Baseball Prospectus - Chat with Harry Pavlidis

Chat: Harry Pavlidis

Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Tuesday August 27, 2013 1:00 PM ET chat session with Harry Pavlidis.

Harry takes your questions on pitching, PITCHf/x, and baseball in general.

Harry Pavlidis: Thanks for coming back! Or, welcome if this is your first. Lots to cover. Could be some lag between answers, still need to look up a few odds and ends to answer a lot of these. Good stuff, folks. Let's jump right in.

goiter6 (MN): Has there been any indication if/when the Marlins are going to shut down Jose Fernandez? I seem to remember the number 160IP being mentioned at the beginning of the year but haven't seen that recently. I did see 4-5 more starts mentioned in an article (8/14) but nothing else.

Harry Pavlidis: 170 was the plan, and they appear to be sticking with it http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-08-20/sports/fl-marlins-notes-0821-20130820_1_manager-mike-redmond-innings-limit-adeiny-hechavarria

Cal Guy (Cal): Hi Harry, Projecting ahead to 2016, please rank Gausman, A. Bradley, Walker, Giolito and Cole.

Harry Pavlidis: yikes, that's hard to do. Giolito is too new to rank with those guys. But I'd guess Walker/Cole/Bradley/Gaussman on the rest. Might as well draw from a hat, though.

Cal Guy (Cal): Do you have any reports on Mas Tanaka of the NPL? If he moves to MLB do you see him accomplishing something in between that of Darvish and Ryu?

Harry Pavlidis: not yet, I generally don't pay attention to the Japanese guys until they are posted etc.

Dan Rozenson (Washington, DC): What are some good fall seasonal ales to accompany the ignominious conclusion of one's favored team's season? I'm looking for something that will bury disappointment.

Harry Pavlidis: Let's put this one out to the group. I'll share the responses.

Cris E (St Paul, MN): So what does PITCHf/x say about Dempster's inside pitching this weekend? Shouldn't a major leaguer like Ryan be able to hit a large guy like ARod in under four pitches? Seriously, have you ever messed around using PITCHf/x to look at brushbacks, knockdowns and the like?

Harry Pavlidis: they were fastballs (I think 3 of them were four-seamers, which is his primary pitch these days, but that's another story). I won't speculate on whether or not Dempster was hitting his spots, and I've never studied the brushback thing ... well, except for confirming Dempster was throwing fastballs at ARod.

balticwolf (Bethesda MD): Need a 1B prospect for a 18 team league. Gallo or Vogelbach? Or somebody else?

Harry Pavlidis: a 1B prospect might as well have an insane hitting tool. So far I'd say Vogelbach, but I may be biased.

1738679 (Northern Cali..): The Bravos are entertaining the thought these days with going to a 6-man rotation because Paul Maholm is nearly ready to come off the DL. From my perspective, my intuition tells me that that GM Wrenn and Fredi-G are tinkering, allowing the starters more time between starts to rest arms while also trying to figure out who Da' Top 4 will be come playoff time. What do you think?

Harry Pavlidis: makes sense to keep arms fresh, won't be hard to do since rosters expand soon. They have a solid lead, so yea, I can't say it has any obvious downside.

Matt (Chicago): Harry, I was looking at Samardzija's F/X numbers and noticed declining, albeit slowly, velocity numbers throughout this season. Is this, in your experience, something to be worried about from a possible injury standpoint or attributable to normal fatigue , as the season wears on?i know he had a great game last night.

Harry Pavlidis: I think he's pitching smarter. First, slider got firmer the same time his sinker/fastball got softer. Second, in those last two starts where average velocity was down, he got stronger as the game went on. He's not tired or hurt, he may have just figured out how to pace himself.

BeplerP (New Yawk, New Yawk): The Mets seem to have an on-ruching generation of elite pitching emerging frtom the minor leagues. How much of this is real organizational change (no more Mike Pelfreys)? a new approach to pitcher development? Astute drafting? Impact trades? And, most important, is it real? (It better be, because some of those guys are going to be trading material for the hitting talent the team still needs.) Thanks and regards,

Harry Pavlidis: all of the above? Harvey was a draftee, Wheeler and Syndergaard were acquired via trade. They're all real.

Alex (Anaheim): What happened to Ervin Santana between this season and last?

