=== Fizzler:  Tom Wilhelmsen ===

Not to write him off, but ...

92-95, with pinpoint command, was the bill of sale.  Another Shawn Kelley, this one with 100,000 miles left on the tread.

I ha'e me doots, saith Dr. McD.  Low minors control?  :sniff:

Thus far he's shown me neither ("92-95 nor pinpoint command", not "Shawn nor Kelley").  And his CTL is lousy.  It's 7 innings or something, but it's also three weeks, three weeks where he's trying his very hardest.

I don't say cut him.  I say he ain't in the Sizzler category.

We're not certifying them ML or not, LrKr Boi.  We're just saying this week.

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=== Sizzler:  David Pauley ===

One of the few Rainiers who can pitch in the big leagues.  So saith the Mainframe.  

Is having a great spring:  7/1 CTL, 1+ ERA .... one problem, that being a Ryan Franklinish arsenal.  They're not going to use that in short relief.  

Are they?

................

When Dr. D talks, people listen... his little brother and his cat, that is.  People in MLB employ, not so much.

Listen up:  David Pauley as closer.

Seems to have the makeup.  Throws strikes.  The ninth inning is the easiest relief inning, anyway, provided the shlub out there doesn't get nervous.  

Let him grab the easy ninths by throwing strike one, and when Aardsma returns, cash in one of your Manufactured Closers (TM) on the trade market.

I'm serious.  If they let Pauley close, in Ryan Franklin fashion, then 60 days from now their entire franchise might be worth measurably more.

........

With 40-50 Base Performance Values, and a 5:3 CTL / Hi-GB profile, Pauley's not a relief ace. 

But I'll bet he could hold the fort for Aardsma better than anybody else, except Lueke ... and if Pauley refines his FB command like Franklin did, he could get good.

........

Here's a video sample of how tough the 12-6 curve can be.  Here's a vid in which you can see the Franklinesque movement and location on several FB's.

........

Closers with:

1. Non-overpowering stuff ...but
2. Great nerves

.... in the Eddie Guardado and Ryan Franklin mold, are becoming the trend around baseball.  Maybe GM's are smart enough to exploit the fact that "closing" is a shibboleth?

Naaahhhhh...

........

There's enough time to gain ballclub buy-in, only just.  There's a certain process.  10-14 days is enough.  

It starts by telling people you're "just going to give him a look in that role."  Then when he pitches three routine ninths, he's your surprise #2 option on Opening Day.  Two BS's by League and everybody's crying for the guy.

Or not.

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=== Fizzler:  Daniel Cortes ===

When Cortes came up to the bigs, his first coupla pitches sent Dr. D screaming into the night.

He broke every Aiki law in existence, and then he wrote some new ones so he could break those.  This March, he's still breaking them, albeit breaking them in AAA now.

::deep breath:: Think Lueke.  Think Lueke.  Think Lueke.  ... if a Cortes or Lueke has a 50% chance of ML impact, I guess we're good.

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