April 18, 200818 yr some notes on the AA stud arms from the official site: Florida's Double-A squad features four of the team's top-rated pitching prospects. Chris Volstad, Aaron Thompson, Ryan Tucker and Brett Sinkbeil -- all former first-round Draft picks -- are developing rapidly. Volstad, especially, is moving closer to being big league ready. On Tuesday, Tucker pitched splendidly in a win over Jacksonville, getting the decision over Dodgers' touted left-hander Clayton Kershaw. In six scoreless innings, Tucker struck out five and allowed three hits. "It was as good a slider as we've seen from him," Fleming said. Tucker is the hardest thrower in the system, with a fastball consistently clocked in the upper-90s. Volstad, a 6-foot-7, 21-year-old from Palm Beach Gardens, is becoming more polished. In three Double-A starts, he is 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings pitched. A sinkerball pitcher, Volstad is known as a strike thrower. He is working on mixing in a four-seam fastball, because when he constantly pounds his sinker, the hitters are looking down for the pitch. The four-seam fastball will change hitters' eye levels. Thompson, the only left-hander of the group, is 0-1 with a 2.35 ERA in three starts, allowing four runs in 15 1/3 innings. Thompson and Volstad are polishing up their pitches as both are rising in the system. Sinkbeil is working on his changeup. Volstad, Thompson and Tucker were all first-round picks in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. Another first-rounder from that class, lefty Sean West, is on the Class A Jupiter disabled list with a blister. He had a setback with the blister recently, and his throwing schedule has been reduced. West is a 6-foot-8 left-hander with tremendous upside. He missed all of last year after undergoing shoulder surgery. Wow these guys are looking good. :o Hoping West can stay healthy this season and catch up.
April 18, 200818 yr hehe, they didn't say much on sinkbeil other than he's working on his change up. good news and I can't wait till all these guys are ready. Hope we can get at least half of them to stick! :pray
April 20, 200818 yr Ryan Tucker is awsome. He's the next big time prospect. His line today... 6 ip / 3 h / 1 er / 1 bb / 9k His ERA on the year is now 1.64.
April 21, 200818 yr Ryan Tucker is awsome. He's the next big time prospect. His line today... 6 ip / 3 h / 1 er / 1 bb / 9k His ERA on the year is now 1.64. He's performed better than Volstad so far this season. I wonder if we'll start hearing Tuckers name more often for a call-up to replace Badenhop or Miller.
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