Harry Pavlidis: he's been getting velocity back, which may be attributable to the slightly hot PFX that comes out of KC. I have him throwing "more" sinkers, but the reality is he's thrown them in the past but I could never pick them out clearly and he says he's throwing them less these days. One thing I wonder is are his mechanics cleaner/more repeatable which results in him having better command (walks are down, HR too FWIW), better velocity (caveats applied) and more consistency in the separation of his two fastballs (self-serving but hey I count for something).

Matt (Chicago): Have you done any analysis on Kyle Hendricks? He appears to be that rare breed of finesse righty who has a decent K rate. What gives

Harry Pavlidis: the word on Kyle is plus command and plus pitchability. Smart kid, too.

Donald Loria (Milwaukee ): Involved in a 20 team, dynasty. Future (next 2-4 years), how would u rank the "value" of the following pitchers: Scherzer, Yu, Greinke, Weaver, Bucholtz, Cain, Tillman. Specifically, what do u see for Tillman in the future... continued progression.

Harry Pavlidis: Darvish, a murky middle, then Tillman. Tillman is good but he doesn't have the ceiling the other guys have (or had)

Donald Loria (Milwaukee): How would u rank the future success (2-4 yrs) of the following SPs: Gio, Bumgardner, Corbin, Samardzija, Moore??

Harry Pavlidis: Bumgarner, Samardzija, Moore, Gio, Corbin (toss up on the last two, Shark could surpass Bumgarner but not a sure thing)

hdub (the bleachers): Ive read in the past that Giolito has some arm drag in his delivery. have you seen him post surgery to comment on whether that is still the case?

Harry Pavlidis: this I don't know, maybe someone else reading this has seen something that I can pass along.

Donald Loria (Milwaukee): Overall best career... Afterwards when we look back nostalgically: Miggy, Trout, Harper, Bonds, Pujols??

Harry Pavlidis: Nostalgia set aside, it's Bonds, unless Trout really is Mantle.

eddieGaedel (LA): How good, or bad, is the Indians starting pitching? It seems like they don't have top of the rotation guys but they have a lot of depth at the back end. Reminds me of the Baltimore staff.

Harry Pavlidis: I couldn't put it much better than that. I like most of their guys to a certain extent (they ain't bad) but there's no "hey this guy would be awesome in October" that I can see.

J. Baez (Kodak, TN): Hey baby.

Harry Pavlidis: shouldn't you be hitting home runs? Or retweeting your mentions?

Shertz (Miami): Your thoughts on kids10-13 throwing curves/ sliders at that age.

Harry Pavlidis: I tend to agree with the school of thought that you wait. Some kids may be ready earlier than others, but 10 is too soon.

Shertz (Miami, fl. ): Best pitch in baseball if one is better than another. Always thought a great change up.

Harry Pavlidis: Fastball. Can't live without a fastball.

Shertz (Miami): Your thoughts on the higher the elbow is in the launch position, the more chance the pitcher. Will have shoulder problems.

Harry Pavlidis: I saw a couple talks at Saber Seminar that, as far as I can recall, did hint at that type of position being an issue. This is a good one for Doug Thorburn to answer (as well as your kids and curves, but I'm almost certain Doug would agree with me on that one ...)

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): Old Style always pairs well with disappointment and failure.

Harry Pavlidis: Old Style _is_ disappointment and failure.

Shertz (Miami,fl. ): Can you really change a pitchers natural arm angle and have him be successful. What percent?

Harry Pavlidis: it's a rare athlete who can do something "unnatural". I'd suggest if you're changing something like that you're getting it back towards "natural" and not the other way around, otherwise why on earth...

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Does Matt Harvey's partial UCL tear put a new wrinkle into the Kershaw Vs. Harvey CYA debate?

Harry Pavlidis: I think Kershaw had the edge to begin with. And yes, I suspect voters will (a) use counting stats and (b) ding Harvey for not finishing the season

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Did Chris Archer throw any change-ups today?? lol

Harry Pavlidis: :-|

Bill (Chicago): What can you tell me about Dillon Maples? He had a really rough start to the year and was demoted. Since the demotion he looks to have turned a corner. The walks are down and the k's are up. What kind of upside do you see with him? Does he have the stuff to keep up with other Cubs prospects such as Pierce Johnson? Also, thanks for the chat. These are always a lot of fun to follow.

Harry Pavlidis: For Maples it isn't about the numbers, especially in Boise. It's what his mechanics are like. Is he in good form and is he repeating it. I see him being a late inning reliever, or a total bust. Johnson is more of a legitimate starting pitcher candidate, even though he doesn't have the raw stuff that Maples can flash. And I'm still a Ben Wells fan, hoping for him to put it together in AA and make the next step next year.

