Link Report for Thurs. 5/29 - Farmhands Shine as Big League Club Rests (Mills and Wagner Dazzle)

[Outlander]

Shackelford is having a pretty bad year and was demoted. He is on the 40 man as well. Otherwise, I agree it has been a good pitching year all around for the Brewers organization.

 

Edit: Also forgot about Blazek, another guy on the 40 man that has been brutal.

[igor67]

At some point it has to be more than just good luck on the pitching side right? I'd really be curious to know if there was some kind of philosophical, or practical change on the coaching side that explains, so many positive results.

[colbyjack]

igor, I would argue that the scouting staff deserves more credit. While there are more blatant swings and misses from Eric Arnett to Dylan Covey, Seid has drafted some pretty good arms, even if there isn't that one, can't miss ace. And they seem to be doing a better job keeping them healthy too.

[igor67]

Well certainly after the beating they have taken they merit more credit for finding guys who can pitch. But so many players are pitching better than they have in the past across the minors it seems like there should be more to the story than things started clicking for all of these guys at the same time.

[colbyjack]

I do agree that there seems to be a shift in philosophy, as I read the reports of the pitchers they're taking and it's more about their present stuff and pitchability as opposed to what they could become. I noted this earlier in the link report, but Tyler Wagner and Taylor Williams are good examples of this, and despite the team's expressed interest in big-bodied pitchers, Tyler Thornburg also fits this mold. Even guys like Jorge Lopez and Brooks Hall can't be forgotten about even if both keep a low profile. Jimmy Nelson is another, albeit to a lesser degree. They just seem to be developing pitchers, not hurlers like they used to. I just wish they would take notes from teams like the Cardinals, and even from their own development of Thornburg, and not be so scared of letting starters earn their wings in the bullpen. Nelson could benefit from that time spent with the big-league team, and the team could benefit from another quality arm in the 'pen capable of going more than one inning.