from baseballamerica.com

 

Throughout the World Series we are looking into our archives for a unique Baseball America perspective on the Marlins and Yankees stars. We'll dig up scouting reports from the minors, college and high school and tell you what scouts were saying about them back then.

 

One night after Carl Pavano's impressive Game Four performance, Brad Penny overpowered a weakened Yankees lineup in Game Five, again showcasing the depth of the Marlins stable of young pitchers.

 

The Diamondbacks drafted Penny in the fifth round out of an Oklahoma high school in 1996 and he ranked as their top prospect before the 1999 season. Penny was coming off a 14-5, 2.96 effort in high Class A High Desert in '98. Pitching for Double-A El Paso, Penny was selected to represent Arizona in the inaugural Futures Game in 1999, but he was traded along with righthander Vladimir Nunez and outfielder Abraham Nunez to the Marlins for closer Matt Mantei. Penny had already established himself as a power pitcher, and little has changed about his approach since.

 

"You can describe Penny in two ways," Baseball America said in March 1999. "a power pitcher with great command or a control pitcher with great stuff. His fastball is in the 92=94 mph range with heavy sink and can go as high as 97 mph."

 

While Penny can hardly be considered a command pitcher now, he cranks his fastball as high as 99 mph, and on a good night can locate it to both sides of the plate.

 

"His curveball has excellent action and he can spot it in the strike zone at will," we wrote in Penny's No. 1 prospect bio. "Arizona officials compared Penny's demeanor during games to Don Drysdale's and Bob Gibson's, lofty praise for a 20-year-old."

 

Penny threw a scoreless inning in the Futures Game in Fenway Park in 1999, then finished the season with the Marlins' Double-A Portland affiliate, going 1-0, 3.90 in 32 innings, though he was slowed by shoulder tendinitis. He was rated the No. 4 prospect in the Marlins system behind fellow righthanders A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett and Wes Anderson heading into his rookie season in 2000. Penny was the first of that foursome to reach the majors, going 8-7, 4.81 with 80 strikeouts in 120 innings in his debut. He seemed to be a step away from asserting himself as a frontline starter when he logged 205 innings and went 10-10, 3.69 in 2001, but he was troubled by a bum arm in 2002 and was the subject of trade rumors throughout the season.

 

After battling through seven tough innings in Game Five, the 25-year-old Penny's stock soared again proving his arm is sound with each 96 mph heater and power curveball.

 

We do want to keep our sluggers mostly intact (I would like to see Enc go first if any) so should we entertain offers of Penny to see what he's worth? I think Penny is going to continue to develop into a dominate front-line pitcher like this article suggests. McKeon is making a huge impact on his mental approach to the game and his health seems fine which was a major concern.

Personally I think we should send Brad's picture with a health warning reading "Do Not Serve This Man" to every fast food restaurant within a hundred miles of Broken Arrow OK.

 

I was heartened to read Brad has signed up with a South Florida fitness guru who has worked wonders with other professional athletes. The only thing that stands between Brad and 20 wins in 2004 is his horrendous physical condition. If "The Duke" wants to walk the walk in 2004, to strut instead of waddle, he needs to mimic Juan Pierre's work ethic and be the first guy in the weight room and the last to leave.

 

I hope he does it, as much for the team as for himself. It would be a shame for him to continue to waste his his talent.

Personally I think we should send Brad's picture with a health warning reading "Do Not Serve This Man" to every fast food restaurant within a hundred miles of Broken Arrow OK.

 

I was heartened to read Brad has signed up with a South Florida fitness guru who has worked wonders with other professional athletes. The only thing that stands between Brad and 20 wins in 2004 is his horrendous physical condition. If "The Duke" wants to walk the walk in 2004, to strut instead of waddle, he needs to mimic Juan Pierre's work ethic and be the first guy in the weight room and the last to leave.

 

I hope he does it, as much for the team as for himself. It would be a shame for him to continue to waste his his talent.

That is very promising news. Brad has legitimate top of the rotation stuff and we'll need him to step up big if our offense is downgraded this off-season.

speaking about the duke. last thursday i was covering the fights at the seminole casino and dropped by to watch them. he was sitting on the ringside section, just a few rows behind press row. he seems to be a class act as he took pictures and singed autographs for anyone who apprached him. at some point during the event he was asked to get on the ring and was presented to the audience who responded with a huge standing ovation for the "the duke".

Personally I think we should send Brad's picture with a health warning reading "Do Not Serve This Man" to every fast food restaurant within a hundred miles of Broken Arrow OK.

LOL

 

Kinda like in that MTV show with Bam Margera ...he does the same with his fat dad..."DON'T FEED PHIL!!"

Personally I think we should send Brad's picture with a health warning reading "Do Not Serve This Man" to every fast food restaurant within a hundred miles of Broken Arrow OK.

 

I was heartened to read Brad has signed up with a South Florida fitness guru who has worked wonders with other professional athletes. The only thing that stands between Brad and 20 wins in 2004 is his horrendous physical condition. If "The Duke" wants to walk the walk in 2004, to strut instead of waddle, he needs to mimic Juan Pierre's work ethic and be the first guy in the weight room and the last to leave.