Charlie (Bethesda): Rafael Soriano's 4-seam velocity (from Brooks Baseball) and his K/9 over the last 5 years: 93.36 - 12.1 92.99 - 8.2 92.70 - 8.2 92.76 - 9.2 91.80 - 6.9 Is he pretty much done as a top flight closer? That velocity aint coming back, is it?

Harry Pavlidis: was he ever top flight? And, no, he is what he is -- a decent reliever with closer makeup on the downside of his career.

UrbyJT (Urbandale, IA): Ok Harry, is an extremely noob question for the topic, but here we go. I was listening to the Rox-Giants game yesterday and the announcer said he threw a "running-cutting fastball" (for a single pitch, not in general). Isn't that an absolute oxymoron?! Cut is glove side movement and run is arm side movement, right? Love, John.

Harry Pavlidis: fade is arm-side, run is a step below cut on the glove side.

MetsFaithful5 (The Big Apple): The likelihood that Matt Harvey comes back as good in 2015(assuming he has TJS) or better? He averages 95.6 on his fastball.. That's a big strength.. But if he came back throwing 92-93.. Might not be able to get those pitches by better hitters. I know Strasuburgs velocity isn't quite as high as it was Before.. But I just hope he comes back as strong and maybe even better.

Harry Pavlidis: Those kind of velocity drops can be death if command goes with it. If command stays the same, or even improves, no worries.

Chopper (Indy): Thanks for the chat, Harry. What do you think the future holds (in terms of offensive production) for Anthony Rizzo. Could the cubs have an all-star infield in 3-4 years?

Harry Pavlidis: he'll take walks and hit home runs, something of a three true outcome guy. I like his defense, too. He should be among the better guys in the league overall, but not elite. And, yea, the Cubs project to have an impressive infield ... but let's just wait it out.

Bobby A (NYC): If you could give Chris Bosio some constructive criticism, what would it be? Thanks!

Harry Pavlidis: I'm not sure the windbreaker pullover is the most flattering look for him.

bob (the ether): What's up with Gallardo? Fastball velocity down. Trouble with the drinky. Is he on the decline?

Harry Pavlidis: I won't wander into the off field stuff, but, yea, his velocity is down and his mechanics make me wince. He's most certainly on the decline.

Doug (Cincinnati): Not sure if you can even answer this, but here is my question: There are several teams out there who use Pitch F/X systems in the minor leagues for internal uses. How do they, or if you don't know, how could they be using that to implement improvements/learning points with their players?

Harry Pavlidis: I think there are two ways. For certain players, it may be directly useful as a supplement to video. They'll self identify. From the org level it's about informing decisions/planning. You won't have a coach talk to a kid about his pfx_x but he will talk to them about pitching techniques that may have something to do with what you later measure.

Bob (Atlanta): the 1 ingredient a hitter needs to be successful

Harry Pavlidis: a bat

Donald Loria (Milwaukee): Using ur experience & advance metrics, what are the most effective individual pitches in MLB? IE: Verlanders FB, Hamel's Curve, Harvey's FB, ect? Not important, but fun coming from the expert.

Harry Pavlidis: Well, I look for the combination of speed, movement and command. So Verlander's curveball is one that I love. Mo's cutter. Harvey's slider. Jose Fernandez's slurve. Liriano's slider.

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): By this time in 2014, Chris Rusin is: a) In Chicago's rotation? b) a mop-up guy in the bullpen? c) In Iowa? Is there any reason to think Rusin can continue to get major league hitters out missing as few bats as he does?

Harry Pavlidis: Guys like Rusin make me nervous. I'd like to see how his cutter plays out of the bullpen, but I really feel like he's a sixth/seventh starter type. Iowa or Chicago depends on the health of other people, in that case.

John (Chicago): The Cubs seems to have many intriguing pitching prospects High A and below. One could argue Derek Johnson was the Cubs biggest signing last year. Do you think we are starting to see his touch on the system?

Harry Pavlidis: no, you're seeing Jason McLeod's impact.

Stan Croussett (Philadelphia, PA): What is your opinion on the arrangement of lineups? Is speed-contact-power-power as 1-2-3-4 obsolete?

