What are the rookies gonna be ??

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-25-2023, 07:06 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Pretty good assessment for what we have seen thus far. You left out the rookie pitchers though, so I'll give my take on them:

Abbott: call me a Greene hater all you want but this guy is THE guy of this staff moving forward. Good pitch selection, doesn't get rattled, and is battling through the late season having never thrown this many innings prior. If he stays in a good off-season program and comes into ST refreshed, he's my opening day starter barring a disasterous March.

Williamson: started slow, and on most contending teams he's a 5, but he's really worked hard on his game and has turned himself into a pretty dependable MOR type for THIS staff. Like Abbott, if he stays in a nice off-season program / routine and can build up his innings, he is my 3-5 guy depending on IF we add a vet.

Richardson: too small of a sample size but he has good stuff. I would let him compete for the 5-spot in ST next year with the other nearly-ready prospects and see what shakes out. If he shows well, there's your BOR guy. If he shows well but another guy beats him out, there's your long relief guy (we have sorely needed that type this year in my opinion), and if he needs more seasoning, he has minors options so there's that.

Phillips: has yet to make his ML debut and I would expect it's due to his lack of control thus far in the minors. Another guy with electric stuff but needs innings and needs to work on throwing strikes. I suspect he will be in the mix next year for a role, probably in competition with Richardson, Stoudt, and (hopefully) a vet FA.

I hate to bash Greene up simply because he's still young and learning, but. There's going to come a point and sooner rather than later that, that excuse is going to stop holding water. He's racking up some innings now and still can't quite get over the hump as far as being a true top of the lineup starter. I hope he can develop a better offspeed pitch and soon.