 

I hope he does it, as much for the team as for himself. It would be a shame for him to continue to waste his his talent.

I think the guy is a nutritionist actually.... either way it should be good for him.

 

I think it was in a Peter Gammonds column... I'll see if I can find it.

I don't think we can trade Penny at this point.

 

He's going to win near 20 games in 2004 (if he perfects his change, which is sick, but he A) never uses it, and B) Isn't accurate with it), and I would prefer he do it in a Marlin uniform. Not to mention the fact that Pro Player is the best place for any pitcher to play.

Beinfest and the Marlins MO is 'pitching is currency'. They know that pitching can be traded for basically anything they want. The value if very high on pitching. That said, there is NO way the Marlins deal Penny, Pavano, or any of the other starters in this rotation. They know how they got here, and they know that if the Marlins are going to continue to compete, and at a discounted rate, they will have to rely on pitching and defense. We cannot afford to deal Penny, and why would you want to? This guy FINALLY grew up in the playoffs, as did Beckett, and is deteremined now to become the pitcher he was meant to be. Right now, we got 3 guys who can win 20 games a season - Beckett, Burnett, and Penny. You dont mess with that.

After the NLDS and NLCS we were ready to write off Penny as a member of this team.

 

 

I was at the point where...if we do need to trade a pitcher...Penny might be the one that brings the most back in return.

 

But....something happened. Brad took the adversity he was faced with in the early round and started to put it all together in the World Series. He started to pitch and not just rely on the fastball.

 

We have to remember that Brad is still only 25 years old. He is taking a little longer to truly develop into the dominant pitcher we all assumed he would be.

 

We will have 6 starters next year. 1 of them will not be back till May, and even then it would be best to bring him out of the pen for a while.

 

 

Its an interesting dilmenia...one that should be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

 

So many here have wanted to see Brad gone for so long...now once more they are coming around into his corner again...

 

Its encouraging...definitely.

it depends what you couldget for Penny

 

id be for trading him if we get a nice pot of gold in return

I would trade just about anyone for a nice pot of gold.

and by pot of gold, i mean, a stud infielder/OF/ maybe a Soriano or Johnson or some nice players from LA

I don't think we can trade Penny at this point.

 

He's going to win near 20 games in 2004 (if he perfects his change, which is sick, but he A) never uses it, and B) Isn't accurate with it), and I would prefer he do it in a Marlin uniform. Not to mention the fact that Pro Player is the best place for any pitcher to play.

I'd say Brad will be an extremely effective pitcher. Wins really is the worst indicator of pitching performance.

Wins really is the worst indicator of pitching performance.

I agree.

 

I was just saying... lol.

and by pot of gold, i mean, a stud infielder/OF/ maybe a Soriano or Johnson or some nice players from LA

The Yankees are in the market for a front-line starter and another above average starter with the soon-to-be departed Wells/Weaver/Pettite. Nobody on the Yankees gives me goosebumps so I don't see us trading with them unless we dump Lee, keep 9ner/Cabs for the corners, which would enable us to trade for Johnson. I'm still holding out hope that we can dump Enc/Castillo and keep Lee/Lowell.

Wins really is the worst indicator of pitching performance.

I agree.

 

I was just saying... lol. Sorry

and by pot of gold, i mean, a stud infielder/OF/ maybe a Soriano or Johnson or some nice players from LA

 

A "stud" infielder and outfielder??? Johnson and Soriano??? You can't possibly be serious. A fat slob and a lazy malcontent. Is this really you Ramp or did Wild steal your screenname?

 

And if I read your post correctly you'd trade them straight up. OMG!

 

The closest those two guys will ever come to being called "stud" is if they start wearing diamond earrings and leather chaps.

 

I wouldn't trade....oh nevermind it useless (sigh)

and by pot of gold, i mean, a stud infielder/OF/ maybe a Soriano or Johnson or some nice players from LA

 

A "stud" infielder and outfielder??? Johnson and Soriano??? You can't possibly be serious. A fat slob and a lazy malcontent. Soriano isnt a stud?

 

and by fat slob are you referring to Brad Penny? Nick Johnson doesnt weigh that much

Is this really you Ramp or did Wild steal your screenname?

And are you insulting me?

And are you insulting me?

And are you insulting me?

I dont want to trade no one in the Rotation. Especially Penny, He has great stuff and watch out this up coming season. He will have a great year, trust me. AJ, Josh and Brad are gonna be special for this team later on....

AJ, Josh and Brad are gonna be special for this team later on....

And Carl.....And Dontrelle.....And the Work Horse Big Red Anchoring the Whole Thing down.....

 

Gotta love the Studly Six

look people.

 

 

there is no way in hell we will have a six man rotation.

 

 

that is stupid and idiotic

 

 

use your brain.

look people.

 

 

there is no way in hell we will have a six man rotation.

 

 

that is stupid and idiotic

 

 

use your brain.

Never did I say we would.

 

Use your brain and don't assume next time