Harry Pavlidis: it is part of baseball culture, so I think it ends up being important to the guys on the field. It's part of having a routine, a comfort level with your role. Clearly the Rizzo situation in Chicago is a good example of that. I do think it's less about speed and more about on base skills at the top these days, but not across the board.

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): What's your ERA against lefties?

Harry Pavlidis: let me check my windows 8 tablet ... hold on, it's starting up....

Charlie (Bethesda, MD): Rafael Soriano's 4-seam fastball average velocity has seen a big and pretty steady decline from 93.36 mph in 2009 down to 91.80 mph this year. His K/9 has dropped similarly. At 33, is this a sign that he's just getting old and probably won't be a great reliever anymore?

Harry Pavlidis: yep, he's aging. And cutting the ball a lot, too.

Charlie (Bethesda, MD): I guess my question on Rafael Soriano was whether or not that fastball decline is a huge red flag, or if we shouldn't read too much into it.

Harry Pavlidis: no, not a red flag. Just a fact. it does tell you he doesn't have the power game, so you can read plenty into that in terms of expectations.

Al (Chicago, IL): How long do the Cubs think I can wait?

Harry Pavlidis: savor the wait

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): Jason Cole says we're very likely seeing currently the best Samardzija will ever be. My question: when and where would you prefer the cage match scheduled?

Harry Pavlidis: anywhere, anytime

Kyle (Milwaukee): Harry, Your thoughts on Junior Lake's year and do you think he starts next year or reverts to the bench ?

Harry Pavlidis: I think I can handle him playing regularly in the OF. He's got some fun tools, some major flaws and a lack of refined baseball skills. 2015 is the bigger question mark, assuming Lake is what I think he is and the guys in the minors show up on time.

redguy12588 (Pittsburgh): Nick Kingham has been pretty impressive in AA so far as a 21 year old, what's his ceiling and when does he make the Pirates rotation?

Harry Pavlidis: our prospect guys like him as a back-end starter who could be more of a middle rotation workhorse if he progresses enough on his secondary pitches.

Rico (Charm City): What are your thoughts on Zach Wheeler's major league performances? He seems to be up for good; how do you see his adjustments to major league hitters? Does what you've seen give any new insights on his potential as a top of the rotation starter?

Harry Pavlidis: I watched him more when he first came up, and his command/putaway wasn't quite there. But the potential was obvious. Now he seems to be settling in. He's throwing more breaking balls and two-seam fastballs, while he was heavy duty on the four-seams at first. Another sign of getting comfortable and getting command of his stuff.

Plucky (Houston): Has there ever been a systematic study on whether relief pitchers pitchers entering in the middle of an inning are more or less effective than normal on the first batter they face? I would think someone would have done this, but if so I'm ignorant of it. Given managerial proclivity to bring in pitchers to face only 1 batter I would think this is worth knowing. Obviously the sample size would be way too small to make judgements on individual pitchers, but in aggregate there ought to be enough to come up with a number (although there would have to be extensive adjustments to come up with the expected baseline results)

Harry Pavlidis: not that rings a bell, but sounds like something Tango may have done. Anyone??

jharrison3 (Illinois): Is what Travis Wood has done this year sustainable? Or has he been a product of good luck?

Harry Pavlidis: Yes and no. He's had some good luck but he is a better pitcher than he was two years ago. I think he'll pitch the same but I don't think the fly balls will be so friendly going forward.

MKPJ (Chicago): Whom should the Cubs trade to get an ace SP?

Harry Pavlidis: ehhhhh no one.

LittleJoe66 (chicago): Chris Curley is a 26-year-old at high-A Winston-Salem for the White Sox. He appears to have figured out hitting to a degree. 2 questions: 1) Does he have a future in the game beyond organizational filler, 2) Why would a team keep a player buried at a level when he looks ready to move up and be challenged, all while the clock's ticking on him.

Harry Pavlidis: 26. High A. Not a prospect.

Ashitaka1110 (Houston, TX): I hate watching Jarred Cosart every five days (or six days now, with Houston's new six-man rotation), and seeing the end results be good, and hearing all the fans and broadcasters heap praise on him, but then look at the metrics and have this sense of impending doom about him. Am I worried about nothing? Can he get by with what he's doing now?

Harry Pavlidis: funny, I'm going to see him pitch tomorrow. Ask me again next time!

Larry (Denver): What do you think is th matter with Dempster? Time to give up on him (in fantasy and real life) or can he recover? Has what should be another easier start vs white sox this week.

