=== Sizzler:  Luke French ===

8 innings pitched, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, 1.13 ERA.  This wouldn't matter so much, except that it's what he did during the entire second half of last year.

SSI considers French's curve to be plus-plus, a true game-changing hammer.  

If French has refined his FB command within the zone, well ..... that's okay by me.  A 70 curve and a located 87 fastball, that's a major league template.  Barely.

.......

What Aaron Laffey is doing here, SSI hasn't a clue.

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=== Fizzler:  Brandon League ===

Longtime D-O-V readers still remember -- very fondly -- his most spectacular bad calls of all time:  Paul Spoljaric and Scott Sanders.

Spoljaric and Sanders came to Seattle with 10 K's per 9 innings, sizzling stuff, and command in the zone.

The light bulb that Dr. D didn't have on at the time:  some pitchers' fastballs are just very straight, very easy to see, and very hittable.

Dr. D saw this instantly with respect to Ian Snell.  He did not see it with respect to Brandon League.

League's not a writeoff, but SSI is 70% confident that League is going to be his second Scott Sanders.  Hope not.

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=== Sizzler:  Josh Lueke ===

In case you forgot, Lueke is a Top 100 In Baseball prospect.  In ability, if not in accolades.

He has the following weapons:

• Unless every scout in baseball is wrong: he has a#mce_temp_url# 70 (plus-plus, better than ML "very good") slider
• An easy 95 mph into the bargain
• Demonstrated impeccable control -- a very reliable STRIKE ONE

As a rule of thumb, the guys who have those things (Daniel Bard, Carlos Marmol, Luke Gregerson) overmatch ML hitters.

(Say what?)  Yep.  Bring those guys out for one inning and it's a mismatch.

..........

ST this year, Lueke is doin' his thing.  8 innings, 1 walk, no homers.

...........

My only complaint about Josh Lueke was that he wasn't going to be a Mariner.  I underrated the Mariners' front office.

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