Trade Return on Crain

[NorthSideSox72]

FS article on the return on Crain. Also in PHT, but since this article is looking at the minor leagues acquired, thought I'd post it here too for discussion.

 

[knightni]

Bierman seems like a Mark Buehrle type.

[witesoxfan]

Bierman seems like a Mark Buehrle type.

 

So did Josh Stewart and Heath Phillips

[knightni]

So did Josh Stewart and Heath Phillips

I can't really say much about Phillips, but Ozzie and a line drive baseball did in Stewart.

 

 

[witesoxfan]

It's just generally not a good thing to be compared to Buehrle. Buehrle actually has 4 slightly above average pitches with no velocity that all come out of the same arm slot at the same speed. For any pitcher to even closely resemble that is just a long shot at best. As Sox fans, you just hope he can pick up some velocity out of the bullpen and he can be an effective lefty reliever. That's the most I'm hoping for.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

It seems anyone who doesn't throw 90+ consistently will get compared to Buehrle, but unfortunately we may never see anyone else have the success Buehrle had w/ the Sox given his lack of typical pitcher skills.

[witesoxfan]

It seems anyone who doesn't throw 90+ consistently will get compared to Buehrle, but unfortunately we may never see anyone else have the success Buehrle had w/ the Sox given his lack of typical pitcher skills.

 

It's unfortunate that the general idea is that any soft tossing lefty is immediately compared to Buehrle. Like I said, he doesn't throw hard, but his repertoire and command are exceptional. You just don't put up ERAs in the 3.50-4.25 range for 13 years (save 2006) while consistently making 31+ starts and throwing 200+ innings if you are a mere soft tossing lefty. If this kid could do it once, it would be incredible.

 

EDIT: It's nuts looking at his pitch usage this year. 30.4% 4-seam 84.1 MPH, 23.4% change up 78.8 MPH, 19.2% 2-seam 83.9 MPH, 19.4% cutter 80.1 MPH, 7.2% curveball 72.9 MPH. There's nothing you can do to get any sort of pattern set in your head, and he will throw any and all of those pitches at any point in the count, and he moves so fast that he never let's you even think about what might come next.

Edited October 16, 2013 by witesoxfan

[Balta1701]

It's unfortunate that the general idea is that any soft tossing lefty is immediately compared to Buehrle. Like I said, he doesn't throw hard, but his repertoire and command are exceptional. You just don't put up ERAs in the 3.50-4.25 range for 13 years (save 2006) while consistently making 31+ starts and throwing 200+ innings if you are a mere soft tossing lefty. If this kid could do it once, it would be incredible.

Out of the bullpen, soft tossing lefties can be quite effective, but they typically are limited in their jobs to being LOOGY's in my eyes. There's nothing wrong with that, a lefty throwing in the high 80's with good control and a decent offspeed pitch can have a 15 year career in this league.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Chances Bierman cracks a top 25 list?

[southsider2k5]

Chances Bierman cracks a top 25 list?

 

Next to zero.

[NorthSideSox72]

My comparison would for Bierman would be a lefty Axelrod.

 

Good control, success in the minors, crafty, Jewish, short.

 

Sort of an odd comparison. Axelrod actually threw harder, at least at times in the minors. Also, Axelrod was the opposite of Bieman in terms of ground ball rates - Axel was usually

 

Other than the fact that neither throws much heat, and neither are very tall, I don't see a lot of similarity.

 

Chances Bierman cracks a top 25 list?

 

I haven't started going through names yet (next list will be in January), but off hand, I'd be shocked if he was in the T25.

 

[witesoxfan]

Next to zero.

 

You included 2 too many words in there