Harry Pavlidis: it's strange, he still has that nasty split/slider going sometimes. But he's basically put away his sinker (!!) and cutter (meh). I'm not very high on him these days, and I used to be a fan.

J. Baez ((Kodak, TN)): Didn't you see the game yesterday? Hit a two run bomb to get us in the playoffs. I'll tweet you the video later.

Harry Pavlidis: RT me every version

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Thoughts on the Rays acquisition of David DeJesus? Do you believe that they'll re-up on his 6.5 MIL club option when Luke Scott's 6ish MIL contract will be soon off the books?

Harry Pavlidis: I think they buy it out for 1.5 and he shows up in Chicago for 2.5-3.5 in 2014.

comish4lif (Alexandria, VA): There's no "natural" way to throw a ball overhand - especially at 90 MPH. Your shoulder isn't designed for it.

Harry Pavlidis: shoulder angle, actually, can create that. But, yea, I hear ya.

Bob (Madison, WI): Does Khris Davis have a job next year when Braun returns ?

Harry Pavlidis: 4th OF maybe

MindofStan (Philadelphia, PA): Is Rafael Betancourt's career done?

Harry Pavlidis: that's a fair question to be asking. He's going to have to make a hard decision. If he's up for it, he'll be able to come back. But at 38 he may be ready to just end the ride.

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Are we absolutely sure that Kenny Williams isn't in control of the White Sox? Outside of Avisail, the White Sox got low-level prospects & other team's garbage out of trading Peavy, Rios, Crain and Thorton. For a team that has no depth at any position in their farm & their mythical pitching depth is somewhat questionable...when will this organization get a clue?

Harry Pavlidis: My impression is the same as yours, Kenny is still running the show. Or at least as a hand on the wheel.

Dave (Allentown,Pa): Drew Smyly- terrific year out of the bullpen but he really is a starter. What are his chances to enter the rotation next season? Leyland said earlier this year that he is a starting pitcher currently in the pen.

Harry Pavlidis: I think he's a starter, too. Depends on how much room there is. Now that he's shown he can work in relief, well, you know, inertia and all that.

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): Brian Schlitter is an older guy in Des Moines having a really solid year. Stuff-wise, is there anything there? I was hoping the Cubs would take a look at him as a middle-reliever, but he's not on the 40-man and a September callup is looking unlikely. Anything to be intrigued by going into next year?

Harry Pavlidis: not really

Tim (Rosenburg, OR): What are scouts saying about Kohl Stewart? Will be in an upcomming MM10-pack?

Harry Pavlidis: I really haven't heard anything since the draft. But he's got a fancy looking ceiling.

Jonny (L.A.): What can you tell me about Dilson Herrera, who apparently is the prospect the Mets will get from the Bucs for Byrd/Buck?

Harry Pavlidis: sorry, don't know about him

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Not sure whose twitter acct. broke down Garza's 18 starts, but are you startled to know that Matt Garza(outside of his post-DL "hot streak") has basically been a .500 pitcher with a 5 ERA for 2/3rds of the season? I gotta applaud Theo/Jed on striking it rich trading a rental.

Harry Pavlidis: why exclude the "hot streak"?

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): Can we make Prince Albert happen as a nickname for Pierce Johnson? It's just begging for it.

Harry Pavlidis: I don't have that kind of authority.

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): I know that you usually bypass on prospect-related questions, but which unknown/somewhat-unknown pitching prospect do you try to keep track of/follow during the season?

Harry Pavlidis: Ben Wells

NatsReview (Bethesda): If you're Mike Rizzo, what should you do with the infield this offseason? Leave as is, platoon LaRoche/Moore at first, move Zim to first and sign ____ to play 2b or 3b?

Harry Pavlidis: Zim/Rendon at the corners. Go find a 2B somewhere.

sitrick2 (Minneapolis): I'm not sure if this is available with minor league PitchFX data, but is there any way to tell if Mike Olt is being pitched differently this year than in years past? If he's seeing the same pitch mix but not succeeding, it's reasonable to think this is just an unhealthy year and he'll be due for a bounceback next season. If it has changed, that's slightly more troubling...

Harry Pavlidis: shared this because it's an interesting question ... but not one I can answer.

Jay (Madison): When should the O's move Machado to shortstop: a) starting in 2014 by trading Hardy while he has good value b) after Hardy's contract expires c) Never - why mess with a good thing.

