May 14, 2009
Future Shock Blog
May 14, 2009
by Kevin Goldstein
Wasting time: part one
Clay Buchholz, RHP, Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket)
Wednesday's stats: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K
Look, I know the team is 21-13, but four Red Sox starters have ERAs over
six. Whatever was wrong with Buchholz last year, be it confidence,
mechanics, or any other theory thrown out there, it's seemingly fixed now,
as in his last four starts, he's given up 10 hits over 26.1 innings while
striking out 32 and walking four. I don't care what kind of silly
translation you want to use, that's definitely an ERA lower than six in the
big leagues.
Wasting time: part two
Brandon Wood, SS, Angels (Triple-A Salt Lake)
Wednesday's stats: 3-for-4, 2B, 2 HR (8), 3 R, 3 RBI, BB
Yes, Wood just showed up here recently, but this is getting ridiculous, as
he's now batting .351/.439/.877 with eight home runs in 57 at-bats. Take
into account intangibles, defense and anything else you want and you still
can't explain why Chone Figgins and/or Erick Aybar are playing every day
over this guy.
He's the fire starter, twisted firestarter
Brad Emauus, 2B, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire)
Wednesday's stats: 2-for-2, 2B, 3 BB
An 11th-round pick in 2007 out of Tulane, Emaus was seen as one of those
gritty, gutsy, get the most out of limited tools types of players. All of
that is true, but it turns out Emaus can hit as well. Scouts always loved
his max-effort, fundamentally sound play, but now they're praising his bat
as well. Batting .310/.384/.504 in 33 games, Emaus has more true believers
than ever.
Yup, pitching was the right decision
Ethan Martin, RHP, Dodgers (Low-A Great Lakes)
Wednesday's stats: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K
Martin had first-round potential as a third baseman in the 2008 draft, but
it was his arm than really generated the attention, and so far this year,
Martin is showing why, with his third five-inning shutout stint in seven
starts. With a fastball that touches the mid-90s and what is already a plus
power breaking ball, Martin has struck out 40 in 30 innings while limiting
the Midwest League to a .196 batting average and earning some praises as the
best pitching prospect in the league.
Something out of nothing?
Clint Everts, LHP, Nationals (High-A Potomac)
Wednesday's stats:1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, SV
Way back in 2002, Scott Kazmir wasn't even the first players selected out of
Cypress Falls High in Texas. Everts was, going fifth overall to what was
then the Expos. Elbow problems, including a Tommy John surgery have all but
decimated a once promising career, but he's still fighting, allowing only
three hits in 9.2 innings while striking out 13 and not walking a batter. He
doesn't throw anywhere near as hard as he once did, but he can still spin a
breaking ball, and just mind end up with some LOOGY possibilities in the
end. It's certainly hard not to root for him.
Sleeper alert!
Hector Noesi, RHP, Yankees (Low-A Charleston)
Wednesday's stats: 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
Coming into year, Noesi wasn't known for much more than a 50-game suspension
two years ago for performance enhancing drugs. This year he's known for
utterly dominating the Sally League, as last night's start, in which he
retired the first 19 batters he faced was just another in a season-long run
of big nights for the 22 year-old Dominican. He's just to give up a run in
27.1 innings this year, and in three games since moving to the rotation,
he's allowed just four hits in 15.1 innings.
Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
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9 comments have been left for this article. 
Thanks for the Martin update. His numbers look very similar to Kershaw's numbers from Great Lakes a few years ago. Is there a chance he has the same time of profile at the end of teh year or are do the scouting reports keep him down a notch?
Also, I'm curious about what scouts are saying about Withrow in the Cal league. His numbers are solid at least.