The Next big Minor League Pitching call-up

[bobbing_headz]

What about Samardzija? This is only his first year I believe but from what I hear he's doing pretty well. Maybe the Cubs give him a shot.

[Sunspot]

David Price will make the biggest impact, but only if the Rays stay in the race. With their current losing streak, it looks like the magic is wearing off. If they fall out of contention, the most we will see from him is a few start cup of coffee late in the year. Personally I have started to look at young pitching differently. I had Kershaw and Scherzer and was constantly looking for the next big thing, but, lately I have found much more value in guys that are playing their second or third full years. It just seems to take time for these guys. Volquez is the best sample of this, but even a guy like Scott Baker has been much more valuable to me than Scherzer of Kershaw. Of coarse it all depends if you are going for the title this year or next year. I just might want Kershaw, Scherzer, Hughes, Price, or even Homer Bailey on my team in 1 or 2 years, but they just may not be that valuable until then. If I am in a keeper and out of contention, I might be inclined to hoard these guys, but they might not even hit the big time for two years if at all. A Fernando Valenzuela, Mark Prior (Ugh) or Francisco Liriano rookie impact don't happen very often.

[Montana168]

well yes you are right that it usually does take a pitcher a year or two to get it but if your in a keeper/dynasty whether your in contention or not you MUST hoard those kids because someone else will just jump all over them and then when they are raking next year you'll feel like an idiot.

anyway...it says on the yahoo! players notes that the dodgers are considering recalling clayton kershaw. i've had him in my dynasty league and picked him up in my other 3 redraft leagues after reading that. i know it's not very detailed or for certain but i have said numerous times that kershaw will only make at most 3 more starts in the minors but it looks like he could be up sooner than that like i predicted. if he's available in your league i would strongly consider picking him up, especially if your free agent pool is scarce.

[deanpapelbon]

Do you like Kershaw over Volstad this year and next?

[Montana168]

clayton kershaw is the top pitching prospect. volstad had a very impressive start but over the long run kershaw will be a much, much better pitcher than volstad will ever be.

[gatorgreenwell]

They're stretching him out:

Notes: Scherzer regains early form Aug. 1, 2008
LOS ANGELES - Top pitching prospect Max Scherzer is beginning to regain the form that made him a popular subject of trade inquiries leading up to the trading deadline.

Scherzer, who missed a month with shoulder fatigue, had his best outing Thursday night since returning to the mound in mid-July for Triple-A Tucson. In three innings against New Orleans, Scherzer allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out seven.

"He was good," Diamondbacks General Manager Josh Byrnes said. "That's the best he's thrown it, really, since he came out of the rotation" in the majors in May.

"He threw the ball like he did early in the year."

In each of his four games since coming off the disabled list, Scherzer has been incrementally building his pitch count.

He threw 50 pitches on Thursday and will add about 15 pitches to his pitch count with every outing. Within a couple of weeks, his pitch count should be around 100.

He could be an option for the Diamondbacks rotation this month, although that would be only if tonight's starter, Yusmeiro Petit, struggles. Petit has allowed two runs in 11 innings in two starts this season.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamond ... r0802.html

[ceLpH]

Kershaw and Scherzer should both be in the Bigs late.. especially if Dodgers/Dbacks stay in a tight race like they are in right now

[COOPERSTOWN]

with oakland trading away much of there veterans, how about gio gonzalez...just picked him up hoping a few stretch run starts in pitcher friendly home park

[kevinss2001]

with oakland trading away much of there veterans, how about gio gonzalez...just picked him up hoping a few stretch run starts in pitcher friendly home park

i like him, but they said he was going to be called up a month ago-i am just leaving him out there till he gets the call

[thejusman1]

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Gio Gonzalez is "a strong candidate" to be called up from Triple-A to start Thursday.
It would be the 22-year-old southpaw's major league debut. The A's had been planning on Dan Meyer making the start, but he threw four innings out of the bullpen Monday, leaving Lenny DiNardo as the only other candidate on the roster. Acquired from the White Sox in the Nick Swisher deal, Gonzalez is one of the game's better left-handed pitching prospects and has 128 strikeouts in 123 innings at Triple-A, but his 68 walks make it unlikely that he's ready to thrive in the majors yet.

I'll definitely keep my eye on him, but I wouldn't roster him just yet with that poor K/BB ratio.