Jim Callis on 10/1/09 about Robles, when he left him off his top 20 MWL prospects list:
Ben (Leland Grove): Did Mauricio Robles get any consideration? What's the skinny on him? Jim Callis: A little, but he wasn't really close to making the list because spots are at a premium when I have 14 teams to choose from for 20 prospects. (It's going to get worse next year, when the MWL expands to 16 clubs.) Robles is a lefty with a low-90s fastball, but there's not a lot of projection remaining, his curveball is a below-average pitch and he still needs to throw more strikes. Promising, but not a Top 20 guy.
I'm really curious to know what makes him think it's below-average. I know two people that saw him pitch in Cali, and I listened to the announcers there talk, and there was NOTHING below-average about it. Maybe the Ms fixed his grip? *shrugs* I have nothing.
All I know is guys don't look that stupid against a below-average pitch. If he doesn't have the curve he gets into trouble, but I would expect that. Any pitcher of that type scuffles if all he can get over that day is the FB.
But aside from his first start when we'd just had him as a reliever and he was traded right before that, his control was fine for a power pitcher. He's gonna walk 3-4 guys per 9, but if he's striking out 9 that's perfectly fine.
Lookin forward to seeing him in AA where his curve will be revealed as either a mirage or the real deal. I believe it's real, and any further improvement in control will only make him more dangerous.
~G