth spot."

 

It's clear that the plan was to have Floyd start the season in the rotation and the Sox are going to give him every chance, but Ozzie doesn't usually rave about young guys like this.

[EvilJester99]

The better Danks pitches, the more and more I think the Sox will be less likely to want to overpay to resign Buehrle....

[Dick Allen]

Danks can't be any more impressive this spring than McCarthy was a couple of springs ago, and now if you read this board, McCarthy is one of the worst pitchers wearing a uniform in Arizona. Danks may be good one day, but when the season starts he should be in Charlotte.

[G&T]

Kenny seems to think Floyd is doing really well.

 

"He has great angle on his fastball and drove it to both sides of the plate," Williams said. "He got ground balls, and on the hard infield they got through, but they won't get through in Chicago. He threw his breaking ball aggressively for strikes.

 

"It's a good breaking ball down here, one of the best in camp, and it will be even better once we leave here. He threw back-to-back changeups to a left-handed hitter over there. That's the one thing I've been waiting to see. They were outstanding.

 

Chisox.com

[Dick Allen]

Kenny seems to think Floyd is doing really well.

 

 

 

Chisox.com

Kenny is starting to sound like he did about Jon Adkins. Adkins came over the same way as Floyd, thought to be pretty much a non-prospect at the point of acquisition amoung most scouts. Kenny didn't agree. The majority of scouts were right. I still like the Garcia trade though even if Floyd is, as I figure, not a very good pitcher.

[fathom]

Kenny is starting to sound like he did about Jon Adkins. Adkins came over the same way as Floyd, thought to be pretty much a non-prospect at the point of acquisition amoung most scouts. Kenny didn't agree. The majority of scouts were right. I still like the Garcia trade though even if Floyd is, as I figure, not a very good pitcher.

 

There just seems to be so many excuses when it comes to why Floyd struggles/struggled in the past. I saw some highlights of his game vs Colorado, and he didn't seem to have much on his pitches. His wind-up is real ugly.

[Dick Allen]

There just seems to be so many excuses when it comes to why Floyd struggles/struggled in the past. I saw some highlights of his game vs Colorado, and he didn't seem to have much on his pitches. His wind-up is real ugly.

Its funny he's using Arizona as an excuse for Floyd but got enamoured with him watching him in the AFL.

[3E8]

As the article implies, Floyd will win the job because of intangibles you cannot see on a stat sheet like mechanics, coachability, etc. Too many people here are concerned with spring ERA.

[fathom]

As the article implies, Floyd will win the job because of intangibles you cannot see on a stat sheet like mechanics, coachability, etc. Too many people here are concerned with spring ERA.

 

Yep, getting hitters out is overrated. My biggest fear is that we'll hand Floyd the 5th starter spot even if he doesn't earn it.

[Whitewashed in '05]

Danks can't be any more impressive this spring than McCarthy was a couple of springs ago, and now if you read this board, McCarthy is one of the worst pitchers wearing a uniform in Arizona. Danks may be good one day, but when the season starts he should be in Charlotte.

I agree.

 

Danks may be good, and he could be ready, but we didn't get Floyd to send him to AAA. If Floyd ends up performing well then I wouldn't mind having the rotation full and still having guys knocking on the door for a spot.

[fathom]

I agree.

 

Danks may be good, and he could be ready, but we didn't get Floyd to send him to AAA. If Floyd ends up performing well then I wouldn't mind having the rotation full and still having guys knocking on the door for a spot.

 

Considering Floyd did nothing to prove last year he's anywhere close to being ready to start in the American League, I hope KW/Ozzie aren't that stubborn.