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High Ks are interesting and seductive. Low walks are desirable. But hits get ignored as the third side of the pitching pyramid for some reason. You need two of the 3 to be successful, IMO.
It's okay to walk a lot of guys if nobody can hit you or put the ball in play at all.
It's okay to give up hits in the zone as long as you never walk anybody and can get some strikeouts to limit on-base damage (and potential power shots).
It's fine to not strike anybody out as long as you don't ever let anybody on base, either.
If Carraway was giving up 10 hits per 9 I would not find him interesting. If Robles was, he'd be sunk.
The reason I hold out hope for both is that they give up significantly fewer than 9 H/ 9. Robles gives up 7.4 even after an injury prone and hittable year, which is crazy low. It's how he keeps his WHIP to 1.35 even with his 5 BB/ 9 (!). And it gives him time to work on solving the walks issue either from the rotation, or more likely the pen.
Carraway has a High Desert blip on his hits rate, but most every pitcher does. It's a funny dichotomy: a pitcher who does well at High Desert says something good about his future, but a pitcher who does poorly doesn't actually have it reflect much on him at all. Carraway's HR rate tripled, hits jumped by 3.5 per 9...and the rest of his line stayed exactly the same. He didn't change his approach, which speaks to either stubbornness or teachability. I like to think it was both, knowing a little bit about the kid.
Carraway gave up 7 H/ 9 in leagues where no one can hit quality offspeed stuff, and merely 8 H/ 9 in a league where they can. Looking forward to seeing where he's at this year, but Cloude gave up more in the upper minors (as he lost his Ks in AAA), as did Sweeney (10 in AAA), as did Halama.
Sweeney kept his K and walks rates at nice levels by pouring slop into the zone. Guys would either hit it or K and so he never walked anybody.
I don't like control pitchers with high hits. I don't see any future there.
But control pitchers who can strike out a decent number of hitters without giving up hits?
Them I like a little more. Besides personal makeup and likeability, that's why I believe he has more of a chance at a major league career than some other "control" pitchers.
~G