Merkin Valdez

[AT]

Anyone know anything about him other than he's succeeding in AA Norwich and apparently the Giants are trying to improve his growth as a starter? Here are his numbers this year at AA Norwich...

16 Starts
5-4, 85 1/3 Innings, 73 Hits, 34 Walks, 3 HR, 74 K's, 2.85 ERA, 1.25 WHIP.

I saw that the Giants acquired him in the Russ Ortiz deal and have had him contending for a spot in the rotation since then and finally brought him up last year in July to start for Jerome Williams and he got shelled (5ER in 1 2/3 with 4 Hits and 3 Walks) but he is having a solid season now and is major league ready at 22. He seems to have rebounded from a sub-par 2004 after leading the Sally League (A Ball) in K's in 2003 with 166 in 154 Innings. What do you think of this guy's value?

[stevethumb]

saw him last night in the AA allstar game..he struggled throwing strikes and gave up a bomb but was throwing 94 w/a nice easy motion...he is 24 now and is a bit long in the tooth to just be at AA but i think he projects to a #4 or 5 SP or quality middle

[water boy]

The Giants are projecting him as there closer of the future.