Harry Pavlidis: I don't know about "never" but (b) sounds best to me. But who plays third when he moves?

Scooter (Mobile): Your thoughts on R. Fuentes call up to the Padres? Will he play enough to make an impact with his speed?

Harry Pavlidis: doesn't it seem rushed? We have to see if he can handle the bat in the majors, he's barely got anytime above AA and his bat seem awfully light.

Lucas Apostoleris (getting a haircut): This subject has probably been discussed in a previous chat, but of the young pitchers you've seen this year, who would you say is doing the most (whether it be with location, deception, sequencing, something inexplicable) with the least "stuff"?

Harry Pavlidis: Kyle Hendricks, Cubs minor leaguer.

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Here's a twist to the DeJesus "club option" question. Considering Mike Rizzo stated that the Nationals will likely be receiving a 22 yr old LHP from the Rays farm system, if those prospects are out of the Matt Spann/Jeff Ames/Enny Romero/Felipe Rivero group...do you believe that the Rays would really opt-out after giving up such a promising, young LHP prospect?

Harry Pavlidis: too much money for DeJesus IMO, especially for Tampa

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): Fill in the blank: "This time next year, Arodys Vizcaino is ______"?

Harry Pavlidis: in the bullpen on the North Side of Chicago

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): What has gone wrong with Jeremy Hellickson? Dead arm? The Luck Dragon finally getting his revenge on Jeremy's gross misuse of his powers? Location problems?

Harry Pavlidis: haven't looked at the location (lazy) but I don't think his arm is dead. For one thing, his change up is firmer. And his FB was down at the beginning of the year and hasn't declined.

jlarsen (chicago, IL): If Jeremy Hellickson continues to falter in his next couple of starts, do you think Rays may give newly-crowned IL MVP JD Martin a start or 2 in September?

Harry Pavlidis: only if they feel like he gives them a better shot

Matt (Chicago): What's going on with Brett Anderson? He's probably close to getting expensive via arb. What are your thoughts on his future?

Harry Pavlidis: he's got to stay healthy. I suspect his arb dollars will be dampened as a result.

jharrison3 (Illinois): Thoughts on Almora/Baez/Bryant/Soler all playing in AZFL this offseason? Try to keep it PG...

Harry Pavlidis: exciting, but I wish they had TV coverage.

sitrick2 (Minneapolis, MN): I know this may not be your expertise, but I'm bored at work and will ask anyway. With Matt Harvey as the latest of flamethrowers going down with elbow problems, is there a point where there becomes such a thing as having too much fastball velocity? It seems like the human arm just isn't designed to throw 99 mph, particularly as a starting pitcher. Would teams be better served to look for and value the best 94-96 guys (who, just anecdotally, feel to me like they hold up better) with the best life/movement and invest their resources there?

Harry Pavlidis: guys who don't throw hard get hurt, too. I say look for velocity, command and makeup. Put them together as best you can.

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): The Rays closer in 2014 will be (Jake McGee, Juan Carlos Oviedo, Free Agent(bargain bin, non-tendered reliever) Acquisition, Trade Acquisition)?

Harry Pavlidis: bargain bin

Daryl (LA): What happened to the Giants pitchers this year? is the just the volatility of pitchers or is Matt Cain really this bad? Also, how does Vogelsong get by with such fringy stuff?

Harry Pavlidis: I'm a little surprised by Cain's drop, but the rest is not too surprising. Vogelsong doesn't get by all that much, does he? Sometimes those guys can have a run, but the margin for error is small.

jlarsen (Chicago, IL): Have you ever considered an intern to help you with your PITCH F/X research, if so...where do I send a resume?

Harry Pavlidis: I have one

Alex (Anaheim): Most promising pitcher in the Yankee system?

Harry Pavlidis: none for me, but Ramirez is ranked #4 on our lists. I just don't know the guy so I can't vouch.

bkobs (Massachusetts): What is the ceiling of Mookie Betts, 2B for the Class A Advanced Red Sox?

Harry Pavlidis: yet another kid I don't know.

kiper90 (Rochester, NY): Any thoughts on Tyler Glasnow and Lucas Simms? It seems both have quality stuff for their age, any chance they become role 6 pitchers in the distant future?

Harry Pavlidis: nothing other than "I want to see these guys"

Harry Pavlidis: that's that ... only a couple dupes and some jokes left in the queue (you crazy kids). See ya next time, or the week after...